A digging question

[jhnbaker]

I have been hunting around an old church that is still in use and have the permission of one of the Elders of the church to do so. I have been cutting a deep plug that is nice and round so that I do not disturb the root system too much and can replace it so you can't tell I have even been there. I went back yesterday and I noticed one of the plugs that I had replaced in the ground about a week ago had turned brown. I am really trying to dig in a respectful way so that I don't ruin any grass. Does anyone have any better suggestions as to how I can even improve on what I am doing digging?

[IronClad]

No matter how careful you are about cutting a plug, the grass will die, especially in dry ground. The only exception I have found is after a good rain and the ground is wet, then the plug seems to survive.

The technique I almost always use is to probe with my blunt tipped screwdriver to locate the exact position and depth of the object. Then I raise the screwdriver just above the object and move it back and forth to make a slit in the sod. Then I insert the screwdriver tip under the object and carefully pry it up and out of the slit. I did it this way years ago and am doing it now, and have had no problems with grass dying. If the object is deeper than 6'' or 7'', I'LL cut a small plug only as a last resort,,, but thats very rare for me.

Give this technique a shot and see if you can perfect it.

~Ron

[The TINMAN]

Just like Ironclad said, no matter how careful you are if the ground is dry the grass will die. If this is a good site and it's worth it to you Maybe if you bring a jug of water or two with you and saturate the hole when your done, it may help. Just a thought. Good luck at your site.

The TINMAN

[toye026]

What tinman said...


Water is a good thing to bring. You get thirsty and so does the ground.

[FinalLastDays]

I personally like to cut round plugs, however there are many that cut plugs in a horseshoe shape to keep roots intact so the grass doesn't die. There are many who will not cut a plug at all if the ground has been dry for an extended period of time. I know of one member here who takes grass seed with him and when he is finished filling in his hole he spreads a little of the grass seed on top the area where he dug. If the grass does die here then the rain will cause the seeds to grow fresh grass.

[jhnbaker]

I had about 5 or 6 plugs that I dug however when I saw them again yesterday they did not look dead. You could tell (if you look closely) that they had been dug but I had only one that looked "dead." I think since we have had some rain within the past few weeks that has helped and the ground was not bone dry. I am a little nervous about using a probe because I don't want to scratch my target though. I may stop hunting the area for awhile to just give the ground time to heal. Like I said there may be 5 or 6 spots but not that many. When I do go back I will take water. Thanks for the suggestions.

[LeoinPA]

As many times as I've read and thought about using a probe, and tried it, I could never get the knack of it . I'm sure it's a practiced art. I'm 100% unsuccessful, but I am real good at plugs . I try to get below the roots before I lift it out. It seems to have helped in the browning problem

Thanks
Leo

[JCWhite]

Tinman has the best idea. In dry ground no matter how you cut/dig it turns brown.

[dave]

Just saw this product advertized , its call patchperfect, testimonials looked good , regrows in a very shot time anywhere . go to patchperfect.com and see for yourself , i may try it to see.

[mlamp20412]

I do the horse shoe type plug. I try to pry the plug from deep enough, so that the roots are still encased in dirt. If my target is in the plug, I probe it gently to find the target. If the ground is pretty moist, my plugs stay green. Gotta be moist though.

HH-