Tree Spade Selection Tips
Landscapers, municipalities and nursery managers can all benefit from the time and labor savings that a tree spade attachment for a skid steer-loader can offer, but with such a wide range of tree spade sizes, determining which tree spade is best for a given application can be confusing.
Tree spades are often classified by the degree of angle of the spade blades, with common angles of 30, 25 and 22 degrees. Understanding the differences and benefits for each type of spade blade can help users do their jobs faster and more efficiently.
30-DEGREE BLADE ANGLE (THE CONE TREE SPADE). The 30-degree cone tree spade attachment is an all-purpose spade designed for use in a variety of soil types. Ideally, full extension of the blades will result in a cone with a 5- to 14-inch opening at the bottom (depending on the dimensions of the blades), allowing unnecessary soil weight from below the root zone of the tree to be left in the ground. The spade design is compact and lightweight for easy maneuvering, and the root ball fits effortlessly into a standard 30-degree nursery basket. The 30-degree cone spade should not be used in areas with sugar-sand soil or on heavily tap-rooted trees.
25-DEGREE BLADE ANGLE (THE MODIFIED TREE SPADE). A favorite among nursery workers, the 25-degree modified tree spade produces a wide root ball with a flat bottom, allowing trees to be easily stored and displayed upright. Designed to dig in heavier soils than the 30-degree cone spade, this attachment excels in loam and clay-loam soils, but should not be used in sandy soils. The 25-degree modified tree spade is designed to produce a root ball that fits in a standard 25-degree nursery basket.
22-DEGREE BLADE ANGLE (THE TRUNCATED TREE SPADE). Designed to allow nursery growers to dig in heavy soils, the wider blades of the truncated tree spade produce heavy, pot-shaped root balls that contain more roots and soil than other model designs. A standard 22-degree nursery basket accommodates the root ball for storage and transport.
Tree spades can be an indispensable attachment on a skid-steer loader, allowing trees to be extracted, transported and packaged without the user leaving the operator seat. The proper selection of a tree spade attachment increases productivity and efficiency. In addition, an open frame attachment will give operators optimal visibility for easy positioning of the tree.
Dutchman Tree Spade 330
Dutchman’s 33-inch tree spades are designed to produce an optimum 32-inch ball. This type of spade is great for digging 6-8 foot coniferous trees as well as moving shade trees from 3-inch to 3.5-inch. It is an ideal, compact spade for small to mid-size loaders.
Features
Digs from 34-inch down to 24-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Exterior frame does not exceed the width of the tower
Weight: 1250 lbs. (Inside Frame) 1400 lbs. (Outside Frame)
Weight of machine and full ball: 2590 lbs. 2150 lbs. (Inside Frame) 2300 lbs. (Outside Frame)
More information on the Dutchman 330 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 360
Dutchman’s 36-inch tree spades are designed to produce an optimum 36-inch ball. This type of spade is great when looking to cover trees up to 3.5-inches + in diameter. It ensures successful digging of a 36-inch basket. It is an ideal, compact spade for mid-size loaders.
Features
Digs from 37.5-inch down to 28-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade can be produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 1520 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 2590 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 360 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 380
Dutchman’s 38-inch tree spades are designed to produce a ball to safely cover trees that are slightly larger than 3.5-inches. This type of spade can produce a ball close to 40-inches while still maintaining a 3-bladed design. It is an ideal, compact spade for mid-range skidsteers.
Features
Digs from 39.5-inch down to 28-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade can be produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 1650 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 2800 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 380 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 420
Dutchman’s 42-inch tree spades are designed to produce an optimum 40-inch ball to safely cover trees up to 4-inches. This type of spade can produce a ball close to 43-inches. The interior, low profile frame is designed with a 2 gates and a lock. It is an ideal, compact spade for mid-range to larger skidsteers.
Features
Digs from 43-inch down to 30-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade is produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 2050 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 3350 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 420 Tree Spade »
Tree Hobby Farm: Grow Trees for Profit
Starting a Christmas tree enterprise is a long-term commitment because the trees can easily take six to ten years to reach maturity. Growing Christmas trees takes a lot of work: you can’t just plant them and then ignore them until harvest time. However, they are an enterprise that falls into a “seasonal, part-time” category as well as one that doesn’t require a tremendous amount of space (at typical planting rates of 600-1,000 trees per acre), which allows part-time or small-scale hobby farmers to grow them successfully.
In order to start a Christmas tree lot, you should ideally have a fertile, well-drained and deep soil to plant them in. The trees can be planted on level ground or on a slight to moderate slope, but should never be planted in a very poorly drained area. If your soil is less-than ideal, it will limit you to growing less finicky types of trees (i.e., a Scotch pine instead of a Douglas fir), which also tend to be less commercially desirable.
The type of tree that is best suited to your individual lot depends not only on your soil type, but also on what area of the country you live in. Pines, including Scotch pine and white pine, and many types of cedar, cypress, spruce and fir trees are all marketed as Christmas trees in various locations across the USA. Check with your local cooperative extension office to see which kinds of trees are likely to do well in your area of the country.
When planting your new Christmas tree seedlings, make sure to prepare the soil carefully (tilling and/or spraying herbicides) in order to kill as many weed-seedlings as possible: weeds are one of the worst enemies a young Christmas tree has. Plant your trees far enough apart (at least five feet) that you can easily move machinery such as trucks and mowers between the rows, since you will have to scout and mow your Christmas tree lot frequently.
Your trees will require the most labor during the summer months, when they will need to be sheared (trimmed into a “Christmas tree” shape) and when insect and weed pressure will have to be carefully monitored and dealt with. If you live in an area of the country where lots of Christmas trees are grown, you will likely be able to hire skilled seasonal labor to help you with your trees. Otherwise, you will have to do the work yourself or train workers to do the job for you. Keep in mind that shearing the trees and scouting and spraying for insect pests and weeds are skilled tasks that can also be very physically demanding.
Your hard work will eventually pay off in the form of row upon row of well-shaped 6- to 8-foot tall trees that are ready to market. Hopefully, you will have developed a marketing plan for them well before they matured. Wholesaling them to local (or far-flung) retailers and retailing them yourself, either pre-cut or “cut your own” are the most popular Christmas tree marketing vehicles. All of these marketing options require a fair amount of advance planning in order to develop the facilities and relationships that will get your trees sold.
Getting your Christmas tree lot growing requires relatively little land and a fairly modest monetary investment as compared to many other part-time farming enterprises. So, if the idea of it really appeals to you, go ahead and give it a try–it could be a year-round Christmas wish come true for you.
Dutchman Tree Spade 450
Dutchman’s 45-inch tree spades are designed to produce a ball to safely cover trees up to 4.5-inches. This type of spade can produce a ball close to 46-inches. The interior, low profile frame is designed with a 2 gates and a lock. It is an ideal, compact spade for larger skidsteers.
Features
Digs from 46-inch down to 36-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade is produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 2100 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 3600 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 450 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 480
Dutchman’s 48-inch tree spades are designed to produce a ball to safely cover trees up to 5-inch in diameter. This type of spade can produce a ball close to 50-inches. The interior, low profile frame is designed with a 2 gates and a lock. It is an ideal, compact spade when you need a larger spade on a skidsteer.
Features
Digs from 49-inch down to 36-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade is produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 2450 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 4450 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 480 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 540
Part of Dutchman’s commitment to building a quality spade was to build a 54-inch spade that was durable and light enough to put on a large skid steer. Dutchman’s 54-inch tree spades are designed to produce a ball close to 55-inches. The interior, low profile frame is designed with a 2 gates and a lock. It is an ideal, compact spade when you need a larger spade on a skidsteer.
Features
Digs from 55-inch down to 40-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade is produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 3000 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 6300 lbs.
More information on the Dutchman 540 Tree Spade »
Dutchman Tree Spade 650
Dutchman offers a rugged and durable 65-inch tree spade to cover larger trees. Dutchman’s 65-inch tree spades are designed to produce a ball 66-inches in diameter and 55-inches deep. The interior, low profile frame is designed with 2 gates and a lock. It is a light, compact spade for larger loaders.
Features
Digs from 66-inch down to 50-inch
Interior Design is large enough, and low enough to slide under and around low branches
Spade is produced in a 4-blade version
Weight: 4400 lbs.
Weight of machine and full ball: 9300 lbs.