<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1555" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you're going to do it anyway, the best tool I've
found is called a "digger/tamper" bar--about 6' long, 2 1/4' steel, #15 with a
wedge-like spade on one end and a 4" tamper head on the other. I've beat my
hands to hamburger in both NM and AZ and don't know of a better
way--manually, non-explosive. You can find these for about $15-$20 at your local
HW store. Expect about 1/8" X 4" X 1" penetration each blow.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wear gloves!</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=rjdaines@gmail.com href="mailto:rjdaines@gmail.com">Richard
Daines</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=listserv@azgeocaching.com
href="mailto:listserv@azgeocaching.com">listserv@azgeocaching.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:09
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Az-Geocaching] Digging
holes</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>The whole back yard is like that, you dig down about three to
four inches and then hit this rock hard aggregate zone. Whacking it with
a hand pick slowly breaks it up but OMG it's hard work. Good thing the
wife doesn't want to plant Spring bulbs.... <BR><BR>
<DIV><SPAN class=gmail_quote>On 9/13/07, <B class=gmail_sendername><A
href="mailto:dbledutch@cox.net">dbledutch@cox.net</A></B> <<A
href="mailto:dbledutch@cox.net">dbledutch@cox.net</A>> wrote:</SPAN>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">I
have seen a D9 Cat with a single tooth ripper only scratch the top of
caliche. The area was drilled and dynamited to fracture the caliche then
equipment could begin to work the area. So bring in the BIG GUNS when
dealing with caliche. Or as the AG Dept says "Do you really want to plant
right there?" \:~) <BR><BR>---- ShadowAce <<A
href="mailto:shadowace.az@gmail.com">shadowace.az@gmail.com</A>>
wrote:<BR>> Here is an Article from the AG department: It might
help..<BR>><BR>> <A
href="http://ag.arizona.edu/gardening/news/azdailystar/dealing_soil_problems.html">http://ag.arizona.edu/gardening/news/azdailystar/dealing_soil_problems.html</A><BR>>
Dealing with Caliche and Other Desert Soil Problems<BR>><BR>> A recent
caller was in hopes that pouring pool acid into a bed on caliche <BR>>
would somehow loosen it up. Applying acid makes sense, as caliche is a
layer<BR>> of lime (calcium carbonate) which forms in our desert soils.
The problem is,<BR>> it doesn't work.<BR>><BR>> You would probably
have to pour a tanker truck full of sulfuric acid in a <BR>> hole with
caliche to make much of a difference. Mostly what you would get is<BR>> a
lot of alka seltzer-type fizzing.<BR>><BR>> Dealing with caliche isn't
easy. Digging it out can be an arduous task. <BR>> People use everything
from picks to jack hammers with mixed results. If the<BR>> caliche is
fractured or cracked, which is often the case, it is easier to<BR>>
remove. If it is solid, it can be as hard, and impervious as concrete.
<BR>><BR>> The first thing you must decide is: do I really need to
plant in this spot?<BR>> Sometimes just moving the planting hole a few
feet over may provide space<BR>> for digging. If it's a garden you want,
think about constructing a raised <BR>> bed. Good soil can then be added
to your frame to grow whatever you want.<BR>> This is a great way to grow
flowers, vegetables, and herbs.<BR>><BR>> If your planting trees or
shrubs, consider mounding up your plants so they <BR>> can grow above the
caliche. This works if you have at least 8 or 10 inches<BR>> of top soil
overlying the caliche layer.<BR>><BR>> Dig a hole down to the caliche.
Next, test the drainage by filling the hole <BR>> with water several
times during the day. Drainage is poor if water is still<BR>> standing 24
hours after the last filling. It may be necessary to place a<BR>>
drainage chimney through the caliche. This chimney hole should be dug to the
<BR>> side, not directly under where the plant will sit. The drainage
hole should<BR>> be about 6 inches in diameter, and filled with soil (not
gravel).<BR>><BR>> For shallow hole planting above caliche use plants
in small containers. For <BR>> instance, buy a tree in a small 5 gallon
pot. This way a good part of the<BR>> root ball can be set into a shallow
hole. Mounding up soil up around the<BR>> exposed portion of the root
ball will allow roots to grow out and into the <BR>> surrounding soil.
This mounded soil should be gradually tapered away from<BR>> the plant so
that it eventually blends into the surrounding soil.<BR>><BR>> Even if
caliche is not present, it is often hard to dig in our desert soils.
<BR>> This is due to a high clay content and also gravel. Wetting the
soil before<BR>> digging makes the work easier. If you're putting in a
lawn, vegetable garden<BR>> or flower bed, tilling in lots of organic
matter will really improve the <BR>> soil. The organic matter can be
desert compost, peat, or composted horse or<BR>> cow manure. A three or
four inch layer mixed into the top foot of soil will<BR>> make future
digging and planting easier. Plant roots will also have an <BR>> easier
time growing in this improved soil.<BR>><BR>> Do not amend the soil
when planting trees and shrubs. Research has shown<BR>> that adding
organic matter to the planting holes of trees and shrubs is<BR>>
detrimental to their growth. Simply fill in around the roots with the
same<BR>> desert soil which you dug out of the hole.<BR>><BR>> Our
desert soils are rich in most nutrients. However they are often lacking
<BR>> in nitrogen and phosphorous. These are the first two of the three
number<BR>> analysis listed prominently on the fertilizer bag. Nitrogen
can be surface<BR>> applied and will move down into the soil. Phosphorous
moves very little in <BR>> the soil and therefore is most effective when
mixed into the soil at the<BR>> time of planting.<BR>><BR>> Iron
deficiencies also develop on some acid loving plants such as
gardenia,<BR>> rose, citrus, bottlebrush, and nandina. Although there is
sufficient iron in <BR>> the soil, it is not available to these plants
because our soils are<BR>> alkaline. Typical iron deficiency symptoms
appear as chlorosis of the new<BR>> foliage in which leaves are yellow
with the veins appearing as fine green <BR>> lines. Eventually entire
leaves can turn yellow. Iron deficiencies can be<BR>> corrected by the
addition of chelated iron to the soil. Chelated iron is a<BR>> water
soluble form of iron available to the plant even in alkaline soils.
<BR>><BR>><BR>> On 9/12/07, Richard Daines <<A
href="mailto:rjdaines@gmail.com">rjdaines@gmail.com</A>> wrote:<BR>>
><BR>> > Not a geocaching question since we are not allow to dig or
use pointy <BR>> > objects to make holes but I can't see that that is
a problem for Arizonans<BR>> > in the desert areas since I find it
virtually impossible to dig a hole in<BR>> > this caliche
soil. I believe it's also known as hardpan. Just how
to you <BR>> > guys dig a hole, my gosh, I just wanted to plant a few
cacti before the<BR>> > temps went over 100F one morning.<BR>> >
____________________________________________________________<BR>> >
Az-Geocaching mailing list <A
href="mailto:listserv@azgeocaching.com">listserv@azgeocaching.com</A><BR>>
> To edit your setting, subscribe or unsubscribe visit:<BR>> > <A
href="http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching">http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching</A><BR>>
><BR>> > Arizona's Geocaching Resource<BR>> > <A
href="http://www.azgeocaching.com">http://www.azgeocaching.com</A><BR>>
> <BR>>
><BR><BR>____________________________________________________________<BR>Az-Geocaching
mailing list <A
href="mailto:listserv@azgeocaching.com">listserv@azgeocaching.com</A><BR>To
edit your setting, subscribe or unsubscribe visit: <BR><A
href="http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching">http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching</A><BR><BR>Arizona's
Geocaching Resource<BR><A
href="http://www.azgeocaching.com">http://www.azgeocaching.com</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>____________________________________________________________<BR>Az-Geocaching
mailing list listserv@azgeocaching.com<BR>To edit your setting, subscribe or
unsubscribe
visit:<BR>http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching<BR><BR>Arizona's
Geocaching Resource<BR>http://www.azgeocaching.com<BR>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG Free
Edition. <BR>Version: 7.5.487 / Virus Database: 269.13.16/1005 - Release Date:
9/13/07 11:45 AM<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>