3 PT Auger for planting what size bit?

[cyber57]

I have a B2150 and want to plant a bunch of shrubs and 12' trees on my property. The local nurseries are telling me I need at least a 24" auger bit to give the roots plenty of room to spread out. The shrub & tree containers are anywhere from 3 gallon to 15 gallon. The soil has a lot of red Georgia clay and is no fun digging with a shovel. I don't think the B2150 could handle a 24" Auger bit along with the clay. Has anyone had any experience planting with a 12" Auger? Any other recommendations on how to utilize my B2150 to plant shrubs would be appreciated. I would really hate to pay a landscaper to plant the shrubs & trees when I can have all the fun myself.

This site has been very helpful prior to my purchase of the B2150 last fall and while I'm still learning the tractor.

Thank You

 

[stuart]

If you have not purchased the auger yet, I suggest you look at one designed for the smaller tractors. The 'full sized' frame may not allow the auger to clear the ground well enough. There is a link posted in a thread last summer, and here is another.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Leinbach-Post-Ho...665?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad941c871

I think any garden center can advise you on hole sizes - seems to me 12" would be enough. A few posts here in the 'operating' section refer to tree planting, also from last summer.

 

[Babyfat]

You need to spread the roots out, for the shrubs you won't need them that deep which with 18" to 24" you can only go the depth of the flights, now a 12' tree I would have a spade move those I think it is a foot of hole for every inch of trunk.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

As a landscaper with a side business is agree with Babyfat's statement! I want to say but I'm not 100% sure a 24" auger should be doable! Reason why I say this is because I've seen Toro Dingo's handle a 30inch which a Dingo is an ittybitty walkbehind skidsteer/tractor.

 

[Bulldog]

Check with your local rental store and look into renting a small backhoe or trackhoe for a day. A friend of mine rented a fairly good sized Kubota (11,000 lb) last year for $250 a day. Unless there was a huge difference in price I would go for the trackhoe. It would be much faster for the digging.