Learned a good lesson in the school of hard life today. New chapter!

Kelvin · February 26, 2008, 08:56:47 PM

Well, i appreciate peoples' ideas, but i felt i could rectify the situation if i talked with the fellow. I didn't give him a chance to tell me anything, but figured the problem was me basically suggesting being paid when i was doing a trade. So, i kept thinking about what would make it easy, so after not hearing from him for 5 days, is just called and said hey, how about trading for your blue spruce trees you have tons of. He was amiable with this deal so i hope i will get about 40 3' tall spruce pines for my yard. This way no money is involved and his were much too tight where he planted. I just quickly said "hi" and suggested the trade without giving him a chance to express if he was mad or not. This makes me feel better to have figured out a solution. Boy, i aught to go into politics now!
Thanks for everyones input. I did still learn a lesson, and the project i'm doing now i've made sure the people were more informed about the level of work i will do for how much timber. Glad i've got something for my work, instead of just a lesson. I can understand his hesitantcy in giving me cash as he is not aware of the actual value, lack of value in the timber.
Glad this ones over.
KP

Dave Shepard · February 26, 2008, 10:19:07 PM

Congrats on working out a solution that is good for both of you. 8) Now you are in the tree moving business. ;D

Dave

beenthere · February 26, 2008, 11:35:36 PM

Kelvin
How are you planning to move the 40 3-foot spruce?

I was trying to find such a solution not too long ago.

Furby · February 27, 2008, 12:40:48 AM

You can rent tree spades for skid loaders.

beenthere · February 27, 2008, 02:10:30 AM

Furby
Do you think that is what Kelvin will do??

SwampDonkey · February 27, 2008, 04:45:10 AM

Looks like a lot of work has just been added on. Oh well, at least you get some trees that would probably cost $20 each at the nursery.

Kelvin · February 27, 2008, 08:14:21 AM

Hey! Is someone implying i'm too cheap to rent a tree spade? On second though maybe i could buy a spade and open up a new business line... i see it now... "Kelvin's sawmill and tree spade business. We plant them and come back in 50 years and saw them into lumber for you!" Full circle tree work.

Hmmmm... yes how am i going to move? I've got a back hoe here to make holes with. I guess maybe i'll look for the smallest ones and dig them by hand i guess. I saw some 24", he thought they were 5 year olds. mabye there is a rental yard around with something small. I guess i'd have to rent the skidsteer too. Too much money. Guess i'll hand dig. Its like going to a health club right? I'm just not paying dues!

Thanks all,
KP

Dave Shepard · February 27, 2008, 09:14:04 AM

Three footers are easy. Just get a digging spade, the all steel version, and have at it! :D We had a guy who bought several hundred 4-6 foot trees out of a nursery that we had bought out, and had to get all the trees out of. He could really dig some trees. He has actually worn out digging shovels!

Dave

stonebroke · February 27, 2008, 09:24:20 AM

I think you call this, experience. Just about the time you think you have enough you realize you never have enough experience. Welcome to the club.

Stonebroke

beenthere · February 27, 2008, 10:34:31 AM

Quote from: Kelvin on February 27, 2008, 08:14:21 AM
Hey! Is someone implying i'm too cheap to rent a tree spade? ..........................KP

Not at all...I was curious about how you would go about digging them up...

I know how I solved the problem....and the trees are still in the ground (except for one that I dug by hand) and now they are around 16' tall, instead of 3' ;D ;D ;D

I was too cheap to go the Bobcat/tree spade route because of cost. After getting the tree into the spade, how does one transport it? Unless the planting area is close by, the tree has to be hauled somewhere. Dropping the tree out of the spade onto a truck or trailer loses the root ball dirt, and reduces the chances of survival (my thinking anyway). Finding a container, be it a wire basket or burlap bag that can be tied together, to drop the root ball into from the tree spade was something that didn't materialize, for me.
The only good solution to transplant the trees that I could think of, was to remove the tree, leave it in the Bobcat/spade, trailer the whole outfit to the planting site (couple miles to 20), plant the tree (if the hole is already dug or spaded out) and return with the equipment to dig another tree. The rental cost for each tree was thus prohibitive, for me.
So....no trees were moved with a spade.

I now am thinning out some of the 16' trees by digging them out with the forks on the tractor...pop the roots, and then uproot the whole tree to be carried off to a burn pile. They are on CRP land, need thinning, and I've found this to be the way of the moment. :

:

HOOF-ER · February 27, 2008, 10:49:48 AM

As you mentioned they make specific baskets for the size tree spade. First burlaping of coarse. Very time consuming when your not accomplished like me :D. Like was said when watching smiley_whackothe guys (or gals) that do it everyday ,They can make your head spin.

SwampDonkey · February 27, 2008, 11:52:22 AM

I did it the hard way with a shovel and wheel barrel. It was early spring before green up and the soil was very soft and easy to work. There was even some frost pockets in the new holes. But I trans-planted a dozen white spruce to an area I'm filling in each year. It might be a quarter acre. I'm going to mix oak and butternut and maple in through it. The spruce are mainly wind cover trees for the hardwoods. If I don't do something the dogwoods and such will take over. I'd rather have trees instead of weeds. I never lost any of my trees, but they grew only a couple inches. Mine were 20-30" tall because of grass cover.

Dave Shepard · February 27, 2008, 05:17:03 PM

We basketed the small trees, we were usually going long distances. 3 foot trees don't need anything, unless the soil won't stay on. Even bare root they should live. Just keep the roots moist. I would even moisten the ground, if you are going to dig durnig a dry time of year, would help the soil stick together. Stopped in at the old workplace today, and they are getting set up with a pod trailer. Going to have a skid spade in the nursery and one on the job. Eight pods on the trailer, I believe.

Dave

Reddog · February 27, 2008, 07:19:36 PM

Kelvin,

The forty east of yours was owned by a landscaper that had a spade.

Kelvin · February 27, 2008, 09:02:07 PM

yeah, he's too big to bother. Hes got a spade on a semi chasis that takes 6 loads from a standard 48" spade to fill the hole it makes. Big John or something. Monster. Think it can move a 12" oak!!!
I think digging by hand sounds good to me. Maybe this will limit my ambitions on getting as many as i can. Drop them in a backhoe hole.
KP

Dana · February 28, 2008, 06:58:24 AM

Why can't you use the back hoe or front bucket to scoop out the tree's? They are only 3' tall, right? I have used a farm tractor loader bucket on white pines that were larger than that with good success.

SwampDonkey · February 28, 2008, 07:39:59 AM

I dug up an 18 foot tall butternut with a FEL. It's been sitting on my back lawn for 22 years. ;D

GF · February 28, 2008, 08:31:44 AM

When you remove the trees what is he going to expect in return? I could see this person complaining about the holes and the dirt where the trees were removed from and wanting some sod over the dirt.

I would still stick with Toms answer and walk away, I think somehow you are going to come out on the short end of this deal also.

GF

Furby · February 28, 2008, 04:18:15 PM

Quote from: beenthere on February 27, 2008, 02:10:30 AM
Furby
Do you think that is what Kelvin will do??

This is what I was wondering about:

Quote from: Reddog on February 27, 2008, 07:19:36 PM
Kelvin,

The forty east of yours was owned by a landscaper that had a spade.

Was also wondering if they might have some old containers they'd let him use for transport.
Fellow near here has a little tree farm. Digs them up to about 5-6' max height and places them in a pot.
Sells them at the road side and requests the pots returned if possible.
He sells Christmas trees as well.