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Digging plugs

P

Pastor bob

Member
Last night I went to a park that I was at in the last 2 weeks. I noticed that most of my old plugs have turned brown. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to determine what went on there. I tend to cut about a 6" concentric plug as deep as my Lesche will go so as to get below the roots. I have dug this way at many other sites and had no issues. Any ideas?
 
I will guess it was pretty dry. Best if you can wait for a little rain.

Also if you cut your plug in an elongated plug and don't cut the plug completely out, leave a little attached and just bend your plug back. That will help keep things a little greener.

Ron in WV
 
I cut a 3 sided plug. Not a guarantee it won't brown. But as WV62 pointed out, it helps. If you want to make the effort (I think one should), carry a plastic gallon milk jug filled with water with the appropriate amount of Miracle Gro added to water. Pour some on to the plug bottom and some along edges of plug after putting plug back in.
Just set the jug on ground as you detect the area and use as needed. Its not as inconvienent as it sounds. Especially if doing parks/schoolyards/turf areas.
 
when you replace your plug, stabb it with your digger a bunch of times so that moisture can get down. and only cut a half circle plug.
 
I used to carry water with me too and would fill the hole with water and put the sod back. It was a chore though taking water with you.I like the idea of punching the sod with holes for water to get in.

Rick N. MI
 
Yes, leave one side of the plug attached like a hinge and fold the plug back. You can even do this with deep dug plugs with a little practice and it gets real easy to do. That way there are still roots attached to the surrounding grass. I like the idea about digging the plug deeper than the roots even if the target is shallow to keep the roots intact. Thin I'll start doing that.
 
I did a little research in my backyard and a horse shoe shaped flaps is the best way to go, but not perfect.

A plug cut and lifted out took the better part of 3 weeks to green back up even with several storms during that time. Stabbing the plug as others have mentioned helps speed up the greening,

Learning to use a screwdriver is the best approach.Little to no damage at all even in hot July weather. The better you get the deeper you can go with it.
 
Dude, I am gonna try that 'stabbing' technique this summer. Although I do have one question. Does it work on any type of grass/turf, or just certain varieties?
 
When I started detecting 20 years ago I read every thing I could about this hobby. One of the statements that really stuck in my mind was "Stomp it hard".

When I put the plug back I put all of my weight on it and dance on it one foot to the other. I don't worry about making the grass all flat, it will spring back soon enough.
Getting the dirt packed around the roots as hard as it was before it was dug seems to work best.

I like the watering idea. That would have the effect of making the dirt pack down.
 
Yes, I stomp on my plugs to get the air out from around the roots which will dry them out. Also, it keeps skunks from flipping them open to find grubs...Which they LOVE to do. Once I came back to a spot I hunted the day before and all my plugs were flipped open because of skunks that night. Stomp on those things. Like he said, the grass will spring back up. It also keeps lawnmowers from blowing the plugs out of the hole.
 
CH you just solved an old mystery for me. I got permission to hunt a 28 acre property, house built 1700's, owner is a widow. Detected near the house but behind some trees. Dug about 5 targets and put the plugs back.
The next day I went back and all the plugs were out of the holes and pulled apart....scratching my head I'm thinking, did she pull the plugs and why would she do that?....makes no sense. If she didn't pull them, who did?? I hope she didn't walk back here thinking I'm a slob for leaving a mess. These were big plugs too....super skunk I'd guess. Mystery solved, thanks CH.
 
I totally agree with Critter for all the reasons already mentioned. I have seen videos where a detectorist lpresses on plug with their toes. That doesn't really work. Gotta STOMP it.....several times. Or if you have health issues where you can't stomp, put as much 'heel' pressure as you can muster and get that plug securely compressed back in the hole.
 
I cut a 3 sided square plug, it seems to hide better. Also in conjunction with stomping the plug, stomping the edge of the earth around the plug puts inward pressure on the plug and helps to hold it in place.
In sandy soil I have seen plugs rise a couple inches the next day like a sponge expanding when it gets wet. I had to go back and stomp them down even though I did so a day or two before.
 
hear is the sod staple get some of theis in and the skunk will not dig it out >
 
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