How to Dig Holes with Front End Loader

[Haneyrm]

I have 10 - 30 gallon trees I need to plant and was wondering if there is a way i can use my FEL to dig the holes. I want to dig the holes just slightly larger than the root balls. Bucket is 6 wide so I do not want to dig the holes that big.

Thanks in advance.

 

[yomax4]

Someone on here had a mini excavator bucket welded to a quick attach for digging holes with the front end. It was about 2' lower than the bottom of the plate. Looked odd but he said it worked well.

 

[Egon]

You might have to dig a six foot hole and backfill what's not needed.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Amazon.com: Paumco Products Quick Spade Combo - Model# 111-Quick Spade: Home Improvement
Try this. I have one. It works for tree planting.

 

[CobyRupert]

You can use the 6' bucket to carry your round-pointed shovel from the tool shed to where you want to dig a hole with it.

There's also bucket spades, that I'd be really cautious using, they look like they could bend a bucket if used in the wrong soil, but look like they would dig the right size hole.
Google "bucket spade attachment"

 

[Goose69]

Artillian, makes what they call a "front hoe bucket". It works well for trenching and digging holes to about 18" deep or so.
..BUT, you have to buy their pallet fork frame to mount it on, and it gets pricey quick. And I bent the teeth off of mine, right away, ...

..when we were planting fruit trees, we used the PHD, with 12" auger, and drilled 4 holes close to each other, and then used the hoe bucket to finish it off. Worked well, although a bit time consuming.
...we were planting in clay, so was removing all the clay, and filling it in with good topsoil

 

[jeff9366]

I have been very impressed with my Bucket Spade in soft Florida soil.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/328798-bucket-spade-today-fel-bucket.html?highlight=

 

[bdog]

I have 10 - 30 gallon trees I need to plant and was wondering if there is a way i can use my FEL to dig the holes. I want to dig the holes just slightly larger than the root balls. Bucket is 6 wide so I do not want to dig the holes that big.

Thanks in advance.

Why not use your 12" PHD? Maybe drill three holes close together? A FEL is not the tool to dig a small hole you will wind up with a mess.

With ten to do another option is renting a mini ex for a day - Around here you can get one for a couple hundred bucks.

Call me lazy if you want but digging with a shovel is one thing I hate and don't do. I will tackle nearly anything else myself but me and shovels don't get along.

 

[Oldoak]

There's also bucket spades, that I'd be really cautious using, they look like they could bend a bucket if used in the wrong soil, but look like they would dig the right size hole.

Yep, I would be very leery of that. It may be fine for some soils but not all.

A FEL is not the tool to dig a small hole you will wind up with a mess.

I agree. I would only do it that way in an open field, not a landscaped yard. It may surprise you of how much dirt would have to be excavated with a FEL to get down to the depth you want equal to a 30 gal container, being you can't dig straight down.

On the other hand, it would make it easier for the roots to grow out in backfilled soil but it also would create a lot of extra work back filling and cleaning up the area where the excavated dirt was piled.

 

[4570Man]

A stump bucket would work. Some people have used them with success, but a spade seems like a good way to bend a bucket or cylinder.