Tree Spade, please help

[Laminarman]

I could desperately use a tree spade for my 40HP TC40DA. I looked at them at www.treetoad.com but would love hydraulic. I cannot rent one or have anyone come to my place to move trees and I've exhausted all possibilities. One guy will come two hours with a skid steer mounted one for $1,000 per day, and he'll need at least two days to move 30-40 trees (spruce, pine, fir up to 4" diameter) to make a fenceline and do some "re-arranging". Does anybody know if there are hydraulic ones for compact tractors? Any ideas? My frustration level is huge. Thanks a lot.

 

[Justaplain]

How far are you hauling those trees at 15 per day?? If it is a long haul geta truck mounted one for the same price. I used a guy from Albany but most big landscapers have one. bcs

 

[Laminarman]

Hi Justaplain. They'll be moved about 1/4 mile from a hilltop, down a steep slope. I thought he could do more than 15 a day at that price, but in reality I think it's that he won't come down here 80 miles for just one day. I haven't seen truck mounted ones, but don't think I could get a truck where I need to.

 

[rdln]

look at caretree products, your tractor should handle a 32", but they will be over $5k.

Given the investment and the limited number of spades for hire, $1000 is probably about right, but seems he could wipe out all of them in one day especially if he could cage and burlap them and drop them for you to plant later.

 

[L3650]

I would keep shopping rental places to find one for the back of your tractor or one on a skid steer to rent. Prices can range alot. To make someone drive two hours in each direction is probably $400 of that $1,000 per day. Tree spades can be tow behind, 3pt, or bucket mount. I think you need to look more.

 

[Laminarman]

L3650, can't look more, trust me. There are three tree spades in our town at nurseries (I found them all), none of which are for rent. Skidsteer/spade at the closest place (and the spade has to be trucked in at extra cost) is $1,300 for the weekend with me driving, who has never driven one before. No thanks.

 

[Scozz]

I moved ten 12-14' (3-4" trunks) white pines on my property this past weekend using my CUT backhoe. Definately not as favorable as the tree spade but I dug big root balls and cut VERY few roots. Giving them plenty of water .... there is not a doubt in my mind they will survive the transplant... Have about 6 more to do ..... maybe next year. Just throwing it out as an alternative ... Scozz

 

[lhfarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I moved ten 12-14' (3-4" trunks) white pines on my property this past weekend using my CUT backhoe. Definately not as favorable as the tree spade but I dug big root balls and cut VERY few roots. Giving them plenty of water .... there is not a doubt in my mind they will survive the transplant... Have about 6 more to do ..... maybe next year. Just throwing it out as an alternative ... Scozz )</font>
Could you describe your technique? Did you dig a trench around the tree then use the FEL to lift the tree/ball out of the hole?
Thanks

 

[Laminarman]

I don't have a backhoe either. A guy near me has a used backhoe on an old MF tractor. The combo is 5K, but he won't sell them separately. I will keep looking. The backhoe route sounds really tricky to me. I'd surely kill something.

 

[ScottAR]

There are 3 or 4 vermeer and one dirtworx brand tractor tree spades on Ebay right now. HTH