History of Tree Spades
It’s been only a generation – maybe 30 years or so – that the tree spade has been around. In that time, it has all but put an end to the old-fashioned hand or back-hoe dug procedure. However, as a “technology” (if we want to go that far in its description), the advent of the tree spade has made contributions not only to arborists who own them but also to the trees they transplant.
The spade initially was intended to make it easier to dig up, move or transplant larger specimen-size trees, commonly those larger than the balled and burlapped varieties found at the nursery. The objective was to find an easier (and therefore more profitable) method of taking and transplanting trees for “instant” shade or beauty.
Along the way, a second benefit became obvious: Higher survivability rates. How’s that possible over the old hand-dug method? Two reasons. First, the compound form and angle of the spade – somewhat like a spoon – makes for a more compact root ball. Second, the precise cutting nature of the mechanism and the fact that the spade can carry the tree with minimal disturbance means the precious roots and root hairs remain contacted with the nutrient- and moisture-rich soil.
When Tree Care Industry magazine interviewed makers of tree spades, those two criteria – simplicity and survivability – kept coming up as the main motivations for the tree spade and its continuing evolution in terms of both design and root ball capacity.
Differences in tree spades are varied. Tree spades can be mounted on trucks, trailers or skidders – even farm tractors – meaning they can be used in tight nursery and residential areas or wide-open forest areas; for digging and hauling locally or over long distances. Some are designed for use on one machine in tight spaces and are re-mountable for transport over distances or difficult terrain.
Prices range from $8,000 to $80,000 or more for some built-to-order units. Whether the tree spade is on the small side (for nursery or light landscape use) or is the behemoth 100-inch that requires attention to DOT regulations to make them not only efficient but also legal for over-the-road portage, the objectives are the same: profitability and survivability.
Tree spades last a long time, assuming normal maintenance. They are simple in terms of moving mechanical components, driven by a proven hydraulic system. Not “destructive” by nature like a grinder or chipper, the calmer life and environment of a tree spade contributes to its longevity. Large or small, with proper care, a spade will last 10, 15, 20 years or more moving from one owner to the next with the same level of productivity.
Simple valving connected to existing truck tractor or skidder hydraulics operates the dig, lift and tilt requirements from one operator station. Grease points need regular attention as do dedicated remote engines that run the hydraulics on portable trailer units. Spades themselves need little attention – other than blade point alignment adjustments and occasional sharpening. With the exception of a broken blade, the spades last the lifetime of the unit.
Tree transplanting can be lucrative. With a 50 percent margin common (100 percent markup on the cost of the tree if purchased, and more if the arborist has a private source), single, large-specimen trees can contribute $1,000 or more each to the bottom line. Given that the procedure often requires only one piece of equipment and one operator, profitability levels can be much higher than on other jobs.
A leading supplier of tree spades is Dutchman industries, which began producing tree spades in the 1980s. A longtime major supplier of large-caliper trees to the commercial/industrial landscapes beginning a decade before, Dutchman leveraged its “moving experiences” into a healthy machine business.
Today, Dutchman supplies units ranging from the large truck-mounted 48-inch spade with a coned “clamshell” suitable for deep taproot species such as pecan, oak and pear. Unlike some of its competitors, Dutchman makes a quick-disconnect system that will swap over from a truck mount to skidsteer.
These multi-use designs are aimed at providing versatility to the arborist (you don’t have to tie up a truck for one piece of equipment) and flexibility (you can get into tight spaces such as nurseries and back yards with minimal damage by shifting back and forth from small to large transporters).
The current economic downturn may be repressing consumer desire for instant shade somewhat. Nevertheless, spade manufacturers predict a healthy future ahead – for their equipment sales and for the trees that will be moved with them.