tree planting

Mosey · Mar 11, 2002

I have transplanted various trees from the woods by hand with a shovel. The biggest I've done was a 7' maple. The trunk was about 1" in dia. It was in the center of the woods so it was tall and skinny. I have moved cedars, maples, poplars, and sycamores. I also moved a bradford pear from one part of my yard to another, it was about 6' tall and about 1 1/2" dia trunk.

I tried to move a 18' yellow poplar with a 3" dia trunk and failed. I found out the rule of thumb is that the root ball needs to be 1 foot in dia for every inch of trunk dia and half that amount deep. So, I dug a 3' dia root ball about a foot and half deep. The problem was that I couldn't pick it up with anything. I tried to slide it onto a tilt trailer, but couldn't. I was able to drag it up out of the hole with a tow strap, but couldn't get it up on the trailer. My neighbor came over and tried to pick it up with his big tractor with a front end loader and we couldn't get it balanced. By the time we were done trying, the roots and trunk were pretty tore up and not much dirt left on the root ball. So, we shoved it back in the hole. I know this is a long story, but the point is, don't try a tree that big! I hired a tree mover and got two trees moved for $150. His tree spade dug a 4' dia root ball about 4' deep. The trees didn't even know they were moved. So far they’re doing good. Believe it or not, the last time I checked, the one I almost destroyed was still alive! Barely though.

I planted 50 white pine bare root seedlings last year and did it with a shovel. I dug a 1’ dia by 1’ deep hole for each one. It was a lot of work in the hard clay on my property. I’m planning to get a post hole digger with a 12” auger for any future bare root or small potted tree plantings. Good luck.

theboman · Mar 11, 2002

Try a good ol' post hole digger. The kind you put your hands on. 200 is a lot, but you don't need 9" holes for a pencil sized tree, at least in my thinking.

Mosey · Mar 11, 2002

When I planted my trees I followed the instructions that came with them (I got them from Musser Forests). They said to dig a hole 1' dia and 1' deep. Then, when planting the tree, spread the roots out as you put the loose dirt back in and pack it by hand. The loose dirt will help the tree roots get started better than the hard ground will. Also, make sure they get water every week for the first summer.

forestcreature · Mar 11, 2002

in case anyone is interested....

containerized tree planting 101 [includes the burlap wrapped flavor]; http://www.arborday.org/trees/NineNum7.html

bare root tree planting 101 [seedlings and saplings];
http://www.arborday.org/trees/NineNum8.html

[not that your favorite forest creature is a member or anything]

forestcreature · Mar 11, 2002

boy i sure would love to have one of those tree planters! thanks MossRoad!

keeney · Mar 12, 2002

RE:

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The question isn't how deep are the roots, it's how deep are your pockets
--

The town I used to live in, Eagan, MN recently spent $50,000 to move a very large Oak. They were building a new park, and the best place for the access road and parking lot was right where this tree of particular historical significance was. Instead of redesigning the park, they had some kind of save the oak fund-raising thing and got the money.

The operation looked a lot more like moving a large house and involved a lot of big timber and steel beams, multi-wheel dollies, excavators, and cranes. After the tree was gone, the hole looked like something larger than a house had been removed.

After they got done moving the special Oak, they turned the remaining few dozen nearly identical trees into firewood and built the parking lot.

- Rick