This is my review of the Extractigator Classic tree puller. This is not a sponsored post. I bought the Extractigator with my own money.

Tree management is ongoing at the farm. Usually that means picking up branches that fall down, pruning and, at least a couple of times a year, a few days with Matt’s Dad and his chainsaw. This deals with established trees.

One type of tree I have not dealt with very much is the seedlings and saplings that pop up all over the property. Whether from squirrels or just nature, we have lots of little sprouts everywhere. Maple, walnut, buckthorn. Some of them are fine, and I leave them alone or I’m even happy to see them. But lots are not welcome. The meadow that goes down to the pond is being overrun by walnuts. The swale toward the backfield is filled with buckthorn (an invasive species).

This spring, I decided to take one small step to tackle the growth. I often buy myself a new tool for Mother’s Day. This year, I bought an Extractigator.

The Extractigator is a tree puller. With it, you can pull out unwanted plants, roots and all.

I learned of the Extractigator from a local conservation organization that does a lot of invasive species removal at their nature sanctuaries. There are lots of different tree pullers available, but the Extractigator is their go-to–and it’s made in Canada.

When it arrived, I took it straight into the meadow and quickly cleared a small patch–and realized there are so many more seedlings and saplings than I realized.

Since then, I’ve used the Extractigator in the gardens, down the driveway and at the pond. I’ve pulled out buckthorn, walnut, lilacs and more.

It is a very helpful tool to remove the trees completely, no shovel needed.

The Extractigator is easy to use. The jaws naturally rest in the open position, and you slide them around the trunk as close to the ground as possible. Then you pull the handle and lever it down toward the ground. Through the magic of physics, exponential force is applied to the tree and the Extractigator pulls it out of the ground. (The Extractigator website says “apply 10 lbs to end of handle, and 120 lbs of pulling force is applied to plant.”)

The Extractigator is not effortless. It takes some muscle to push the handle, especially if you have a more stubborn tree. There’s also some coordination required to get the jaws around the trunk, depending on how crowded your area is. The tool itself weighs 12 1/2 pounds, which can get a little heavy after working for a while. But it’s much easier and faster than a shovel.

The Extractigator website says it will remove woody plants up to 2 inches in diameter. I have found it works best on smaller trees, and it depends on the variety. Walnuts with their deep tap roots are most challenging. Even those smaller than 2 inches wouldn’t come out. Lilacs, whose roots twine just below the surface, popped out more easily.

The Extractigator is a good addition to my tree management toolkit. I hope it will help me to tackle more of the invasive growth that has spread through so many spots on the farm and be a better caretaker for this property.

Have you added any new tools to your toolbox this year? Anyone else dealing with unwanted plants? What invasive species are there around your property?