Has anyone used these as plant movers? Thinking of getting several for my largest outdoor plants AND keeping them underneath. Pros? Cons?

Great on solid floors, concrete, and solidly paved areas that are level. A nightmare with uneven terrain with bumps, grass, or recessions such as between Flagstone or free standing paver stepping stones.

I find that moving wheeled things over rough surfaces can go at least a little easier if you pull rather than push.

I think that's because usually pulling means that I'm pulling and lifting from the front. That helps the front wheels get up and over high spots, or up and out of a low spot. The back wheels are still a problem unless you have helpers and four ropes.

in the case of the dolly, it might help a little to tie heavy rope really solidly to the two leading corners. (Eye bolts? Drill a hole and thread the rope?) rememeber that attaching the rope as far from the center of gravity as possible gives you more leverage.

Maybe add small loops or big knots on the ropes to give a getter grip. That way you can use all of your strength (bend legs, not back!) to pull-and-lift one corner at a time over rough spots.

If the hand-grip is the weakest link, wrap the rope around your forearm and wrist so that your legs and shoulders do more of the work whilew rist and fingers are not involved.

Warning 1: While a good hard tug will get you over most bumps, the lift, tilt and jolt might just tip that plant right off the dolly, ka-boom. Now you can easily roll the broken fragments to the compost heap.

Warning 2: Pulling and lifting does little to help you get through long grass or sand or soft soil. Skids like a sled or a travois might be better than wheels.

Or better, a really really heavy tarp or length of sturdy plywood will drag over grass or sand Use ropes to lift/pull the leading edge of the plywood. Or lay the plywood over the grass and roll the dolly over the plywood.

What is better for heavy lifting and carrying than wheels, skids, sleds, travoises and lift trucks? Beer. It works much better than mechanical advantage.

"John? I have some beer that I don't know what to do with, and several very heavy plants that I need moved. Do you have a few burly, thirsty friends with some free time who would help me solve these dilemmas? "

Thanks for the great input, guys. I will only be moving the large plants twice a year in and out of winter shelter. 4 of them will be on the deck with the new greenhouse someday. So they should be easy to move. In fact, I think most of the biggest pots are going to sit on the deck for ease and closeness to the projected greenhouse. But I like attaching the rope idea. Does one type of rope hold up better outside? Nylon? Cotton? Sisel?

Beer it is, then.

Cotton absorbs water and rots.

Nylon absorbs water, but then it dries out. I think that some kinds of nylon stretch and then shrink back, which might not be ideal. But I wouldn't bet a lot on it.

I don't know about sisal ... if they used it on sailing ships, it might be good. Sisal or hemp.

Do you need to keep the rope outside? One knot per attachment point ought to be enough.

Save your back and get one of these. You will use it more than you think you will. I have moved huge pots from the garage to the backyard by myself. I can also change the location of the pots throughout the summer for more sun or shade. The dolly can go up or down stairs too.


http://www.harborfreight.com/b...

I have two of those hand trucks, Sandi. Three, if you count the stupid one called a "pot mover" that doesn't work! The problem with the big pots is that they are so big and round, that they want to just roll off the sides. And they really are heavy once you lean them over! Remember I am doing this alone for now. The plant dollies I have seen do not last. The wheels break off, or the casters are not good quality. We were going to build our own. But the wheels alone are $10. The entire dolly here is just $7.99 all built for us. I plan to let the pots sit one these for good, add the rope and pull or push them where they need to go.

Spend a little extra and get a nice (oversized) appliance hand truck. It will handle ANY pot you can imagine. Be sure you get one with a strap. The strap can tie the large pot to the hand truck and it can't tip.

I've had bad luck trying to use wheels to move big plants!

Now I makes "slide runs" I either take my 10' plastic bench tops, bench master brand like Wallyworld uses for plant stands, if it's a long run, ill use 2 and leapfrog them to the destination!
I can drag a 300 pound pot myself!
Just tip the pot slightly and roll it onto the shelf and away you go!

I used to use either scrap boards, which works but it hard to keep the pots on a thin board, or doubled over used greenhouse film, it works well but you need to peg it down or the big pots just grab it and drag it along too, the really big pots dug into the ground, making for too much resistance!

Just what works for me!

If you get a dolly, take kens advice! Get a decent one with a ratchet strap!
Not sure I'd have much faith in harbor freight crap, it's usually only good for a few seasons, or when your in a pinch.

Yes, the effectiveness of a hand truck has a lot to do with the surface you are moving your pots over. But, that being said, IF you'll get a hand truck with (oversized) pneumatic wheels, this would help rolling over softer surfaces.

I'll wade in with my movers. When I started doing out door shows I bought a "Handtruck " from Sears.1973.

This is the most versetile tool in my garden. When I am going deep into the borders on narrow paths I add a large plastic storage tub.



If you are doing a lot of moving and need a deeper platform for large planters over 18 inches I would suggest a Magliner. These are used to deliver beer,they are light weight and snal into four wheels.
https://www.google.com/search?...

The one I had is shown on the right ,second row.

I have a Sears dolly that I bought in '74 for an art show. The handle comes out and with the cart laying flat, the handle fits back into two other holes for a four wheel cart.
It has been the best cart I've ever had. I also have a Harbor Freight one that is much lighter. I use it for lighter pots when I think about it.

I also have a steel mesh panel wagon that I use to carry bags of fertilizer and plant flats to the backyard. I bought it at Sam's years ago. It's only in the last year that the tires are sometimes flat. My neighbors frequently borrow it ( I named it Elizabeth and it has it's own license plate). I will get an email saying, "Elizabeth is visiting our house." I can line the wagon with plastic and haul compost around the yard. I fill it with smaller potsin spring to move them around the garden.

I guess it comes down to personal preference. Possibly buying just one of the dollys you are looking at, instead of several. See if it really works for you. There's always another coupon coming from HF if it works for you.

Sandi, get a jug of that green, gooie stuff sold in automotive departments, that's made to seal areas that cause air loss in pneumatic tires. The stuff really works.

I'll try that! Thanks!

It really makes a mess if you have to change the tire!
I think you can just buy the type wheels your talking about with the rim and rubber, but if not, and the tires gotta come off that lil rim...oh boy with you be cussin!

Those lay down dollys are pretty great, I'd be up for trying one of them with big inflatable tires for sure!

My favorite dolly has 4" wide, air-filled tires and is convertible. It rolls like butter. Still. The soil in the biggest pots alone weighs 100 lbs dry and the trees are 12 ft+. When tilted, they tend to over power me, even if I can get them to not roll from side to side It helps that I bungee them up. But the height and weight is just too much for me. I have trimmed my trees to a manageable height but they are still getting heavier and heavier. I have a 4" thick nylon(?) strap with a metal doohicky that you thread the strap through to tighten. But it doesn't quite reach the pot at the right part to hold it steady.

I was hoping I could leave the plants on the dolly. That way I can move them when I need to clean leaves and debris from under and around it. I would only be doing the big move at season change winter and spring when the weather threatens them. Again, since they are so large now, hopefully hiding the new tall greenhouse, they will only have to be moved 12 ft to the other end and into the greenhouse for the winter.

I would never use the stuff on auto tires, only on implement tires, such as wheelbarrows, hand trucks, carts, and lawn tractor tires. I have had to use it on all of them over time. When it really becomes time to change one of those wheels, you simply replace the whole tire - rim, and all. No big deal there. I have done it dozens of times over several decades.