Tree spade L2501

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,101
113
Wind Gap, PA

might be difficult with the little weight of your L unless you had another tractor in mind. The ones that I've been around were all mounted on heavy skid steers.

but yes, as posted above for light duty, maybe a stump bucket.
 

Mbenni

New member

Equipment
L2501
May 8, 2022
2
0
1
PA

might be difficult with the little weight of your L unless you had another tractor in mind. The ones that I've been around were all mounted on heavy skid steers.

might be difficult with the little weight of your L unless you had another tractor in mind. The ones that I've been around were all mounted on heavy skid steers.

but yes, as posted above for light duty, maybe a stump bucket.
Thats pretty much what I figured. In the future I was contemplating growing some arborvitae for resale. I wasn’t sure a stump bucket would do the trick. Thanks for the reply.
 

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,101
113
Wind Gap, PA
Thats pretty much what I figured. In the future I was contemplating growing some arborvitae for resale. I wasn’t sure a stump bucket would do the trick. Thanks for the reply.
I didn't mean to wizz on your plan. That wasn't my intent at all. In the link that I sent they had some towable units as well. I have no idea how they would work.

There has to be a few folks on here that have tree farms.
 

MapleLeafFarmer

Well-known member

Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
543
387
63
E.
I researched same topic for the larger L3301 and came to the conclusion not really... sure some say maybe but really pushing it so concluded a no.

What I have been doing is using my backhoe to make 4 cuts around the tree creating a root ball, then loosen the root ball using the backhoe, then switch to the loader with pallet forks to pop the root ball out of the ground and move it to the new location.

I am in very sandy soil and like to take big root balls as tree survival seems higher doing it this way lets me move about 5' tall Jack Pine with good survival success. This maxes out my loader lift capacity. Jack Pine roots are wide and shallow in our sand.

I could move about 3 trees an hour around my acreage this way.

Check out the chart below.... root balls are HEAVY!! you can quickly see the L2501 just not going to be up for the task of moving anything too big.

Untitled.jpg

1652236162917.png
 
Last edited:

bird dogger

Well-known member
Vendor Member

Equipment
Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,569
1,409
113
North Dakota
I have a "Dakota Hand" tree spade. Purchased in the 1990's. No longer made. I used it behind my JD750 at the time and it works just as well or better now behind the Kubota B2650. It's a 3PT mounted tree spade for smaller trees/shrubs. I think a 2" diameter tree trunk was the recommended max. It would dig a 28" diameter root ball x 22" deep (cone shaped, of course).

The round frame swings open to back up to the tree/shrub being moved and is then closed around it and lowered to the ground. The 6 individual spades are driven into the ground by a hydraulic jack hammer powered by the tractor's hydraulics.

It would work really slick in sandier/lighter soils compared to our heavy soils here. Otherwise, a good soaking of water around the tree to be moved would soften our soil up and allow the spades to be driven down easier with the jackhammer.

I haven't used it for a few years so it's tucked away deep in the shed. Not sure if I could find any pictures of it in my files. I can look. An online search may turn up some. Officially, it was called "Dakota Hand Tree Transplanter"

If you're ever up in this area, I'd happily sell it to you!! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

MapleLeafFarmer

Well-known member

Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
543
387
63
E.
I have a "Dakota Hand" tree spade. Purchased in the 1990's. No longer made. I used it behind my JD750 at the time and it works just as well or better now behind the Kubota B2650. It's a 3PT mounted tree spade for smaller trees/shrubs. I think a 2" diameter tree trunk was the recommended max. It would dig a 28" diameter root ball x 22" deep (cone shaped, of course).

The round frame swings open to back up to the tree/shrub being moved and is then closed around it and lowered to the ground. The 6 individual spades are driven into the ground by a hydraulic jack hammer powered by the tractor's hydraulics.

It would work really slick in sandier/lighter soils compared to our heavy soils here. Otherwise, a good soaking of water around the tree to be moved would soften our soil up and allow the spades to be driven down easier with the jackhammer.

I haven't used it for a few years so it's tucked away deep in the shed. Not sure if I could find any pictures of it in my files. I can look. An online search may turn up some. Officially, it was called "Dakota Hand Tree Transplanter"

If you're ever up in this area, I'd happily sell it to you!! :)
I would love to see pic's if you can get them.... I would be interested if you want to sell.... any more info greatly appreciated.
 

bird dogger

Well-known member
Vendor Member

Equipment
Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,569
1,409
113
North Dakota
I would love to see pic's if you can get them.... I would be interested if you want to sell.... any more info greatly appreciated.
I'll see what I can find for pics. Otherwise it might be a short while before some equipment gets moved around for access to take some pics of it in storage. I used it mostly when we first moved onto our farmstead and established new windbreaks and additional plantings around the yard. Not much need for that now, hence it wouldn't be missed if I sold it.

If I don't post back here in a while, send me a "message" to remind me again.:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

MapleLeafFarmer

Well-known member

Equipment
Lots incl. B and L kubotas
Dec 2, 2019
543
387
63
E.
I'll see what I can find for pics. Otherwise it might be a short while before some equipment gets moved around for access to take some pics of it in storage. I used it mostly when we first moved onto our farmstead and established new windbreaks and additional plantings around the yard. Not much need for that now, hence it wouldn't be missed if I sold it.

If I don't post back here in a while, send me a "message" to remind me again.:)
thank you very much... I am interested but also not in rush so we be on the same time frame (haha)... wasn't able to find much on internet other than 1 small article. Trips to Fargo are regular occurrences for us.
 

bird dogger

Well-known member
Vendor Member

Equipment
Kubota B2650 and lots of other equipment
Feb 24, 2019
1,569
1,409
113
North Dakota
thank you very much... I am interested but also not in rush so we be on the same time frame (haha)... wasn't able to find much on internet other than 1 small article. Trips to Fargo are regular occurrences for us.
Here's an old youtube video of the Dakota Hand Tree Spade

And this info from an old brochure: We're farmers near Garrison, N. Dak., and we'd like to tell FARM SHOW readers about our revolutionary new "Dakota Hand" tree transplanter for use behind an AN, garden tractor, or mounted on a front-end loader. It'll dig out and transplant any tree with up to a 2-in. trunk. The "cradle", which supports the tree spades, can be positioned hydraulically at any height above ground level which allows you to vary the rootball size thus accommodating different sized trees. The largest rootball possible is 28 in. dia. and 22 in. deep. You simply position the cradle and spades around the trunk of the tree and use a hand-held jack hammer to drive the spades into the ground. Once the spades are driven in, hydraulics lift and transplant the tree. To plant the tree, you pull a pin which splits the cradle in two, taking pressure off the spades and allowing you to pull them up out of the way. We developed the machine for use in moving trees on our own farm and it worked so well we started manufacturing it.

My framework is orange colored, I think.......:LOL: And if I remember right, the jack hammer I purchased for it is a Stanley......model BR40 ? I'll get some pics of the machine and hammer for you.

David
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users