Tree Moving Day

Written by brad on January 15th, 2010

We’ve waited until winter to do something about the cottonwood tree next to the septic system. (Cottonwood trees are notorious for causing damage to septic systems.) Our friend Bill Wilbur came over with his tractor and then his backhoe to do the heavy lifting. Heavier than either of us thought. When Bill picked up the tree, the front wheels of the backhoe came off the ground and would not go down – not even with the two of us standing in the bucket.

Bill first brought over his tractor with a giant auger. The plan was to punch some holes where we planned to move the tree in order to make digging easier for the backhoe. This seemed odd to me, but Bill knows his tools. Good for me though as I got Bill to pop out the holes for the ten columns that will support the next six solar panels at the same time. It took Bill about twenty minutes to make the holes, each one three feet deep. This will save me many hours with a post hole digger.

When Bill returned with the backhoe, he first dug the hole where the tree would go. Then he dug around the tree. Eventually, we wrapped a rope around the tree and Bill kind of reached under the tree with the backhoe and lifted it up. The rope held the tree against the upper arm of the backhoe. Luckily, one can steer a backhoe with its independent brakes, because the front wheels just hung in the air useless.

Once the tree was in its new home, there was lots of shoveling. We’ll be giving it lots of water and love while we nurse it back to health.

Bill and the auger

Bill and the auger

The auger in avtion

The auger in action

Digging the hole where the tree will go

Digging the hole where the tree will go

Ready to start digging

Ready to start digging

Trying to lift the tree

Trying to lift the tree

Part way out

Part way out

Oh it's out now!

Oh it's out now!

On its way to a new home/hole

On its way to a new home/hole

Moved and happy

Moved and happy

 

2 Comments so far ↓

  1. Kathleen Cain says:

    What a great thing that you moved the tree! And yup, those roots go right for water…I have a pic of a lateral root stretching more than 40 ft. in search of moisture. But good for you to keep the tree!

    Kathleen Cain
    author, The Cottonwood Tree: An American Champion (Johnson Books/Big Earth Publishing. Boulder: 2007)

  2. karen says:

    Thanks, Kathleen. Any advice on making sure our tree thrives after the move? We want to make sure it is ok. So far, we’re giving it a lot of water.

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