just picked up Speeco PHD for my 2210.

[deere_x475guy]

As the subject line says I picked one up at TSC on Saturday. Haven't had time to install it yet. We have over 200 saplings to plant as soon as the weather breaks and I hope this will save me back. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I will post some pics as soon as I have a chance.

LInk to SpeeCo web site

 

[JDFANATIC]

Bob,

Were you able to go with the standard unit and auger? How much clearance does it give you? Can you post some pics? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[aondre]

Be careful planting trees with a PHD. If you have a heavy soil and the sides of the holes are smooth and kind of shiny you have a condition called 'glazing'. Glazing is very difficult for roots to penetrate and can significantly slow growth. It's easy to cure though, I just take a garden fork and quickly scratch the sides of the hole.

I have planted thousands of saplings and a PHD certainly does speed things up.

 

[deere_x475guy]

JDFanatic, I haven't put it on yet. I will let you know this weekend. Probably be Sunday before I get it on.

aondre, Thanks for the heads up on this. I will make sure to try and drill 3 holes in a triangle then collapse the three. Some of the soil is very heavy clay and we will be adding better soil to the holes.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

You are following the same technique I follow for planting trees. I use a 12" auger bit, drill 3 holes and collapse the middle. Be very careful NOT to drill to deep. If you drill too deep, the tree can sink into the hole as the ground settles. The other problem you may encounter is tipping. I've been planting this way for a few years and even knowing some of the ins and outs, two of the spruce trees I planted in November are now leaning about 30 degrees off of vertical /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif The clay soil seems to compact, but until it gets hit with some heavy rain (or in my case snow melt) it really doesn't settle, that is when the trees are likely to tip. Out of the 20 trees I planted last November, 2 are tipping and will have to be straightened in the spring.