Piperflyer
Gold Member
I have some pine trees about 12' I would like to transplant in different areas of the property. Does anybody have any tricks or attachments for there tractors that will accompolish it? I don't have a hoe for my tractor.
Transplanting
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quarttoolow
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A hoe will pretty much kill the tree.
A tree spade is better but mortality is still say ~50%
I dug 3 10' pines & transplanted by hand about 12 years ago and 1 is still alive.
A tree spade is better but mortality is still say ~50%
I dug 3 10' pines & transplanted by hand about 12 years ago and 1 is still alive.
RalphVa
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Tree research at Virginia Tech tree research station is showing that bare rooting is the best way to transplant trees. Remove all soil with pressure water washer or air. Surely removes a lot of weight. You can easily see root problems to fix them, too.
The landscaper we had move a Japanese Maple in NJ barerooted it. It did fine in its new location.
Ralph
The landscaper we had move a Japanese Maple in NJ barerooted it. It did fine in its new location.
Ralph
beenthere
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Where are you located, and which pine are they?
What is the soil like...clay? sand? rocky ??
What is the soil like...clay? sand? rocky ??
kebo
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Geez, pines grow pretty quick. Just cut em down, then plant new pine seedlings where you want them to be. At least I wouldn't fool with trying to transplant them. The pines around here have a very deep tap root, if yours do it would almost certainly kill them if you damaged the tap root.
radioman
Super Member
around here the pine trees don't seem to have tap roots, and they all are shallow.
I only moved walnuts trees with no problems so far with my BH. My advice is different. I dug around tree and keep as much dirt youcan and don't disturb it. The fine roots that is attached to the large roots helps the survival of the tree. I must warn you though, its extremely heavy due to the weight of the soil. I always dug and transplannted trees the same day it going to rain. I would look at weather radar and guessimate 6 hours before rain gets to my location. I dug 2-3ft around bas of tree and used chain on dirt mound only and make sure it not gonna ride up and hurt the tree. Since I have a very small tractor, I only can drag the tree to new location. By the time I am done, rain would come and help to settle the soil in new hole and water tree. If it a light rain, I would bring extra water to wet it down. This is the important part- water, water, water. Don't drown it but really drench it.
I only moved walnuts trees with no problems so far with my BH. My advice is different. I dug around tree and keep as much dirt youcan and don't disturb it. The fine roots that is attached to the large roots helps the survival of the tree. I must warn you though, its extremely heavy due to the weight of the soil. I always dug and transplannted trees the same day it going to rain. I would look at weather radar and guessimate 6 hours before rain gets to my location. I dug 2-3ft around bas of tree and used chain on dirt mound only and make sure it not gonna ride up and hurt the tree. Since I have a very small tractor, I only can drag the tree to new location. By the time I am done, rain would come and help to settle the soil in new hole and water tree. If it a light rain, I would bring extra water to wet it down. This is the important part- water, water, water. Don't drown it but really drench it.
slan
Silver Member
I have transplanted hundred of trees on my property with only about 10% mortality rate. Some of the spruce have been up to 24' high and 12"dia but the most common size has been 6-10 footers.
Mind you I have a pretty large TLB to do it with but what I have learned over the years I have adapted to use with my small Kubota.
As previously asked, what type of Pine is it, whats you soil like, and are the trees healthy. Clay good, sandy bad, rocks worse.
Time of year will be VERY important when transplanting any conifer rather than a deciduous tree. I ALWAYS transplant in late September to end of October just before the late fall rains and freeze up and when the tree is shutting down for the winter.
Pines generally have a fibrous root system and the root ball tends to break apart when attempting to move it. A tree spade would be the safest but depending on the species you can do it if you are carefully and don't mind babysitting it for the first two years.
When I move pines I usually try to take as much of the root-ball and native soil I can but there is a proven (works for me) that I always use no mater what type of conifer I move. (deciduous I use a different method )
The soil conditions must be right for this process to work best. Solid should be moist (definitely not dry) maybe a day after a good rain so the surface is dry but the soil is still easy to cut through.
1) Cut the roots with the front bucket about 36" from the trunk on the back side of the tree and about 30" on both sides.
2) Tie up the bottom branches on the front of the tree.
3) insert your bucket about 24" from the trunk on a 45 degree angle, cut in until cutting edge is about 12" deep, curl while moving ahead slowly until bucket almost straight, and without stopping push ahead until you lose traction.
4) hopefully your cutting edge is now slightly under the the base of the trunk.
5) Curl slightly while lifting the bucket moving forward again until the tree starts tipping over slightly.
6) Put a good old cotton towel or same around bottom of trunk just below the first set of branches, triple wrap a 2" cargo strap around the trunk and towel and tie off, wrap the other end around your center grab hook on your bucket and tighten.
7) Important step, move ahead slowly while lifting until the tree is about 6" out of the ground. Might have to curl slightly to take up the stretch on the cargo strap just to keep it semi straight.
8) Jump off and take you tree loper bypass cutters and find as many of the roots still attached around the edges and cut them. Lift a bit more and repeat until you can see completely under the tree. Don't worry about losing the soil around the perimeter, just save as many small roots as possible from being damaged.
9) SLOWLY CREEP to you already prepared hole dug 12-16" deep and 6'X6' with spoil piled close to backfill your tree.
10) Water in well 45gal, and it in windy location stake with 4 stakes at the 5' level for the first season and remove after the start of the second season.
And like always, this works for me, use common sense, dont do anything that could be dangorus, I am not held liable, etc. Lovely world we live in.
I was going to take some pictures of each step and post it this fall. I have sucsefully transplanted 34' ash using my backhoe. Who said a hoe will kill a tree? Not doing it right.
Whew. Honest, they all call me the "Tree Guy" around my property. Doesn't hurt that I have a tree nursery as well.
Mind you I have a pretty large TLB to do it with but what I have learned over the years I have adapted to use with my small Kubota.
As previously asked, what type of Pine is it, whats you soil like, and are the trees healthy. Clay good, sandy bad, rocks worse.
Time of year will be VERY important when transplanting any conifer rather than a deciduous tree. I ALWAYS transplant in late September to end of October just before the late fall rains and freeze up and when the tree is shutting down for the winter.
Pines generally have a fibrous root system and the root ball tends to break apart when attempting to move it. A tree spade would be the safest but depending on the species you can do it if you are carefully and don't mind babysitting it for the first two years.
When I move pines I usually try to take as much of the root-ball and native soil I can but there is a proven (works for me) that I always use no mater what type of conifer I move. (deciduous I use a different method )
The soil conditions must be right for this process to work best. Solid should be moist (definitely not dry) maybe a day after a good rain so the surface is dry but the soil is still easy to cut through.
1) Cut the roots with the front bucket about 36" from the trunk on the back side of the tree and about 30" on both sides.
2) Tie up the bottom branches on the front of the tree.
3) insert your bucket about 24" from the trunk on a 45 degree angle, cut in until cutting edge is about 12" deep, curl while moving ahead slowly until bucket almost straight, and without stopping push ahead until you lose traction.
4) hopefully your cutting edge is now slightly under the the base of the trunk.
5) Curl slightly while lifting the bucket moving forward again until the tree starts tipping over slightly.
6) Put a good old cotton towel or same around bottom of trunk just below the first set of branches, triple wrap a 2" cargo strap around the trunk and towel and tie off, wrap the other end around your center grab hook on your bucket and tighten.
7) Important step, move ahead slowly while lifting until the tree is about 6" out of the ground. Might have to curl slightly to take up the stretch on the cargo strap just to keep it semi straight.
8) Jump off and take you tree loper bypass cutters and find as many of the roots still attached around the edges and cut them. Lift a bit more and repeat until you can see completely under the tree. Don't worry about losing the soil around the perimeter, just save as many small roots as possible from being damaged.
9) SLOWLY CREEP to you already prepared hole dug 12-16" deep and 6'X6' with spoil piled close to backfill your tree.
10) Water in well 45gal, and it in windy location stake with 4 stakes at the 5' level for the first season and remove after the start of the second season.
And like always, this works for me, use common sense, dont do anything that could be dangorus, I am not held liable, etc. Lovely world we live in.
I was going to take some pictures of each step and post it this fall. I have sucsefully transplanted 34' ash using my backhoe. Who said a hoe will kill a tree? Not doing it right.
Whew. Honest, they all call me the "Tree Guy" around my property. Doesn't hurt that I have a tree nursery as well.
Last edited:
OP
Piperflyer
Gold Member
I'm in upstate NY and I have the rockies ground there is. I have a few trees that are real nice and I hate to just cut them down. I should of spaced then out better when I planted them, but that's after the fact. Thanks for the replies......
savageactor7
Platinum Member
I'm thinking that if you were careful with a real back hoe, not a 3PH BH, you could do it. Just do it pronto so the upcoming rains will nourish the trees.
slan
Silver Member
Yup, there is a technique using the hoe that works. Thats how I move my deciduous trees but there are a lot of steps involved before, during, and after transplanting that if not followed you will end up with some vertical firewood. :laughing:
Some just will not tolerate being moved because of long tap root that will not regrow once cut, very fragile feeder roots, just plain cranky, etc.
I have a three strike rule with any plant. Don't like it there eh, move to new place and babysit it for the first year, don't like it here either?, move it one more time and babysit it for another year, still don't like it, you will warm my shop nicely this winter.
Some just will not tolerate being moved because of long tap root that will not regrow once cut, very fragile feeder roots, just plain cranky, etc.
I have a three strike rule with any plant. Don't like it there eh, move to new place and babysit it for the first year, don't like it here either?, move it one more time and babysit it for another year, still don't like it, you will warm my shop nicely this winter.