Spoon device, system and method for relocating and transplanting trees

A tree spoon system for transplanting trees comprising:

• a spoon device, wherein the spoon device comprises:
• a box, wherein the box comprises a plurality of side walls and a bottom surface, wherein the plurality of side walls comprises at least a first side wall and a second side wall configured on opposing lateral sides of the box such that an opening is defined between front edges of the first and second side walls, wherein the first side wall is parallel to the second side wall, wherein each of the plurality of side walls extends upwardly from and is perpendicularly coupled to the bottom surface;
• at least one movable pusher plate, wherein the at least one movable pusher plate is perpendicular to the first and second sidewalls and extends at least partially between the first and second side walls, wherein that at least one movable pusher plate is configured to achieve translational movement along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the first and second side walls, wherein the at least one movable pusher plate comprises a plurality of tracks, wherein the plurality of tracks comprises at least a first track and a second track configured on opposing lateral ends of the at least one movable pusher plate;
• a plurality of elongated tubes, wherein the plurality of elongated tubes comprises at least a first elongated tube and a second elongated tube, wherein the first elongated tube is configured adjacent to the first side wall and the second elongated tube is configured adjacent to the second side wall;
• and
• a plurality of elongated channels, wherein the plurality of elongated channels comprises at least a first elongated channel and a second elongated channel, wherein the first elongated channel is configured along an interior surface of the first side wall and the second elongated channel is configured along an interior surface of the second side wall, wherein the first track of the at least one movable pusher plate is configured to be slidably received by the first elongated channel and the second track is configured to be slidably received by the second elongated channel;
• and
• at least one machine, wherein the at least one machine comprises at least one forklift accessory coupled thereto, wherein the at least one forklift accessory comprises a fork carriage with two or more forks coupled to and extending from the fork carriage, wherein each of the plurality of elongated tubes of the spoon device is configured to removably receive one of the two or more forks of the fork carriage.

A method for digging a tree using a tree spoon system, comprising:

• positioning the tree spoon system within a trench adjacent to the tree such that a front edge of a tree spoon device of the tree spoon system is proximate to a root ball of the tree and each of a plurality of hydraulic arms of the tree spoon system is in a retracted position, wherein each of the plurality of hydraulic arms comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each of the plurality of hydraulic arms is secured to a fork carriage coupled to a machine and the second end of each of the plurality of hydraulic arms is secured to the tree spoon device such that the tree spoon device is proximate to the fork carriage when each of the plurality of hydraulic arms is in the retracted position;
• altering each of the plurality of hydraulic arms to an at least partially extended position such that at least a portion of a hydraulic arm extender of each of the plurality of hydraulic arms is exposed, wherein altering each of the plurality of hydraulic arms to the at least partially extended position causes the tree spoon device to move away from the fork carriage such that a bottom surface of a box of the tree spoon device slides under at least a portion of the root ball and the at least a portion root ball is received by an opening defined by front edges of parallel first and second side walls configured on opposing lateral sides of the box.