QUESTIONS ABOUT DIGGING

[rebelangel_3733]

I wish I would have taken a pic of the boys using the tiller to dig up the dirt for our pond lol It was funny as they would "ride" it to help it dig deeper (they were tired of digging by hand and came up with the bright idea of using the tiller lol) I had a great laugh while they were doing it! But we have dirt not clay...tilling clay might be a major pain.

 

[j.w]

Yep rebel w/ clay might be like riding on a jack hammer............eeeeeeeeeeee yoweeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[rebelangel_3733]

I new I took a pic of my son riding the tiller! It's in my old phone...no way to get it out of there now...darnit, it was funny though!

 

[Shdwdrgn]

My ledges vary from 6" to 12" wide, and the same for depth. I wanted a variety of locations available to accommodate various types of plants. Unlike many others, I do not use pots for my plants. Rather, I stack up 6" rocks on the ledges, and put the plants roots in between the rocks. I have minnows which use the rocks as caves and keep the muck cleared out.

I took two pickup loads of dirt to my sister's to help her with a garden project, and I used the rest of the dirt to shape the landscape in my yard as I dug the pond. I smoothed out some depressions in the yard to help eliminate spots that flood during the rain, and made a hump around the edge of the pond to prevent excess water from the yard running into the pond.

I have a lot of clay in my soil too, so I bought some blocks of peat moss to mix into the soil in areas where I needed to plant new grass. The peat will help get the grass started, and the grass roots will finish breaking up the clay over time.

 

[Mmathis]

The other day I was watching YARD CRASHERS, and they were using what looked like a "walk behind" type digger. If it was a digger, it seemed a little smaller than an excavator. Has anyone seen or used anything like that?

 

[sissy]

you can rent them and I used one when I first moved in here because a hurricane passed through the area and made a mess of my property mud was even out on the road in front of my house and there were huge ruts in the driveway .I has a few different attachments for it a scrapper a digger a fork lift and a small front loader and I rented all of the .It was easy to use ,after 15 minutes I got it down but each attachment took 10 minutes to figure out how to use .Easy to take each one off and put the other on also .I only rented it because there was just to much work to do because of storm damage .Forgot also you can walk behind it or it has a step on thing on the back also to stand on to ride it .

 

[CountryEscape]

Turtle Mommy, I rented a Vemeer that was like a Skid Steer with a bucket in front, but I stood on the back platform, like Sissy said. I didn't use it for my pond, but rather to clean out the barn where the horses go. I tried to find a pic of it, but can't locate one at the moment. I agree with the ladies, rent one and have fun! You will figure it out, and will learn as you go. Just go slow and you will be fine. Just don't try to dig right up next to your house or something. LOL I have a tractor with a loader, use it all the time. If they rent something to help you dig, go for it! I can see the pictures posted now .... I dug my pond by hand/shovel, but I didn't have the nasty clay like you're talking about. It was super easy digging, used the tractor and loader to haul the dirt away. Used excess dirt in the yard, the heavier clay type of dirt went into the waterfall hill, and even the sod went to places in the yard that grass was missing. Used every bit of it, and have just a small pile in the pasture to use for other projects.

 

[fishin4cars]

I get my first hand shot at driving a Bobcat loader this week. I'm going to do a little clearing in the back just to get the feel of things before I start digging. No time limit just the cost of the diesel fuel. And or repairs/???/ Going to be a few weeks before I can go get the new/used tractor. I have one lined up with the excavator, loader, post hole auger, and box blade with trailer but I'm waiting for the owner to sell the attachments I didn't want first. While I'm at it I get to visit his Koi ponds. He used the tractor for building his ponds and work building up the farm, now he just has to maintain and wants to downsize. For less than 60% of the cost of new, I figure every farm needs a tractor. Get to help out a fellow hobbyist, make a good deal, and see some new country.
The walk behinds do good for small backyards, they get in easy without tearing up the yard to bad, they aren't real strong so you can't get rough and try to dig big chunks at a time. But I can tell you, at the end of the day your still going to be about as sore as when using the shovel, just not as many blisters. LOL It will twist and work you pretty good, but worth the money.

 

[Mmathis]

Oh, I can't wait to get started. I need to check out what rentals we have locally. Our weather has been unseasonably warm (no "winter" at all so far: daytime highs near 70's) which is good 'cause I don't have to wait until March/April to start. But it's bad, 'cause we've had lots of rain over the past month. Don't know if it's due to our hot & dry summer, but the yard doesn't seem to be draining and drying out as fast (a relative term) as usual. Sloppy, soggy, muddy clay everywhere! No way I could get equipment back there right now.

 

[fishin4cars]

I can relate to the soggy messy ground, I have the Bobcat loader over at the new house amd it's to muddy to even attempt to do anything. The weatherman is predicting more all through the week. UGH! I so wanted to get started at least getting a hole ready to start the temp. pond for now. Plum trees are blooming and some of the trees are already starting new growth down here.

 

[sissy]

same thing here but I am afraid of a frost coming so bought the horticultural oil to spray on things to keep the moisture in and the frost off .I just mix it in the sprayer and spray trees, shrubs and flowers that may be coming up .Better safe than sorry .Does not harm the plants but sure can save a plant or tree and it has worked for me for years and less expensive than having a tree get harmed

 

[addy1]

I still have ground cover that has been blooming all "winter".

 

[CountryEscape]

Sissy, you never cease to amaze me with ideas! I never heard of horticultural spray to keep fruit trees and blooming bushes from being hurt by late (in our cases this year "normal") frosts. I'll have to check into that. So far, nothing around here is blooming, trees are not budding out yet, so I'm hopeful they got the memo that winter is still coming.

 

[Mmathis]

Off-topic, but related to the weather: I take allergy shots (allergic to everything green, literally). Had a significant reaction to one of my shots yesterday (get one shot in each arm) -- it was the one for GRASSES & TREES!! In February, no less! This time of year we normally have freezing temps. and our best chance for snow. This is the time I'm putting out bird seed twice a day & keeping the bird baths de-iced, with hundreds of starving little feathered critters calling to me! Instead, our plants are sprouting & growing and the birds are building nests! And if I'm reacting to allergy shots, it's supposed to be to my "dust & mold" and "cat dander" [inside] allergy shots -- NOT my "green things" [outside] shots!!

 

[CountryEscape]

I hear ya, Turtle Mommy! I took allergy shots for YEARS! My mistake, wouldn't stay on schedule, never got to maintenance dose until I started again as an adult. I think they helped me more than I thought when I quit them. Now, to start back up, have to go through to maintenance dose again. UGH!
And, talking about the mud, I loaded my 3 horse slant horse trailer with the sheet metal removed from my old barn before they put the new metal on. There is probably 1000# of metal in the back. Well, the horse trailer is parked to the side ... in the grass, which is mushy with wetness and mud. We have not had any rain for a week, so I thought MAYBE I could pull it out with my utility tractor and loader, lifting the trailer with the loader which I have done many times. Um ... NOPE! Spun tires immediately, and I was in first gear, going slow. Tried with more gas, same thing, just faster spinning. So, I quit. Guess I'll have to wait until the ground either freezes or dries up to take that metal to sell. :sad: And, I don't want to jinx myself, but if I were to have an emergency with one of my horses and need to take them in the trailer, even if I could move the trailer, I would have to unload about 100 sheets of metal that are about 16' long each. Double yuck! Knock on wood no one gets a strange illness in the next month or so.