Am I doing my Plugs incorrectly?

[GeorgeinSC]

Watching videos of guys digging a plug to find a target I see a large number of them dig at an angle. I always try to dig my plug with the digging tool held vertical so that I cut the minimum of grass roots. I think that cutting at an angle would cut the roots of more grass increasing the possibility of killing the grass.

Am I cutting my plugs incorrectly?

 

[Oldguy]

You're doing it right, cut the plugs straight down at least three inches to preserve the root structure.

 

[kaolinwasher]

yes traight down, I see the ones cut at angles and the grass is always dead and the plug pops out very easily,

 

[5900_XL-1]

Well here in N. Texas, I find that going straight down with a digger always produces a busted up plug when I go to pry it out. I still use that method though cuz that is what "they" say to do. I've watched many videos which people put up too, where that get a nice conehead plug with grass roots tight. Here in my dirt...that only happens if I'm in a maintained private lawn. I think that I might be better off maybe taking a blade at atleast some angle and digging shallow on the first poke, and not going straight down on say a 6-8" target. I personally believe that some of my local buddies angle their digger blade outta years of "feeling" the same thing.

Not everyone lives in sweet, loamy soil where you can slice directly-down, for making intact plugs like you seem to see in posted videos.

 

[Rainyday101]

Angle or straight, make the hole small by learning to pin point good. Also use a drop cloth to place any removed dirt onto. Once you put it into hole and flop the plug down, there will be no sign of you being there. I laugh watching you tube vids where the guys are digging 8" wide holes and flopping the dirt all over the dam place. Even if they do put the plug back neatly the left over dirt still tells you they were there. It's hard for people to complain if you leave no evidence behind. Technically on some of my county detecting permits you can only use a coin probe, but several of the park employees said they have no problem with me digging because they can never tell where I dug. No matter how you do it, do it neatly!

 

[GeorgeinSC]

I have always tried to keep the digging tool vertical as I thought that would minimize the amount of grass roots that would be cut thereby reducing the chance of killing the grass. I even had one park employee ask me why he never saw me on the football field as the employees all recognized me and appreciated how I could remove a coin and then they could not tell that I had been there. I told him that I was hesitant to hit the field as I did not want to harm it in any manner.

What buggs me is guys showing videos to the public and angling their digger so that they cut the maximum of roots. I don't for minute think that they are not killing a good portion of the grass in the plug that they are digging when the weather is hot and relatively dry.

My soil is a high sand soil and it is difficult to extract a nice neat plug but if one takes their time it can be done.

 

[marcomo]

Yep, you are doing it right. Cutting a plug straight down is absolutely better for the grass. Also leaving the one longest side intact is important, a so-called flap plug.

I "box" around the sides of the plug when I tamp the plug back down. You can stomp the whole plug with your foot, but I find that punching is more precise and secures the sides much better making it less likely that bug foraging animals or a storm will pop your plug back out.