Orchard Ladder

Benjo75

Treehouser
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
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918
Location
Malvern, Arkansas
Hey all. Anyone use an orchard ladder? I have about 50 Bradford Pears I have to shape up for a subdivision. I can get about 50 to 75 percent of each tree with the powered pole saw. It's really not worth carrying the bucket over there for. It's about 45 minutes away. If it was 5 or 6 trees I'd pole saw them then climb up in them and finish with the Silky. That might be my best option anyway. Another option is use my climbing belt and 2 lanyards and tie myself between the bails on the brush grappel on the tractor and be driven around with the pole saw. I've done that before but it is uncomfortable and kinda slow. I've been considering buying an orchard ladder just for this job. I hate ladders worse than just about anything and refuse to use one on my job except for roof access. Anyone use them or have any opinions on them? Thanks, Ben.
 
They have their place for sure , almost bought one a few years back ... Company in Maine or Mass. still makes them , old school wood or new age aluminium.
 
I use them a fair amount. Frequently work uneven ground and on decks. I think it's worth paying extra for an adjustable leg and slippery surface kit (cables to keep leg from opening up more, rubber under each foot/leg.)

Every single time I ascend I set each leg by shock weighting it to get it to sink as far as possible.
 
An orchard ladder is on the short term acquisition list for us. Extension ladder only if we have roof access needed or a 30'+ to lowest limbs oak.
For Bradford Pears, I always recommend ground level pruning, though.
 
They have their place for sure , almost bought one a few years back ... Company in Maine or Mass. still makes them , old school wood or new age aluminium.

Baldwin Ladders is up here in Maine. The ladders are beautiful, lightweight, durable, and fit into tight crotches.

They are absolutely the best fruit tree ladder I've used. But.. I spoke with the builder, Peter Baldwin at a fair last year, and he said he's not able to get osha certification in his ladders.

If that doesn't bother you, then they is nothing better. The pointed tip is really secure feeling. Made for orchards though. If you need a ladder for use on pavement there are better choices with grippy feet.

I second the basal pruning suggestion on Bradfords...
 
Ive used 12'ers for years. Had a particular hedge job so got 16'er. Its high up there!:O

On hard surface we tie the leg so it can't open further
 
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Thanks all. Looks like a 12 ft would be about right. I agree about the ground pruning. That's the best thing for those trees.
 
The 16 footer stokes with a 12 foot big bite is very effective.

We use them all the time....
I see the guys standing on the red rung or even the farking top rung and i have a heart attack and yell to get down from there...

Definitely tie the legs together on wet smooth surfaces... i watched my friend belly flop from a 12 footer as it spread open on a wet trex deck one handing a 020 the whole way...

ah tree work...
 
I also use orchard ladders. The Tallman brand ladders are lightweight and well made.

http://www.tallmanladders.com/products.htm

Tallman is one of the best, for more than just solid construction. I will explain more, but first ...

10 FEET and under is easy to move and carry. A ten footer collapses, tucks under the arm holding the leg like a handle and is pretty streamlined to move. Anything 12 FEET and taller sucks to move and position !!

I forget what brand I bought once, but the top piece was sort of a "channel" metal piece that had nearly sharp edges. Could almost break skin. And if just leaned on bark, would scrape it. Tallman's top piece is probably stamped. The edges are rounded and I can lean on fairly thin bark as an alternative sometimes to using the three legs and it won't gouge the bark.

I've been using them for about 40 years. I have a ten footer and a six footer right now.

If you have some tree to fit it among, it's safe to about the 9th rung if you can get 3 points of contact. So standing at 7' to 9' gives you a reach of 14' to 16'.

Also with 12 foot and taller, the legs are even wider which may make carrying more difficult when turned sideways if one side hangs low enough to drag. And any taller than 10 feet continue as narrow ladders past the 10 foot mark. The steps seem uncomfortably narrow at rung 12 or rung 14.
 
I spent a childhood on opentop orchard ladder, wooden, picking oranges and selling by the lug out front of my grandma's place. They had a great orange orchard behind the homestead. Great memories, that.
 
If I could get the bucket easily to most of the trees, I would drive it that far. Way more efficient working and safer than a ladder. I have several orchard ladders and use them to great effect occasionally, but if there is a bucket.... why
 
If I could get the bucket easily to most of the trees, I would drive it that far. Way more efficient working and safer than a ladder. I have several orchard ladders and use them to great effect occasionally, but if there is a bucket.... why

For fruit trees 12 feet and under ... I challenge you to a duel !!

Bucket vs. Ladder ... with emphasis on fruit spur management.
 
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