Hoe to transplant trees?

[jsec]

Anyone have experience or ideas on using the backhoe (mine's a Kubota B21) to dig out trees for transplanting? Developers are about to level the property adjacent to mine and I can take whatever trees I want. There are hemlocks and spruce in the 8-10 foot range and some dogwoods with about 3" to 4" trunks.

 

[RobS]

The height of a tree will somewhat limit your ability to use the hoe alone but I helped a friend relocate a tree by using the hoe to dig a trench on all four sides with a ramp down one side. Then I drove the tractor down the ramp using the FEL to lift the tree. Work slick but leaves a much bigger hole to deal with /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Varmintmist]

Did some pines and they mostly lived.

Dig your hole first, then go get as much rootball and dirt in the bucket as you can along with the tree and put the whole mess in the new hole. Dont transfer the tree in and out of the hoe bucket, in when you dig it, out when you plant it.

 

[bczoom]

We transplanted about 15 similarly sized spruce trees in my yard a month or 2 ago.
Backhoe around all 4 sides about 2' out.
I then slid the FEL bucket under the the tree, ran a strap around the trunk of the tree (back to the bucked) and did a combination of lifting and dragging to get it out.
The bugger was establishing and planting into the target hole. You'll need to pull the tree out, eye-up how big of a hole you need, dig new hole and plant it.

So far... All seem to be doing well.

You're not too far away from me (about 45 miles). Have you checked with a local nursery or tree farm? The one down the road was going to bring a skidsteer with one of those cone shaped tree diggers (sorry, forgot what they're called) and do it for me for $15/tree.

EDIT - PS. Varmintmist and I wrote the same thing at the same time. Sorry for the duplicate respone.

 

[RobS]

<font color="blue"> The one down the road was going to bring a skidsteer with one of those cone shaped tree diggers (sorry, forgot what they're called) and do it for me for $15/tree </font>

That's called a tree spade and that's one heck of a deal!

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[bczoom]

Thanks. Couldn't recall what it was called.

I guess it didn't hurt to give him a couple "refreshments" before asking for a quote. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Actually, I think it was because he's good friends with one of my neighbors. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Do bewere of how tippy your machine gets carrying a tree with tree limbs up in the air like that. A breeze can have a significant affect on your balance. The roots and dirt should keep you grounded, but sudden settling and a little shift and you could be on your side with a tall tree.

Cliff

 

[BigEddy]

OkieG initiated a good discussion on this topic a while back. Try a search - I think his attempt failed, but if I recall correctly his tree was 40'+. I've successfully transplanted many trees up to 4" dia using a technique I outlined in his thread.

 

[ChristheQuaker]

Did someone say trees carried up high can make tractors and backhoes tip over? See the attached for a real life example. A major brain cramp of my part. It worked out OK, but took a lot of work. I jacked up the spade/root ball using a 2 ton and 3 ton jack to the point where the bobcat would start, then lowered the spade and finished the job. Never again!

 

[ZJ_HR]

I saw dedicated hoe on agfair a week ago.
Maybe you're looking for this one?

 

[Cliff_Johns]

OK, here's another technique for moving trees. A bit old-fashioned and difficult to explain, but you can make it work.

1. Dig around the tree as explained in other posts. It's best two wrap the ball (as much as you can get to) in something to keep the dirt from seperating from the roots anymore than they have to.

2. Make a stand using 2 4X4's for legs (or whatever you have around) and a piece of heavy pipe run through the top of the legs so it will spin, but not come out, make a standing three sided box with the open part down, that is, like a croqeut gate or a staple. This thing needs wo be wider than the root ball and perhaps five feet high (more on height later).

3. Lean the gadget up against the tree so the middle of the pipe is resting against the tree. Now, wrap the tree at that contact point with a few layers of burlap or cloth or something soft and protective. Lash the pipe to the tree.

4. Tie ropes to the top of each of the legs. Now, if I've written this at all well, you can see how if you pull on the ropes (and the bottom of the legs are kept stationary), the tree will be lifted and will be pulled toward you. The root ball will swing through the legs. If you have a waiting sled (or wagon if the staple is tall enough and you angle it enough) you can use your tractor to pull the ropes and thus lift the tree up, out of the hole and set it on the sled with minimum fuss.

You pull the sled (or wagon) to the destination and do the same thing in reverse.

The key is to keep the bottoms of the legs from moving and building the staple tough enough not to twist. Some tension on ropes taken off the other side will make the move less of a thump.

Hope this makes sense (at least somewhat.) Sorry it's so long.

Cliff