# How big ?????



## hunthawkdog (Aug 11, 2012)

I recently got a tree spade its 42" and I'm Wanting to go to an over growin Xmas tree farm and dig spruce that are 14'- 20' + and have 5'' -9" caliper I'm planing on planting these trees as wind breaks I I know ther on the big side for my spade but I heard with pine u could push it more these trees haven't been root pruned I'm worried about How well they will do so many pine look bad around here and lots are dying .Has anybody dug pine that size with a small spade???


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## BarkBuster20 (Aug 11, 2012)

I havent, but iv spent time working with xmas tree's, and i would LOVE to see you dig up a 20' tree, even a grand, make that a doug or a noble even heavier. You are talking about a 3000lb+ tree. You might be able to dig up some 6 footers but that wouldnt be easy either. Scratch this plan while your ahead.


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## Iron Head (Aug 12, 2012)

There is or was a psychic chick living in Yelm WA.
She got very wealthy with the movie stars.
Her gig was channeling an ancient dude Mafu or Mufa or something like that and he could tell the future for people.
Anyway she bought her property in Yelm and had a bunch of full grown firs and cedar transplanted and relocated all over her property in unique locations. 
So yes it is possible. Anything is possible if you got the money or psychic power.


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 19, 2012)

hunthawkdog said:


> I recently got a tree spade its 42" and I'm Wanting to go to an over growin Xmas tree farm and dig spruce that are 14'- 20' + and have 5'' -9" caliper I'm planing on planting these trees as wind breaks I I know ther on the big side for my spade but I heard with pine u could push it more these trees haven't been root pruned I'm worried about How well they will do so many pine look bad around here and lots are dying .Has anybody dug pine that size with a small spade???



What kinda spade did ya get , and what kinda soil , I mean there is no size limit other then what they recommend of the norm , you could see a 20 ft fir with a 6" caliber and a 10fter with a 10" caliber , ideally you need a non interfering 45' degree spade so you don't damage the lower parts of the tree and evergreen typically have 1 main taproot that needs to be cut clean


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 19, 2012)

I mean a shade tree spade is all together different in its look and capabilities! And your outta evergreen digging season now


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## hunthawkdog (Aug 19, 2012)

View attachment 249157
most have .8" trunks soil is clay like . Spade is big john . I was planning on tieing bows up. Another nurseryman told me Sept Oct. Was good time to dig?


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 20, 2012)

Nice trees and yea late summer early fall is ok , that machine should do the job , take some pics I wanna see how you bale and tye the baskets too or are ya digging plugs and moving them ? Either way snap a few pics , good luck man it's addicting you'll be moving all kinds of #### lol


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## Zale (Aug 21, 2012)

42" spade is going to be too small for that size tree IMO. If you can wait to dig them, root prune them now and wait a season. A 42" ball is not going to provide enough stability for the tree. It will need to be guyed for several years. Good luck and let us know how it went.


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 21, 2012)

I never dug with a big John so I went and visited there website , they recommend for that machine a 4" max , but with evergreen there's a little bit of wiggle room , and as far as the root pruning goes if you have the time to wait maybe consider pruning and digging next year , I would imagine that may not be the case that is a good point


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 21, 2012)

I also think they way underate the diameter capacity to try to lower the weight of the ball , a 42" ball is pretty heavy


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## BarkBuster20 (Aug 21, 2012)

Okay guys, be realistic. Digging them up isnt his problem, how the hell is he going to transport the tree? yes they move full size trees much bigger, but they have cranes and huge flatbed trailers, how is this guy gonna move a 3-4k tree? gonna pick it up and put it in the back of the truck?


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 21, 2012)

BarkBuster20 said:


> Okay guys, be realistic. Digging them up isnt his problem, how the hell is he going to transport the tree? yes they move full size trees much bigger, but they have cranes and huge flatbed trailers, how is this guy gonna move a 3-4k tree? gonna pick it up and put it in the back of the truck?



It's 1800 lbs , you dig ball em and load em and yea a 1 ton would take 1/2 no problem


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## hunthawkdog (Aug 22, 2012)

View attachment 249608
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I dug a hard wood 1st day I got the spade its about a 6" caliper it was all leafed out when I dug it and its still kicking after the heat and drought its a solid 30' I didn't care if it lived I just wanted to dig I gotta think them pines would live? I think ther gonna weigh about 1650-2000lbs I'm betin I know I'm gonna hang the first one on the dynameter anyone wanna put ther money where ther mouth is ? To tell the truth I was kinda worried thell tip in the wind I've seen 10' that didn't theres not that much more sail here?? I'm thinking I might only get 20-30 on the truck at a time? What do trees like this bring in yall area. Just thinking out loud .


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## hunthawkdog (Aug 22, 2012)

The tree by the mule is more of the average size I bought t


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## BarkBuster20 (Aug 22, 2012)

if your talking 20+ foot xmas trees, with the rootball, i would say your talking at least 3000lbs. maybe you have lighter trees then we have in oregon, but i doubt it. If you have the equipment to do it, go for it, but i think its more trouble then its worth, 10 footers are a lot easier to handle, and you can get 2-3 feet of growth a year.


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## Zale (Aug 22, 2012)

If you can get 20-30 on a truck, I want to see that truck.:msp_wink:


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 22, 2012)

Now don't go crushing those root balls with that grapple or all your work would have been for nothing , and I can tell you have a bit of the get er done attitude , remember , gingerly like a lady nice and easy LOL


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## hunthawkdog (Aug 23, 2012)

I went out to look at my trees today I measured a bunch of trunks theres a lot 5+"-6" I feel like ill be ok digging them there still 15' tall my spade digs a 38" deep root ball but I can't find a basket that deep or shape any thoughts? I called nyp a nd someone else. The other problem I face is I don't have a tier or rapper to tie the bow thesebows up it appears its gonna be a bear to do by hand. I looked at a tree care rapper but I think he bumped his head before he quoted the price 5k I think its older than me I got enuff antique equipment. I'm thinking I can just tack some kind of steel ring onto the bobcat fork and have hired man run around with the bale twine ad I lift? I hope We get some rain can't wait to dig


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## treeclimber101 (Aug 26, 2012)

hunthawkdog said:


> I went out to look at my trees today I measured a bunch of trunks theres a lot 5+"-6" I feel like ill be ok digging them there still 15' tall my spade digs a 38" deep root ball but I can't find a basket that deep or shape any thoughts? I called nyp a nd someone else. The other problem I face is I don't have a tier or rapper to tie the bow thesebows up it appears its gonna be a bear to do by hand. I looked at a tree care rapper but I think he bumped his head before he quoted the price 5k I think its older than me I got enuff antique equipment. I'm thinking I can just tack some kind of steel ring onto the bobcat fork and have hired man run around with the bale twine ad I lift? I hope We get some rain can't wait to dig



Just do the bottoms, so you can center the spade right and as far as baskets , I don't know what to tell ya I have seen them as big as 45" around here but your not really around here so I can't help with that


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