Share your ambitious transplant stories (I need motivation)

[Fresnotropics]

Hi guys! I’m considering trying to transplant a 15 ft (trunk length) royal palm and I need some successful stories to get me in the mode. There isn’t too much rootball available (planted in a raised planter which was destroyed) and I won’t have a crane or anything fancy. Thinking I’ll have 5 people total help drag and load the palm onto a rented uhaul pickup. On searches for similar sized queen palms I expect the weight to be around 1500 lbs.

[The7thLegend]

Wow, that's a beast to move with raw power.  5 men no problem.  I've taken on crazy projects about half that size alone.  Tie up the fronds.  Dig a rootball.  Tip and roll.  May need someone to turn the tied fronds.  Lifting and dragging can be done from the rootball when needed.  Peace of cake.  For the record, I've had 100% success.  Next up is a sylvestris for me.  

[rprimbs]

I am curious to see how things turn out.  Please take pictures!  

[greysrigging]

I saw this on our local gardening FB page yesterday and rolled my eyes Yep, they're Sealing wax/Lipstick palms sold as if they are Heliconia stems.
Never ever seen anyone trying to propagate this finicky species this way before. oh, and $5 a stem....tsk stk.

 

[Tyrone]

I remember moving a heap of large Syagrus that way with about 10 people. Never again.

There were lots of ropes, lots of holes to fall into, and at one point 5 guys were underneath the trunk on a 45 degree angle struggling to push it up. It could have gone very very wrong. Luckily it didn't.

I'm sorry I wasn't very inspirational. I would recommend getting lifting equipment to prevent injury though. No palm is worth a bulging disc in your back or worse.