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I don't understand
- Thread starter BillF
- Start date
A landscaper’s point of view for digging up targets
Believe it or not, the technique of “plugging”, we call it sod removal, is not unique to metal detecting. Landscapers use it all the time to get access for underground repairs to sprinkler systems, low voltage wires, etc. In many cases we restore the lawn in one visit. Here’s how.
Preserve the roots, I can’t emphasize this enough, roots are life. The important roots grow vertically, straight down, and 80% of them are within the first three inches.
With that said, it means you cut your plug straight down at 90 degrees to the ground, NEVER at any other angle. You make the plug at least three inches deep.
Use a pin pointer, if your target is shallow you can recover it by carefully splitting the plug from the bottom and work up, remove the item, and restore the plug. If it is deep, continue digging (I use a ground cloth for the removed dirt, it’s faster and makes the target easier to find) remove your item, dump the dirt back into the hole and restore the plug with no damage to the surface.
If you don’t have a (hand held) pin pointer, get one. If you can’t afford one, or don’t want to use one for some other reason, please, find a different hobby. There are many videos out there showing someone waving a clod of dirt over their metal detector’s coil looking for a target. Do you really think that hole can be properly restored? It’s just another “black eye” for metal detecting.
And for the record, properly restored means you look back at the lawn where you just detected and you yourself can’t see your own plugs.
It really is that simple, now let’s address some myths.
Myth: Cutting a plug on three sides with a hinge on the forth side allows the roots to recover faster.
Answer: False. I’ve never seen this supported in any published landscaping resource material (no, metal detector literature does not count). I use a commercial lawn edger that cuts a 3/16” groove along sidewalks, driveways and flower beds, the roots have no problem bridging that gap in a very short time, I can’t imagine it would make a bit of difference to the grass if you hinge your plug or not. Personally I do hinge my plugs, but only because it’s a faster way to restore the hole, no other reason.
Myth: Adding fertilizer, plant material, or water to the plug hole is beneficial.
Answer: False. Never add anything to the hole that you did not remove from it, except in rare cases, where you remove a large object and need to add fill dirt to get the ground back to level. You can get this dirt from a nearby flower bed or scrape a bare spot.
Adding fertilizer will cause the grass from your plug to grow at a faster rate and be a different color than the rest of the lawn. The landscaper will not be amused.
Adding grass, leaves or any other fresh plant material can cause a condition known as “nitrogen draft”.
When you add fresh organic materials to soil, you increase the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, creating a condition called nitrogen draft. When nitrogen draft occurs, microorganisms consume all the available nitrogen and other nutrients to decompose the fresh organic material. The microorganisms literally out-compete the plants for available nitrogen, causing plants to turn yellow or purplish and their growth to be stunted.
Adding water will neither help nor harm a healthy lawn. However, if the lawn is stressed, i.e. hot or dry, don’t cut a plug. You can’t carry enough water to make a difference in stressed grass. Remember you are essentially “transplanting” the plug you dig. If the grass is stressed before you dig it, it will probably die. Find someplace else to detect until conditions improve.
Myth: You need a lot of force to restore a plug.
Answer: False. Tapping it with the flat side of a Lesche digger or lightly stepping on it should seat the plug without causing soil compaction, allowing the roots to thrive.
Myth: “The way I’ve always done it works fine”.
Answer: False. Turf grass is a living, breathing plant. It can take abuse and survive, but only up to a point. Exceed that point and it will die. Maybe the grass has survived in spite of your actions rather than because of them. If it really did “work fine” metal detecting wouldn’t be banned in so many places.
It’s fast and easy to cut a good plug and not harm the lawn, I hope this helps to explain how.
Happy hunting
Believe it or not, the technique of “plugging”, we call it sod removal, is not unique to metal detecting. Landscapers use it all the time to get access for underground repairs to sprinkler systems, low voltage wires, etc. In many cases we restore the lawn in one visit. Here’s how.
Preserve the roots, I can’t emphasize this enough, roots are life. The important roots grow vertically, straight down, and 80% of them are within the first three inches.
With that said, it means you cut your plug straight down at 90 degrees to the ground, NEVER at any other angle. You make the plug at least three inches deep.
Use a pin pointer, if your target is shallow you can recover it by carefully splitting the plug from the bottom and work up, remove the item, and restore the plug. If it is deep, continue digging (I use a ground cloth for the removed dirt, it’s faster and makes the target easier to find) remove your item, dump the dirt back into the hole and restore the plug with no damage to the surface.
If you don’t have a (hand held) pin pointer, get one. If you can’t afford one, or don’t want to use one for some other reason, please, find a different hobby. There are many videos out there showing someone waving a clod of dirt over their metal detector’s coil looking for a target. Do you really think that hole can be properly restored? It’s just another “black eye” for metal detecting.
And for the record, properly restored means you look back at the lawn where you just detected and you yourself can’t see your own plugs.
It really is that simple, now let’s address some myths.
Myth: Cutting a plug on three sides with a hinge on the forth side allows the roots to recover faster.
Answer: False. I’ve never seen this supported in any published landscaping resource material (no, metal detector literature does not count). I use a commercial lawn edger that cuts a 3/16” groove along sidewalks, driveways and flower beds, the roots have no problem bridging that gap in a very short time, I can’t imagine it would make a bit of difference to the grass if you hinge your plug or not. Personally I do hinge my plugs, but only because it’s a faster way to restore the hole, no other reason.
Myth: Adding fertilizer, plant material, or water to the plug hole is beneficial.
Answer: False. Never add anything to the hole that you did not remove from it, except in rare cases, where you remove a large object and need to add fill dirt to get the ground back to level. You can get this dirt from a nearby flower bed or scrape a bare spot.
Adding fertilizer will cause the grass from your plug to grow at a faster rate and be a different color than the rest of the lawn. The landscaper will not be amused.
Adding grass, leaves or any other fresh plant material can cause a condition known as “nitrogen draft”.
When you add fresh organic materials to soil, you increase the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, creating a condition called nitrogen draft. When nitrogen draft occurs, microorganisms consume all the available nitrogen and other nutrients to decompose the fresh organic material. The microorganisms literally out-compete the plants for available nitrogen, causing plants to turn yellow or purplish and their growth to be stunted.
Adding water will neither help nor harm a healthy lawn. However, if the lawn is stressed, i.e. hot or dry, don’t cut a plug. You can’t carry enough water to make a difference in stressed grass. Remember you are essentially “transplanting” the plug you dig. If the grass is stressed before you dig it, it will probably die. Find someplace else to detect until conditions improve.
Myth: You need a lot of force to restore a plug.
Answer: False. Tapping it with the flat side of a Lesche digger or lightly stepping on it should seat the plug without causing soil compaction, allowing the roots to thrive.
Myth: “The way I’ve always done it works fine”.
Answer: False. Turf grass is a living, breathing plant. It can take abuse and survive, but only up to a point. Exceed that point and it will die. Maybe the grass has survived in spite of your actions rather than because of them. If it really did “work fine” metal detecting wouldn’t be banned in so many places.
It’s fast and easy to cut a good plug and not harm the lawn, I hope this helps to explain how.
Happy hunting
Plug width is determined by the size of the item you are trying to remove, not it's depth. I've pulled mercury dimes from depths greater than 6" with a plug size of about 4". Obviously you will need a wider plug to recover larger items like spoons. Good pinpointing skills with your detector should let you know the diameter of the plug you need.
ChicagoJohn
New member
MarkCZ said:
That's method 2 is what I do but I use towel for put dirt back in hole! I cut "C" shape and turn grass back to perfect position! People cant find where I dig! One time Cop came to stop by to see how I am doing and told me that I just start. I told him No, I did about 20 holes and he cant find it! I always make sure that cover and clean it! NO dirt around edge of cut hole! Step on grass and fit grass to stay up!
HaroldILL.
Active member
I always cut a small circle plug with a ''small hand trowel'' as shovels just look bad. The one thing I wonder about as some say a square plug is easier on the root's and more likely to stay down when a mover go's over? I always like to make mine half circled hinge door type as it is smaller.GeorgeinSC said: