Tree Planting, BH Mounted Roto-Tiller......??

[Scotty370]

OK My friendly 'Brain Trust', Here's the challenge: I've got a 4200 CUT, John Deere with a 47BH. Last year my sons and I helped a neighbor (and hunting land provider) plant Christmas trees! It worked well, but could be improved upon. What we did, is after the the tree locations were 'gridded out' with string line and paint, I'd get on the BH seat, and my son would drive, as we'd moved down the rows of the target plantings spots. He'd drive up the rows, and stop every 10'-15', and I'd take a bucket scoop! All good! But that just left a 14"x14" hole, with a clump of turf/mud/sod, next to it! I got to thinkin', How about a 14x14, or 20x20" rotating, tiller-like unit, that I could replace the BH Bucket with, and give me 'pulverized soil', for a nice planting hole? I've got Rear Ports that could support a 'Hydro-Motor', to power such a unit, and give a nice planting spot. I'm also into getting some Apple Trees, for my land , and with a couple passes, think we could use it for that. It's Winter up here, and it might be a Winter welding project, Thus I ask for suggestions! ~Scotty

 

[smstonypoint]

OK He'd drive up the rows, and stop every 10'-15', and I'd take a bucket scoop! All good! But that just left a 14"x14" hole, with a clump of turf/mud/sod, next to it!

Scotty,

Just curious. What size trees are you transplanting that would require that spacing and hole size?

Steve

 

[woody]

what about just using an auger on a three point hitch?

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I think the post hole auger is a good idea. I know they make special bits for planting trees. I have seen them up to 2' dia. And it gives you an excuse to buy another attachment.
Bill

 

[Scotty370]

Steve- I'm not the "Aborist" , just saying what we did! The place he bought was an old christmas tree plantation, that he's been trying to re-establish for at least a "Friend's/Family harvest., ie have the Grand-kids be able to cut their own tree (Norman Rockwell Style)! The trees are just 'seedlings" 10-12", but it takes 7-9 years, to have a decent size tree! As with any tree, I'm just thinking of a tool/attachment, that could give them the best start. Are you thinking a 'Spade shot in the ground, and 'stick-it in' is sufficient'? I don't know in our climate.........Thanks for your intrest.......! ~Scotty

 

[Scotty370]

Guy's- Got a 12" auger.............Duh...........Might be the answer!

 

[smstonypoint]

The trees are just 'seedlings" 10-12", but it takes 7-9 years, to have a decent size tree! As with any tree, I'm just thinking of a tool/attachment, that could give them the best start. Are you thinking a 'Spade shot in the ground, and 'stick-it in' is sufficient'? I don't know in our climate.........Thanks for your intrest.......! ~Scotty

Scotty,

I was thinking of a dibble or planting hoe.

SCFC Tree Planting Guide


IMO, you don't need an auger-sized hole for small seedlings. You are going to have to do a lot of back-filling with a shovel.


You might want to check with your local Cooperative Extension office. Cornell may have a publication on Christmas tree production.

Steve

 

[Taylortractornut]

Scotty a few years ago I was between operator jobs and a freind of mine asked me about helping clean up a pine and hardwood clear cut. They had a PC45 grey market Komatsu mini ex there. They had a to put a mouned ring around the trees to hokd some kind of fertilizer mix. They had a special shaft from a phd auger with a pilot tip. Then it had a disc bearing on a shft of the the side of the shaft a bit above the pilot. This had a scalloped disck blade and it could chew up the turf and cut through other roots and objects the rake tractors missed.

We made a cultivator one time that was from on of the old roto hoe cone cluth type tillers. They have a cast housing with a worm gear in the head running the tines. i maonted this on a quick tatch off to the side of my Case ssl. I put an orbit motor on it and it worked great for raised beds. I later mouned it inthe center for stripp tilling a 24 inch path for some flower beds. This would work good on a boom like a hoe for cleaning up so residue and then digging the hole.

 

[Scotty370]

Just a couple other thoughts........The fields that we'd be planting, may have other stumps, roots etc. The auger idea is interesting, just don't know if it would give the roots enough 'spread', or would they go into the hole, and be 'pot-bound'? Like I said: Not really a plant person.................~Scotty

 

[Redneck in training]

We have 12" auger that we use with mixed results. It doesn't have down pressure and has hard time to chew trough the grass. I have to lift it and clean the grass from the cutting edge by hand then it drills the rest of the hole in a snap. We use it even when we need bigger hole than 12". It is much easier to enlarge the hole if it is predrilled. I am thinking about modification of the drill bit so it would make about 2' holes.
As long as you use the same soil the trees will grow roots in it. If you use improved soil to fill the holes they might be pot-bound.