Hydraulic Tree Spade for excavator
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franklinute
Silver Member
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I own and operate several tree spades from 18" to 80". I own several
brands. The brand in your picture is a Dutchman which is one of the
best. I have seen but never operated a spade on an excavator. Skid steer, crawler and truck mount are what we use.
brands. The brand in your picture is a Dutchman which is one of the
best. I have seen but never operated a spade on an excavator. Skid steer, crawler and truck mount are what we use.
Thank-you for the response, I see them being used for transplanting or re-planting in what appears to be well prepared soil, how do they fair for digging up trees that are growing in the wild and might be growing in less than perfect soil conditions?
franklinute
Silver Member
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- Oct 16, 2008
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In a nursery situation the soil is well prepared and the plants have usually been
transplanted several times which means the roots have been cut and the root
system is more compact. I have dug some plants in the wild we call it "collected
plant material." On this type of material we will dig a little larger rootball. I've dug
in swamps and hard rocky conditions. All of my skidsteers have a stabilizer bar on
the rear that helps transfer weight to the tree spade. While digging it is important
not to let the the frame of the spade rise while the blade is going in the ground. To
much of this will bend the blade and put stress on the frame and it will crack. Once
each blade is in the ground halfway then you have a good bite and the blades should
penetrate just about anything other than a big rock. If the ground is just dry we set
up a system to prewater the plants a day ahead and that really makes a big difference.
transplanted several times which means the roots have been cut and the root
system is more compact. I have dug some plants in the wild we call it "collected
plant material." On this type of material we will dig a little larger rootball. I've dug
in swamps and hard rocky conditions. All of my skidsteers have a stabilizer bar on
the rear that helps transfer weight to the tree spade. While digging it is important
not to let the the frame of the spade rise while the blade is going in the ground. To
much of this will bend the blade and put stress on the frame and it will crack. Once
each blade is in the ground halfway then you have a good bite and the blades should
penetrate just about anything other than a big rock. If the ground is just dry we set
up a system to prewater the plants a day ahead and that really makes a big difference.
franklinute
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2008
- Messages
- 184
I have seen lots of large plant material collected in the Florida and Texas areas.
There is a guy in Idaho that collects large western pine from the mountains. He
works in some very tough soils.
There is a guy in Idaho that collects large western pine from the mountains. He
works in some very tough soils.
Excellent 
Collected plant material, I like that.
Based only on very recent investigation, I'm guessing that nobody builds these attachments from scratch and buys them pre-built or buys a base unit and modifies it to fit their rig if necessary. There is a very small market for specialty equipment like this up here, so I think I might need to shop around for a while to find something to work with. I have a ridiculous number of trees growing in all the wrong places on my property and don't want to just keep destroying them, so balling them up and offering them for sale, or relocating to logical areas on the property seems like a very good venture to pursue. I plan on building several access roads with my excavator and the attraction to using that for a tree spade instead of my little tractor would be it's size and reach into the wooded areas. Most of the trees I would be collecting are deciduous. Largely Maple, Birch, Beach and Ash for hardwoods, Basswood, Poplar, Pine, Spruce and Cedar softwoods. The Maple trees are the ones I have the most interest in because I make maple syrup. Obviously I won't be planting up a Maple bush for my benefit but perhaps my grand or great grand children will appreciate it.
ptimist: I've always loved gardening, so gardening on this big of scale should be kinda fun. Hopefully there will be a market for the rest of my collected plant material.
Thanks again for the info franklinute.
Collected plant material, I like that. Based only on very recent investigation, I'm guessing that nobody builds these attachments from scratch and buys them pre-built or buys a base unit and modifies it to fit their rig if necessary. There is a very small market for specialty equipment like this up here, so I think I might need to shop around for a while to find something to work with. I have a ridiculous number of trees growing in all the wrong places on my property and don't want to just keep destroying them, so balling them up and offering them for sale, or relocating to logical areas on the property seems like a very good venture to pursue. I plan on building several access roads with my excavator and the attraction to using that for a tree spade instead of my little tractor would be it's size and reach into the wooded areas. Most of the trees I would be collecting are deciduous. Largely Maple, Birch, Beach and Ash for hardwoods, Basswood, Poplar, Pine, Spruce and Cedar softwoods. The Maple trees are the ones I have the most interest in because I make maple syrup. Obviously I won't be planting up a Maple bush for my benefit
but perhaps my grand or great grand children will appreciate it.ptimist: I've always loved gardening, so gardening on this big of scale should be kinda fun. Hopefully there will be a market for the rest of my collected plant material.Thanks again for the info franklinute.
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
How big are the trees you want to relocate and sell?
You name it, I have it, anywhere from the size of your thumb up to a foot in diameter. Thousands of them would be no exaggeration.
It's very Canadian Shield like terrain in an area referred to as the Land o' Lakes, so named because there is 1000 lakes in 1000 square miles.
Jim Timber
Veteran Member
I think you should read up on what's involved with a "ball and burlap" tree operation before you spend too much time ogling spades.
I too have a zillion trees that could be better moved than mowed down, but the costs involved in transporting them, and digging, outweigh their commercial value. Then you look at survivability and the stump grinder removes the tree remains that the chainsaw left behind.
Tree farming for decorative species is an occupation in and of itself, which is unfortunately directly coupled to land development for profit or loss. It's not as simple as "pluck and plug."
I too have a zillion trees that could be better moved than mowed down, but the costs involved in transporting them, and digging, outweigh their commercial value. Then you look at survivability and the stump grinder removes the tree remains that the chainsaw left behind.
Tree farming for decorative species is an occupation in and of itself, which is unfortunately directly coupled to land development for profit or loss. It's not as simple as "pluck and plug."
I think you should read up on what's involved with a "ball and burlap" tree operation before you spend too much time ogling spades.
.... Then you look at survivability and the stump grinder removes the tree remains that the chainsaw left behind.
I shall do that, I'll also scope out several of the local nurseries to see if they have interest.
but you kinda lost me on the stump grinder and chainsaw aspects of selling live trees.
My wife and I dug up some little Birch trees and replanted them in the yard of our other property
they are more then 30 feet tall now and 7" at the base. They even survived the 1998 Ice storm. My daughter and I planted some pine and spruce when she was very young, they are about 15' tall now and all healthy. So I guess I'm not too shabby at the tree planting business with 100% survivability so far.btw: The best way to get rid of a tree stump is to plant a raised flower bed over it. I recommended that to some friends in Toronto years ago, the garden is still there, but the willow tree stump is long gone.