planting medium-large trees

[Dean O]

we've ordered some trees that I have considered large - tho some on here would consider them medium perhaps

 

various girths between 18cm and 25, and with top heights up to 5 metres tall.

 

the question is how best to handle them.

 

we recently planted a tall (for its category) liquidamber 12-14 and we managed that from delivery van to arb trolley - then onto a plant trailer then to hole without taking off the arb trolley which worked fine but at these sizes I don't think this will work

 

I was hoping I could track down a small avant or similar locally (Swansea) but cant trace one.

 

I've questioned the supplier on delivery vehicle and are awaiting a response - curtain sider, tail lift or other.

 

I'll have a small excavator/mini digger on site so I may be able to sling the root ball for short movements but I may have to move them on site by upto 60 metres depending on how close we can get a vehicle

 

how do any on here approach this?

 

many thanks

Dean

[Guss109]

How about using a power barrow if you can get your hands on one or a compact tractor with a link bow would also work.

[Dan Curtis]

Can you attach a trailer to the digger then trail them round as you're digging the holes?

[cornish wood burner]

Tie them to the dipper arm them carry them with the mini digger or is it too small? Obviously depends how mini it is.

We have moved several trees like this but with a wheeled digger or small swinger

[oakum]

Hire a dumper if job can take it price-wise or stand root between blade and bucket and tie in to arm

[Dean O]

had a response from the supplier - sounds like they will be arriving on a curtain sider.

think a 2.5 digger might be able to off load by slinging the root ball, without damaging the stems.

 

they are pricey trees so don't want to skimp - I just cant find a little loader.

 

Dean

[IVECOKID]

If the bucket is big enough on digger put bucket on back to front and use digger like a loader then .

 

 

Ste

 

Ps

 

Check weight of them first before you slew round or else .

Edited March 4, 2015 by IVECOKID

[Treemover]

I'd recommend pallet forks, I find slings can rip off cambium layer of hauled too far or if tree is jerked.

[Tom D]

We just planted 400 fro edinburgh council, we used soft slings and a mini digger for the big ones, They were off loaded with a tele handler though.

[kkk2]

We do 20/25 and upwards. soft slings are the way to go we usually wrap some hessian around the trunk first and then soft sling them, our supplier has a hiab so trees are easily unloaded and on street schemes they can drop them where we need, a 3 ton mini digger is fine to move them around. Just watch the bark as trees are easily damaged from now on.

Edited March 5, 2015 by kkk2
fat fingers