Skid Steer Tree Spades

A skid steer tree spade lets you dig, move, and replant a live tree in one operation without hand-digging the root ball. Hydraulic blades drive down around the trunk, close into a cone, and lift the tree with its root system and soil intact — which is what gives a transplant a real chance of surviving. Skid Steers Direct carries spades from Bradco, Top Dog, and TM Manufacturing in full-size and mini skid steer mounts. Sizing comes down to trunk caliper: capacity is rated by the diameter the spade can handle, and undersizing produces a root ball too small to support the tree. For small root masses, a stump grinder is overkill.
Read More

4 products

Frequently Asked Questions
What size tree can a skid steer tree spade move?

Capacity is rated by trunk caliper, and most skid steer spades handle trees roughly 2 to 5 inches in diameter depending on model and blade size. A useful rule of
thumb in the nursery trade is about 10 to 12 inches of root ball diameter for every inch of trunk caliper. If the spade can't produce a ball that size, the tree is too large
for it — check the model's rating against the trees you actually move.

How does a tree spade work?

Hydraulic blades are positioned around the trunk and driven into the ground one at a time, cutting through soil and roots. Once all the blades are down they close to
form a cone, and the loader lifts the tree with its root ball and surrounding soil held together. The same spade then opens a matching hole at the new location, so the
tree drops into a cavity cut to the same shape.

When is the best time to transplant a tree?

Dormancy is the safest window — late fall after leaf drop, or early spring before bud break — because the tree isn't actively moving water and can recover before
summer stress arrives. Frozen ground makes digging harder but actually holds the root ball together well. Summer transplanting is possible, but it demands much
more aggressive watering afterward and carries a higher failure rate.

Will a tree spade fit a mini skid steer?

Yes. Mini-specific models are built for the standard mini skid steer mount and sized for smaller calipers, typically in the 2 to 3 inch range. Don't put a full-size spade on
a mini machine — the issue isn't the mount but weight and lift capacity, since a soil-filled root ball is far heavier than most operators expect. Match the spade to your
machine's rated operating capacity.

Can a tree spade be used for anything besides trees?

It handles shrub and bush relocation well, and it's effective for popping out small stumps and root masses where the cone shape lets you lift the whole root system
rather than grinding it down. It can also cut clean planting holes ahead of a delivery. For larger stumps, or anything you don't intend to move intact, a dedicated stump
grinder is the better tool.