Q.Are Old Catalpa Pods Still Viable?
At my old house (north Texas), there were 4 gorgeous catalpa trees. The landlord is now cutting them down. I always loved those trees and want a baby from one. It’s early summer and already around 100 degrees. Can I dig up one of the babies in the back yard (there are dozens), or can I take a pod from one of the adult trees? I have a pod that’s about 5 years old, but have no idea if I can grow anything from it. As you can tell, I’m certainly not knowledgeable about how it works. Is there a way I can get a baby from my beloved trees before he destroys them? Thanks

Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Taking one of the small trees or seedling in the area will be the best thing to do. This will skip the step of germination, completely..
All you need to do is dig up plenty of roots with the sapling and transplant in container until Autumn. Then you can plant it in ground once it cools down a little.
Here are some articles that will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/planting-a-tree-shoot.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/catalpa/catalpa-tree-planting.htm