If planting 1-2 year old trees the old fashioned way (by hand with a shovel) does anybody have a recommendation of what kind of shovel or is something else better? Some of these hardwood trees are up to 1" dia.
I also have 200 Arborvitae trees to plant this coming week that are 24"-30" tall (roots not included).
When I do larger trees we use our ice auger for ice fishing. A post hole auger one or two man would do the trick too.
I like to drill the hole deeper then needed to break up the hard pan. Mix in bonemeal with the dirt that came out of the hole as I fill it back in. Four man operation one drilling holes, one filling holes, one placing tree, one dumping a pail of water on. Do about 10 have a beer and so on. Six of us did 100 potted Blue spruce this way did not loose one. Never watered them again that season.
These are the ones I have tree spaded around my new pond. Biggest is now 16 feet an moved them with a 70" spade. Planted a row behind my shop on the north side. Never thought they would get so be so fast and had to move them from the shop. If I left them five more years they would have to be fire wood.
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