You don't say how wide the plants are, but I would wrap them round and round with multiple bungees to hold the branches as tight to the trunk as possible -- much like a Christmas tree. Then wrap the entire tree with a tarp or netting of some kind...especially if they have leaves, as the leaves would get torn off during the transport (without wind protection). Then place the pot (unless they are bare-root) toward the back of the bed and drape the front over the cab.

Lash down the trees securely at the back, middle and front with more bungees -- especially over the cab as the wind will want to lift the trees up. You want the profile to be as low and close to the cab as possible to eliminate 'lift-off'. LOL! Of course, all this depends on how limber the limbs are and how wide they are. It could be they are too wide they'd break.

Or you could defoliate the trees prior to transport. That would be painful.

Or find someone with a larger pickup. Good luck!

...rent a UHaul truck!

Dave that is great information, I hope K is reading this. I was told that some trees have as many as 20 tips, Walley was told some have more than 20. I guess we will find out on Saturday. Barbra

Where are you going on Saturday? I wanna go!

Wrap it up like Dave said. Use something like those plastic milk crates, padded, to support the trunk, tie it down really good and don`t drive your usual 90 miles an hour and you should be good to go.
A big tarp works to wrap them up in. I have moved a lot of large trees in the past and had no problems. Of course a u-haul will hold more.
I can just put the top down and the tree and I will come home slowly. That would be funny. I got strange looks driving with a 6` orange tree sticking out of the car, imagine a 12` plumeria driving down the freeway.

Have fun!!!
Tally Ho!

I might have to drive down just to witness this one!!!
Lonnie

Where are you going to put it (them) this winter?
I`m with you Lonnie, this should be interesting.
Tally HO!

That reminds me of a funny story. I bought palm trees from Lowes, 4 that were in 10 gallon pots, 2 bottle palms, and a bunch of other tropical plants. I took them outside in 2 flat carts, rolled up to my toyota. This man told me there was no way I was getting all those plants into that car, and he was going to watch me try. I told him I was a professional plant packer. I may have looked like the Beverly Hill billys driving down the street, but I got them home alright. My husband said he was suprised I did not get a ticket for driving a veh, with plants tied to the side of my car. So if there is a will there is a way.
Tally I am just going to get a daisy wilcox, its only 6 ft tall, so I am ok. I will dry store all the larger plants in the garage this winter. I think K will get quite a few of these plants, he may only plan on buying one or two, but when he sees them in full bloom, I don't think he will be able to resisit them. Knowing that John is going to cut them up and sell them as cuttings will be too much for K to handle. He will want to save them all. I am glad he will finally get to meet John. Barbra

Barbra,

I saw people laying the plants on their sides and tied them down in the back of the pick up truck. But personally I would definitely wrap them up and yes Uhaul is the way to go. Have fun! Can't wait to see what you all buy!

What else does he have?
I might need to drive down and check them out too!
Lonnie

Lonnie, he still has Candy Stripe 12 ft tall, Cemetary yellow ,cranberry, Duke, Fuschia Queen, Kaneaka Sunburst, Loretta, and 3 names I already forgot. I think he will have more when we get there. Willey, is planning on getting Dean Conklin, and Puu Keaha, I am getting Daisy Wilcox. K is still in Hawaii, I do not know what he is planning on getting, but knowing him, he will decide when he sees them. Come on down if you think you want any. The average price will be around $100, and have around 20 tips. I don't think you can find that anywhere else for that price. Whats great about John is he loves cuttings from plants he doesn't have. He will trade a $100 cutting for a $20 cutting, it doesn't matter to him. Barbra

you sound like me, I drive that little Miata, last time I went to the nursery the guy looked at me like I was crazy, he kept shaking his head and handing me plants. Of course they all fit with room to spare.

Where is this guy located you are driving to?
I want cranberry and candy stripe.
Tally HO!

Cemetary (cemetery) yellow is the far east name for Celadine.

I wish I could come down, but have blood work in the morning. Otherwise, I'd be there. You guys have fun and let us know what you get.
Lonnie

Oh, I wish I could go just to watch you guys load the truck! Lord knows I don't need any 12-foot trees.

Barbra, please take pics with your new camera so we can see, especially of the blooming trees before they go in the truck. We get to see so few full-size blooming trees around here.

About 3 months ago, I purchased a 11-foot Mardi Gras (which turned out to be a Lani's Beauty) from a man in Anaheim, CA (about an hour and a half from me in SImi Valley). He had experience with this, and he removed it from the ground at his house, wrapped the root ball and tied ropes around the tree, and brought in his long truck. Less then 3 hours after removing it from his yard, it was planted in mine. I thought for sure it would lose its flowers - but it didn't. I thought it likely it would lose its leaves - but no. It's blooming like crazy now, but it did beautifully well from the moment we put it in the soil here. It's amazing how resilient these plumerias are.

K said he has a 6 ft bed that converts to a 8 ft but not sure he is going yet. He should call me sometime today. A uhaul trailer is $25 in san antonio per day thats not bad at all. I was told these trees are 5ft wide!

Here are a couple of pics of the tree we moved, now planted in my yard.

Best of luck to you guys on the move!

Nice trees!

Rent the u-haul, you know you want to. I can`t wait to see them.
Tally HO!

We are going do it in two weeks. If it fits into a 25 gallon pot then I can move it. I'll take a trailer hitch, tarps, tie downs, bungees, back belt and see what happens.

Oh and that little dinky red safty flag that has to hang off the back.

hey kms where are you located?

Well, I'm back. I took pictures of the plumeria forest. I there is no way to bring the plants back in a pickup truck. I took pictures, I had John who is 6ft 3 stand next to the plants, so K and Richard can see how tall they are. These plumeria trees are the same size as the ones they have in the botantical gardens in Corpus. I can't believe they are actually trees. The only problem I saw was the blooms were all at the top of the trees. K will go down weekend after next to look at them, he is looking for plumeria trees. I don't know if Richard will still want them after he seeds how big they are. I know they are too big for me. I bet they are close to 10 years old. Barbra

They sound huge...

I can't wait to see pics..

K.. You take pics too!

Good Luck!!

Laura

K is going to upload my pictures. So you will be able to see them. Its a great deal for someone who wants big plants. Dean Conklin is at least 5 ft wide, its side branches are 3 to 2 inches thick. Barbra

I am hesitant but I am still interested. I just need to see some pics to see what i would be working with. If I could maybe trim them down to grow more to the side rather than up I would do it. I could rent a trailer no problem. It is a really good deal for big trees but I understand why people shy away because they have no place to put it when winter comes around and not to mention how heavy it would be but it would be so sweet to say "I have a plumeria tree" not a plumeria plant haha

I am VERY interested. I would love to replace the big trees that died in Ike/freeze. Location is no problem for me, I do not bring mine inside during the winter with few exceptions. I have a spot in the front yard and the perfect spot in the back. Both areas that lost trees, 4 big plumeria,hackberry and thevetia have not been replace yet.

Hurry and post pics! LOL!
Tally Ho!

Hi Barbra,
I was looking for RWalley on the plumeria forum and found you had a post here.

I have not seen you posting on the swap coming up. Will you be coming ?

patty