tree planting

[BHD]

Equipment

G5009 Mechanical Tree Planters | University of Missouri Extension

 

[VALENT]

BHD, quite a machine and quite helpful to the OP.

 

[ToadHill]

BHD just plain "Slick".

 

[Maine_Polack]

I have planted quite a few thousand trees. Used a planter pulled with a tractor where the land permitted. Never tilled first. However I would reinforce the comment bout following the machine and heeling them in real well. Leg gets tired, but worth it to make sure the roots are not hanging in a pocket of just air.

For hand planting I always used the tool pictured, and another one without the tomahawk end. Figure out your spacing and just pace from one tree to the next one. Womp that pick in the sod, pull back, stick in tree, heel in, pace to next one. I've had good success doing this. If you like exercise, and can keep it up, 400 trees a day is not unreasonable.

 

[ONJ]

I have seen lots of trees planted with a tobacco setter, they usually made rows with a subsoiler and then used the setter...

 

[Stampeder]

ONJ:

So I'm a kid from the North. What's a tobacco setter look like?

 

[Scotty370]

I if you want to go 'low-tec', back in the Fiftys, my Dad built a cart/trailer that had two wheels that looked like they came from a conestoga wagon! He fashioned a 'spike' that looked like a splitting wedge (that you would use for splitting firewood) on the wheels rim. He loaded it with field stone for weight, and pulled it with this tractor: http://www.powerking.info/pkt3.JPG He use to get pine seedlings from the Conservation Department by the bundle! We planted Thousand, and thousands over the years! The wedge would be driven into the ground at each rotation of the wheel and we kids put in the seedling, stomped them in and, he was insistant, that we give each one a 'drink' of water! It may have only been a coffee can full, but you'd better not miss! He'd be checking!! Lots of tree put in with the Mattock, that Maine Polack showed! Ahhh the days!!! ~Scotty