Tree Spade - You think this will work?

[woodlandfarms]

So, we have to move some trees this fall. Or cut them down which I would like to avoid.

I am thinking about building a modified version of the shrub bucket plans that exist here on the web. I want to make something a bit more shallow (less angle to the sides) and I want it to have a pointed sharp tip - just like a Tree Spade blade.

So, if I do this, do you think that my tractor (4000lbs total with 1200lb FEL Lift capability) could use this to dig in under a tree, like a tree spade. I guess not dig, but press in to its hilt?

We do not have rocky soil but there is some clay.

My process in my head would be to go around a tree pushing the blade in and loosening up the tree. I would either push it over out of the hole or pop it up once I had cut all the way around.....

Anyway. Cause I have not seen anyone do this I am afraid I am missing something important. Love all comments on this idea...

Carl

 

[Champy]

Carl - It is critical to understand some of the parameters of your quest... How big are the trees (1" vs 24"); what type of tree are they (small fiberous shallow roots like with Cedars vs single giant deep tap root); Soil density / moisture; etc.....

I have had success doing the plunge approach with my Shrub Bucket from each side to cut all the roots and attachments to simply lift a Cedar tree out, but have yet to tackle a bigger hardwood.

Here is a sample picture on an easy (very small) sapling that came out in one plunge.

 

[Champy]

Some other images.......

I believe you can modify your bucket however you want, but if you go too narrow it won't have enough of a chisel effect to cut roots and create a good enough slice through the turf. Regarding a more shallow side angle - keep in mind that the sides of the bucket are also providing a significant amount of strength....going too shallow will create a larger surface area and when you start rolling the bucket as you plunge it may flex or bend due to the "flatter" perspective. More upright sides are better at levering out the load. It's mostly about finding a good compromise of angles; length; and strength....... Hope this helps

 

[woodlandfarms]

Champy.. Thanks... I really appreciate your insight.

We are moving cedars... 25' high with 6 to 8" trunk. Basically all our coin was spent on the tractor, and this year we will be without calling in any reinforcments (we need an arborist with a HUGE chipper and this would be cool to do with a real tree spade). But finding $500 to build or should I say have built is within our finances.

Got it on the angle of the dangle. I did not intend to flatten it but reduce the 45 degree side angle to something like 25 or 20. I am now mulling over splitting the bottom peice so there would be 4 pieces all with angles instead of 3 (I hope that made sense).

The whole purpose of this excercise (and the bad timing) is that the city is going to build a water tank on our property (actually a shed) and they need to take down a few trees. We are struggling with a neigbor who, innocently enough, cut down a few trees on our property edge that blocked us from him. He has offered to replant, but these are going to be cut down so we thought we would try and save them....

Keep the ideas coming.

 

[Renze]

Lately i cut a brush with 3 stumps of about 3 to 4 inch with the loader bucket. It wasnt a big thing actually, once i loosened it from 2 sides and then scooped it up in 1 go... I do have a 3,5 ton tractor with 1200kg FEL, which gives better cards in the game than your 2 ton tractor, but it all depends on soil conditions. Using a tree spade with a shallow cutting edge, instead of a 2 meter wide dirt bucket, will ease the cutting a lot.
I think it is definately worth a try, but use a sharp hardened cutting edge.

 

[Gatorboy]

We are moving cedars... 25' high with 6 to 8" trunk.

I think you are biting off more than you can chew. You will need about an 60-80" diameter rootball for these to transplant and survive.

Sounds like a chainsaw is your best bet.

 

[teg]

I would try it, you have nothing to lose and you'll end up with a tree spade to use or sell. First, I would dig a hole in the tree's new location, use that dirt to mound up soil around the tree trunk, (3ft away, 6" high) fill it with water to soften up the area... it's a guess, I would do it a couple of days before you transplant to let the water soak down deep. You may have to fill it up with water a couple of times. Good luck.

 

[Champy]

Large trees should not be transplanted with root balls smaller than 12 inches in diameter for each 1 inch in trunk caliper, however most Cedars have large fiberous root systems that are shallow and very widespread so a foot per inch diameter might be overdoing it. You should try to capture at least 75% of the root system to ensure better odds of surviving. Sometimes you can push a Cedar over exposing the whole root system anyway. If you have a lot of these and they are destined for removal anyway, pick one out to experiment on to determine the best approach and estimated root spreads.

However you eventually choose to move them, the receiving hole usually needs to be double the size of the root ball to encourage faster root growth into the new soil. i.e. - 2' diameter root ball = 4' diameter hole. Tree Spade machines simply cut a new hole to match the old one and drop it in, which works since they are taking the whole tree system together, but the tree will take longer to begin new growth without a prepared rootbed.


If you had more time, you could prune the root systems in preparation for transplanting.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Champy,

Your notes about pushing a cedar over is what got me going on this. First we are in a slope situation, with around 35 to 60" of rain a year. summers are turning drier due to my car, which has me nervous. Second was we had a huge windstorm over the winter and a number of cedars came up with rootballs intact. I was amazed to find that on a 5" tree trunk the rootes were no more than 1' deep. We salvaged a couple, and were successful.

So how do you like having a tree farm? Once we get our slopes opened up we are going to have to find a way to make some coin on the property. It is one of our ideas.

Carl

 

[KentT]

Carl,

Did you get a forklift with your PT? I can't recall...

If you did, you may want to try sliding the forks together and using them as a tree spade to give you an idea of how a spade might work for you... Some folks have had pretty good luck using them this way.

Though I'd like a tree spade, I'm seriously considering getting a set of lightweight, adjustable forks instead, since they'd be MUCH more versatile especially during the construction phase...