Backhoe Better than a tree spade

[Desert Bred]

I used a backhoe to dig a 16' perimeter around a lemon tree, 3' deep.


Tied a cable around the base and pulled a cable through the bottom to cut whatever roots were there
Then wrapped in burlap

Lifted it out with the forks, all in one little root square.

Got over the tree spade idea pretty quickly.

 

[the whispering oaks farm]

that is something i'll have to remember. thanks for the idea.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just try and dig them out with one scoop using my 24" bucket. Only have a fifty percent survival rate though. Not sure I have the patience to do what you did, but I will remember this if there is a tree I really want to survive. I would dig around it with my 12" bucket. Changing buckets is a royal pain though.

Not sure what you meant about the cable through the bottom.

 

[DT86]

Not sure what you meant about the cable through the bottom.

After after he dug around the tree there will be dirt directly under the root ball. He pulled the loop of cable through this dirt, from the opposite side towards him, loosening the root ball from the ground.

Pretty good idea too, btw! :thumbsup:

 

[Industrial Toys]

Didn't the whole thing kind of fall apart when you did that?

 

[Desert Bred]

Didn't the whole thing kind of fall apart when you did that?

No it didn't. Maybe it was the soil, maybe the amount of roots, but i let it sit wrapped in burlap for a few weeks because i had to fix the tractor, watered it and it pretty much stayed intact. The bottom lost a little bit of dirt from the forks going under but for the most part, the tree didn't wither, looks happy and is still out of the ground! In a cube of dirt. Pretty happy about that. Plus, I dont have 3k for a spade or the time to make one. I have a dozen or so to relocate.

 

[blucoondawg]

How thick was your cable? What type of soil do you have? Mine is a crap shoot, sandy in one place and clay in another and could be rocky anywhere.

 

[Desert Bred]

It was a thin cable 1/4. Attached to the teeth of the hoe, at the base, a channel 3' was dug out from the square perimeter where the hoe could pull it through all while maintaining the depth.

Soil here is pretty not sandy at all. Pretty normal soil after 1' down..

 

[Desert Bred]

Thought to post some better pics.
1- Digging the channel - how the bh pulls the cable under the slab
2- tie down tight
3 & 4 removal
5 - in the hole

Sliding into place is tricky. Have to make the destination hole bigger.

 

[the whispering oaks farm]

That seems to work really well, thanks for the post and the pictures really help.