Newb botanist Questions!

[CrimsonReign]

So I only just started and since leveling a DOW character atm is basically impossible unless your rich and can keep buying new gear ( or crafting him new gear since people want 50-70k for fucking level 12 gear ) it's been easier to just do DOL stuff so I'm doing botany first to get the double SP skill so I can level mining and fishing faster ( my minings already like 12 or 13 ) They changed how all gathering works completely so its impossible to find information for the most part that updated on this stuff. I know what drops where I atleast read a little before I post lol.

1. Should I try to just randomly search for grade 3 trees to get exp faster and try to learn where the typical locations are ? ( I'm 15 bot )
2. I'm in Uldah so mostly what I get is Elm logs and crow feathers and lax. Should I sell these things? I tried selling them awhile ago and I looked at the absurd price people want for the log so I put mine at like 1/3 of what was up since I don't feel they should be so expensive and its been 2 days and No ones bought a single one lol...in fact surprisingly they have bought the more expensive ones ( probably just stupid? )
3. What are these +3 logs and feathers and lax I get all the time.. I have abunch but I don't see people selling them and idk if I should just npc them or not?
4. any other tips you can give for leveling bot faster or where I should go what I should sell etc etc... its appreciated Thanks.
5. also is like the whole notch thing like pointless now? I don't see it making a difference what I do with that I guess it used to be for getting specific things to drop but it doesn't seem to have a purpose anymore with the changes?