Questions about large live oak acquisition and transplant

[HuskerTX]

I live in Amarillo, and there are no nurseries nearby to buy a large live oak tree. You have to drive at least 2 hours south of here to get one of any size, and of course you have to trim it back really good to get it to Amarillo.

So...here is my strategy:

I have a short list of houses here in my town with LARGE live oak trees in their front yard within 3 miles of my house. What I plan on doing is visiting all of these people, and literally asking them how much $$ it would take for me to buy their tree. I know that most will say "no thanks", I would be willing to spend up to $5,000 if it was a large, healthy live oak.

I figure as short on cash as some people are, someone will jump at the cash.

The question is, if I hire out someone with the largest possible tree spade, what is the largest tree I can realistically transport, if I'm only moving it a few miles? 14-15 inch trunk?

Is this a sound strategy for finding a nice live oak? I don't want to buy a small one and be dead when it offers some shade.

 

[Raintree]

Not too sure about those Live Oaks down south and how they transplant. Around here in NE if I where investing 5g I'd be looking at a 6-7" DBH Oak too be moved with a large tree spade. If it doesn't make it that's some big bucks firewood you end up with.

The guys with the tree spades usually have a few contacts on acquiring nice trees, check with them.

 

[bepperb]

I'd rent a uhaul/rider truck or maybe an enclosed trailer and drag one back from two hours away. It's not that I don't think your plan is fantastic. I wish you'd show up at my front door. But the bigger the tree the less likely it is to survive this and the more expensive it's going to be. Spending 500 on the rental truck/gas/two 4" oaks is a sure thing (and you could probably fit lunch in the budget too) whereas transplanting a 15 inch tree with no guarantee is pretty bold.


I have been considering your exact plan for a big rock for my yard.

 

[Boomhower]

Got any neighbors you dont like? Shovel and a flashlight and the trees r free.

 

[no tree to big]

something else to consider a 15" oak is going to have a pretty good root spread and a tree spade is only going to get a fraction of the roots and my experience with oaks (no live oaks in my area though) they are touchy when it comes to root damage. I vote figure out how to get a nursery tree. can they wrap the tree and you haul it back on a trailer?

Berard Moves Mr. Al - The 150 Year Old - 800,000lb Oak Tree! - YouTube anything is possible