Planters Tree Planter

[DKE]

i also bought a Detco planter and i am planting in heavy clay soil, i purchased Detco's heavy soil closure and still I am having a hard time closing the furrow any suggestions?

RobS, I brought the tree planter from Detco, Plainfield WI. That is sand country for truck farming, potatoes and I had to extensively modify the tree planter for my clay based area ( I extender the planting slit 15", the whole rear 'wishbone' is longer, bigger more adjustible seat, more storage area and drain holes for those front bins). It takes about 8' feet to get it in the ground so I'm making a continous slit. An important consideration is that the slit comes together symetrically so air space doesn't occur and contribute to drought strees later in the summer. For that reason you've got to plant in a straight line or very gentle curve. Another brand of tree planter is the Forester from Utility Tool and Body Co., Inc Clintonville WI 54929 phone(715) 823-3167. On this one you straddle the slit and plant between your legs. It's less herky and probably cheaper( I've got $3000 into the Detco with the modifications) I used a Forester for 8 or 9 years and it served me well ( I brought it used $450 ~ 1991)
http://www.bluelinemfg.com/frames.htm (look at the bottom of the left-sided menu) in Moxee WA has a tree planter that reportedly has hydrauliic capability to go into the ground for short runs. It's a rigid unit where mine is hinged behind the splitter (where the operater sits and the packing wheels are). For sure any unit should be tested in your type of soil.
The Forester fit on my 21 horse Iseki/Bolens; the Detco's coulter needed more room. They are not hard to pull, you're just making a slit and I pull at 1/2 the max RPMs. You need the weight to seal the slit. Any unit has to be built absolutely symmetrically so that one edge of the slit doesn't curl up and leave an air space- another reason to test any unit before you buy

RCH<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Rch on 05/06/01 12:55 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Runner]

Not sure if it relates to other types of trees, but Stark Brothers recommends soaking bare root fruit and nut trees in water for (I think) 30 minutes before planting. I planted plum and pecan trees and just soaked them for 10 minutes or so and they seem to be doing ok.

 

[teg]

Welcome DKE to TBN, I guessing here but extra weight on the back should help with closing the furrow. Photos of the unit would not help but that doesn't mean we would not want to see them anyway :thumbsup: Can you weld up something like a bin or a bracket to hold weights or rocks You might have to wait for better soil moisture... This is an older thread and the OP (original poster) has not been login for a while...