Abstract: A process for growing nursery stock (e.g. trees, shrubs, etc.) involving the specific improvement of confining root propagation to a nonwoven porous polymeric fabric bag such that growth through the bag is severely constricted at the fabric, producing a girdling effect and root branching within the bag. Such a process leads to a tightly packed, highly root branched soil ball even in loose sandy loam that is easily removed from the field, readily transported and effective in re-establishing the tree upon transplanting even during the hot summer months.

Abstract: A tree clamp, for use with a forklift truck for lifting and supporting the ball of a tree, includes a pair of essentially rigid plate members for disposition one each adjacent opposite sides of the ball. Each one of a pair of flexible connecting chains is attached at one side edge near the bottom of each plate member, and is extendable about the ball and connectable with the opposing side of the other plate member. The connecting chains are adjustable in length and cooperate with the plate members to encircle the ball. A pair of brackets is detachably mounted one on each of the forks of the lift truck, and has a hook suspended thereof. Each hook is adapted to engage with a length of chain connected with and extending along the top side edge of each plate member, whereby the plate members and the tree may be lifted and supported.

Abstract: A wire basket for holding the root system of a plant in a ball of earth has a continuous wire strand aligned to form a tubular grid consisting of a plurality of longitudinally oriented bight strands, and a plurality of helical coils of the wire strand laid about the tubular grid, the crossing points of the bights and the coils being welded. The method of making a tubular wire basket from a continuous wire strand comprises laying the strand in a series of back and forth bights aligned in the form of a tubular cage open at both ends, helically coiling the wire across the bights to form a continuous helical wrap, and welding the wire at the crossing points.

Abstract: A trailer for transporting root-balled trees comprising a plurality of cone-shaped receptacles having an open bottom and being pivotally mounted to the frame of the trailer about a horizontal axis so that the trees may be held in a reclined position during transit.

Abstract: Tree planter including a truck having a digger mounted to a boom on a hoist on a frame of the truck, and a trailer which can be towed by the truck and including a plurality of cone-shaped containers axially mounted on horizontal pivots. The digger on the boom of the truck includes four hydraulic cylinders for positioning the digger with all degrees of radial and axial freedom with respect to the truck. The digger per se includes six hydraulic cylinders, one hydraulic cylinder for each of four spades and two hydraulic cylinders to open the rear spades around the tree when either digging or planting a tree from either the ground or one of the cone-shaped containers. The trailer can include a plurality of paired cone-shaped containers with the containers being tiltable either singularly or in pairs. While the digger on the truck and the trailer are intended for use in a combination, the digger or the trailer can be used solely independent of each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for excavating and transplanting of plants and trees comprising interlockable curved blades (16) detachable from the driving apparatus (32 & 33) such that several soil-balls and several sizes of soil-ball can be excavated consecutively by the apparatus driving each blade (16) successively by the transfer of momentum from a rapidly reciprocating device (32 & 33) producing little resultant reactive force. The soil-balls so dug are secured in the temporary reusable containers formed by sets of interlocked blades, and may be extracted from the plantation by normal lifting and transporting means to the place of transplanting, without the encumbrance of the excavating apparatus accompanying each plant. The apparatus incorporates means for guidance (1, 2 15 & 21) of the detachable blades during driving and means (17) for guided rotation and positioning of the apparatus about the vertical axis of the tree.

Abstract: A wheel-like device enables a looped-strand drum lacing to be made thereon from two lengths of rope for use when forming a tree root ball of soil during transplanting of the tree. The device has a central hub with a plurality of outwardly projecting posts mounted thereon in a circular arrangement. A plurality of equally circumferentially spaced legs extend radially outwardly in a spoke-like fashion from the hub. Each of the legs have a peg mounted on the leg at a predetermined distance from the hub. A first piece of rope is looped about the hub posts and leg pegs to form a plurality of outwardly extending closed end loops. A second piece of rope is wrapped in an overlapping manner with the individual strands of the previously formed loops into a circular configuration about the hub posts to form a circular drum lacing base. The two pieces of rope are stapled together at alternating overlapped locations.

Abstract: Wire baskets to receive burlap bag wrapped root balls of trees and bushes have a large diameter top wire ring, a smaller diameter bottom wire ring, at least one intermediate wire ring and a plurality of U-shaped brace wires enveloping said rings in circumferentially spaced relation having the ends of the side legs thereof looped over the top and inner periphery of the top ring and the bight portions thereof underlying the bottom ring and spanning the bottom ring area in overlapped relation at a plurality of zones spaced from the center of the ring area to form a reinforced bottom. The brace wires surround and retain the rings and the intermediate and bottom rings are spot welded to the surrounding brace wires. The wire baskets house the root balls during storage prior to transplanting, during transportation to the planting site and are buried with the root balls at the planting site thereby preventing loosening of the earth surrounding the roots in the burlap bag wrapped ball.

Abstract: A device for transporting a plant having a root system confined in a ball of earth. The device comprises a flexible strip which is placed around the ball of earth in belt-like fashion, a means for winding the strip so as to tightly grip the ball, and a means for locking the strip in position as the ball is being transported.

Abstract: An improved protective clamp for the root ball portion of a tree is disclosed. The clamp includes a plurality of arcuate plate members, each of which is provided with an outwardly extending foot portion at the lower end thereof. Raised re-inforcing ribs on the sides of each plate and a tie bar at the upper end thereof are additional features which provide a greatly improved protection for the root ball during removal of the tree from the ground, or when the tree is being transported, stored, or other-wise handled prior to planting, compared with the traditional "ball-burlapping".

Abstract: A method of treating plants for the purpose of transport and storage, according to which method the root section together with a certain quantity of earth is enveloped by a fabric, and wherein is used a bag, pouch or the like of e.g. an organic material closed at one end, and the other, open end of which comprises a cord plaited through the fabric, into which pouch is positioned the root section together with a clod of earth, and which cord is tightened and tied.

Abstract: Wire tree baskets are disclosed for receiving tree or shrub balls. The baskets are comprised of a plurality of spaced apart, circular wire rings of differing diameters in order to taper the basket at an angle of 28.degree. to 32.degree. and a plurality of wire upright loops terminated by bights to give tie-off points for securing the ball within the the basket. The basket is welded together with the welds located to reduce the possibility of fractured welds and, further, reduce both the damage to the structural integrity of the basket caused by the fracture of a weld and reduce the potential for damage to adjacent trees caused by the fracture of a weld when balled trees are stacked together. Advantageous methods for using the tree baskets are also disclosed.