Subject: Re: Coastal Live Oak transplant?

From: [email-masked] (TexSPIKE)
Date: 28 Jul 1995 23:49:23 -0400

I am not familiar with plant material in Northern California, but in the
Houston, Texas area market we frequently can move product up to 8"-9" with
a machine called a Vemeer(variable sizes up to 90" diameter).  I know of a
contractor who is building a 120" diameter machine that will transplant up
to 15" caliper trees.  He is also capable of digging and boxing trees up
to 24" in caliper.  The name of the company is Environmental Design in
Houston, Texas.  This company is also doing work for Kevin Costner's
Casino Ranch project in I believe South Dakota.  

To finally answer your questions, yes, depending on the type and quality
of contractors available.  This machinery is not available across the
country, it is still very specialized.

In regards to Live Oaks in a coastal environment, Live Oaks grow all along
the coast of Texas, even in salt water conditions near their roots.  The
only problems I have seen is salt spray and wind damage.

I hopes this answers your questions

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From: [email-masked] (HeritageNJ)
Date: 30 Jul 1995 16:19:26 -0400

I'm not familiar with northern California either but as TexSpike mentioned
some pretty good size trees can be moved. In fact the largest one I've
read about was a 4ft dia. valley oak out there in Calif. The machines that
transplant trees are called "tree spades" and they come in many sizes. It
will be most economical if you move a tree in the size that one of these
machines can handle ( up to 10-12" dia. for a 90 or 94" machine) and of
course the larger the machine the larger the cost. Hand digging can always
be done but is usually more costly because of the labor involved. Check in
the phone book under Tree Service and you might spot someone who moves
large trees or else you could call the manufacturers who should be able to
put you in touch with someone near you. (Vermeer 1-800-829-0051 and Big
John 1-800-643-8039) The best time to move the tree would be before it
starts its new growth which I imagine would be late winter for you. 

Jeff Speirs
Heritage Tree Movers
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
609-273-7777