Remove 2 8 ft tall Queen palm tree's?

[sancho_man_orlando]

I bid on a job to remove 2 8 ft tall Queen palm tree's. They are about 2 ft from driveway.

I don't know how to properly do it.

Do I just get a shover and dig around the base, using loppers to cut the roots and pull it out of there?

Do I need some heavy machinery? Can I dig around and attach a rope to it and my truck and pull it out?

Anyone have pointers, tips, ideas or advice?

[dave k]

Are you going to re plant them? I assume you are, dig around the root base, you can use lopper's to cut the roots, but from my past experience queen palms don't have tough roots, I used to use a sharp spade shovel to cut them, and most palms roots are cut into a square, cut the excess palms and if you can tie them up. depends how deep they are you can pull it out with a truck but it would best to have help to pull out by hand, you can ask a tree farm on how they do it to be sure, look in the yellow pages.
wish I could have been more help to you, I used to live in Apopka and Deltona. Good luck

[Duekster]

I don't see huge rootball on the Palms shipped in to Texas so I would say you are safe that way. I would dig closest to the hard surface and see what you find. Then if need be make the root ball a little bigger on the other side if need be.

Go look at some of these Palms at the nursery. What Type of Root ball do those have?

That is assuming you want to save the trees. Other wise, I would inject them, kill them, dig down a little bit below the soil line, cut them down, cover the roots.

[Alps Lawn]

Dig around the roots.. cut them with a shovel.. go a good ways down. 1'+ then use a machine to lift it out. you should be fine. 8' isnt too tall.. dont do it by hand thats just crazy

[cantoo]

You said you already bid the job. Sounds like it's a little late to be deciding if you can do it by hand or need big machinery.
If you are removing the tree and don't plan on reusing it I would think you likely priced it low enough that you will have to do it by hand.

I try to reuse plants and trees on other customers property if I can. That way I get paid twice for one item. I sometimes plant the stuff at my house if I don't have someone willing to pay for it at the time. I have 10 acres so space isn't a problem. We are slowly adding to our flowerbeds for free. Later we split the flowers and sell them to customers.

[Alps Lawn]

^ Very good idea.

[cantoo]

You might have left some good money on the table. 9' tree $595.00

http://www.tropicalislandimports.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=odpt
Here's a site with removal ideas.
http://junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-selling-your-large-palm.htm

[NonStop]

I try to reuse plants and trees on other customers property if I can. That way I get paid twice for one item. I sometimes plant the stuff at my house if I don't have someone willing to pay for it at the time. I have 10 acres so space isn't a problem. We are slowly adding to our flowerbeds for free. Later we split the flowers and sell them to customers.

I do the same thing. Its amazing what some people want taken out, like azaleas, junipers, BOXWOODS!!!! Hell, I'll get paid a disposal fee for transplanting them to my yard any day... :cool2: