It is about 60 centimeters deep. The spade was less useful than the small pickaxe-thingy, which I used to loosen the ground. I intend to plant a tree in the hole. That is all.

  • swicano@programming.dev
    21·
    4 days ago

    You check that hole for drainage and size? I planted a tree in super hard soil into a hole that wasn’t much bigger than the pot, and it turned into a little pool every time it rained because the compacted soil around it wouldn’t allow water (or roots) out of the ‘in ground pot’ I accidentally made for the tree, and it drowned.

    • PancakeEpiphany@lemmy.zipOP
      15·
      4 days ago

      Drainage and size have indeed been cause for some concern, if not a slight headache. (Thinking ahead, I worry that “I drowned a tree” might not be acceptably dull content for this community.)

      However, the last hole I dug for another tree not too far away from this present hole turned out fine, so I hope the ground is okay. As suggested elsewhere, I’m also filling the hole with new, extra dirt.

      • The_v@lemmy.world
        9·
        4 days ago

        First off most of the guides you find online or even from nurseries show the wrong way to transplant shrubs and trees.

        Filling the hole with new dirt is pretty much the worst thing you can do. Water and roots follow the path of least resistance.

        When you have soil with higher porosity surrounded by soil with lower porosity, water collects the higher porosity soil. It has more room for water and collects it from the surrounding area. This often leads to drowning the plant or root rots forming.

        The roots also are not going to push through the harder more compact soil when nice soft porous soil is available. So they circle around the hole you dug. You end up with rootbound plants long term.

        You functionally create a pot in the dirt when you add in the “better” soil that you purchased.

        The best way to transplant into the ground.

        Bare root or minimal soil is recommended for the plant. You really don’t want to be adding too much around it.

        Refill the hole with the dirt that came out of it. Pack the dirt as you fill it to match the surrounding soils compaction level. Don’t be shy, make it good and firm.

        If you want to fertilize at transplanting add a very small amount around the top of the hole when filling it up, not at the bottom of the hole. You want the nutrients to leach down to the roots with water. If you want to add in more fertilizer/compost. Dig some small shallow holes 5-10cm from the outside edge of you hole and add in fertilizer. This will reward roots that break through the edge of the hole encouraging them to grow further.

  • cRazi_man@europe.pub
    17·
    4 days ago

    Quality hole. Dirt is definitely gone. Goes straight down into the ground. All signs of top quality. Good job.

    • Rcklsabndn@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      3 days ago

      : wanders over to stand next to the hole, beer in hand:

      Ayup. Think in this county you need to file permission with the council for any hole over 30 cm deep.

      : sips beer as an eldritch tentacle starts to crawl out of hole:

  • Mpatch@lemmy.world
    6·
    3 days ago

    Nice hole Man. Pretty round. Before you plant under cut sone of the hole so the roots have some more loose soil.

    • gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de
      12·
      4 days ago

      dang that sounds so unhinged once i type it out loud.

      here's the explanation

      Well the back yard wasn’t really fenced in and neighbors could easily walk in and through as a shortcut to the bus stop, and in fact they did all the time. Anyways i dug the hole and a girl from the neighborhood saw me do that and came to walk by and ask me what the hell i was doing there. i was telling her that i was digging for water, and well, the rest is a secret.