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.
Wear gloves!
----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Daines
To:
listserv@azgeocaching.com
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: [Az-Geocaching] Digging holes
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....
On 9/13/07, dbledutch@cox.net <dbledutch@cox.net> wrote:
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?" \:~)
---- ShadowAce <shadowace.az@gmail.com> wrote:
> Here is an Article from the AG department: It might help..
>
> http://ag.arizona.edu/gardening/news/azdailystar/dealing_soil_problems.html
> Dealing with Caliche and Other Desert Soil Problems
>
> A recent caller was in hopes that pouring pool acid into a bed on caliche
> would somehow loosen it up. Applying acid makes sense, as caliche is a layer
> of lime (calcium carbonate) which forms in our desert soils. The problem is,
> it doesn't work.
>
> You would probably have to pour a tanker truck full of sulfuric acid in a
> hole with caliche to make much of a difference. Mostly what you would get is
> a lot of alka seltzer-type fizzing.
>
> Dealing with caliche isn't easy. Digging it out can be an arduous task.
> People use everything from picks to jack hammers with mixed results. If the
> caliche is fractured or cracked, which is often the case, it is easier to
> remove. If it is solid, it can be as hard, and impervious as concrete.
>
> The first thing you must decide is: do I really need to plant in this spot?
> Sometimes just moving the planting hole a few feet over may provide space
> for digging. If it's a garden you want, think about constructing a raised
> bed. Good soil can then be added to your frame to grow whatever you want.
> This is a great way to grow flowers, vegetables, and herbs.
>
> If your planting trees or shrubs, consider mounding up your plants so they
> can grow above the caliche. This works if you have at least 8 or 10 inches
> of top soil overlying the caliche layer.
>
> Dig a hole down to the caliche. Next, test the drainage by filling the hole
> with water several times during the day. Drainage is poor if water is still
> standing 24 hours after the last filling. It may be necessary to place a
> drainage chimney through the caliche. This chimney hole should be dug to the
> side, not directly under where the plant will sit. The drainage hole should
> be about 6 inches in diameter, and filled with soil (not gravel).
>
> For shallow hole planting above caliche use plants in small containers. For
> instance, buy a tree in a small 5 gallon pot. This way a good part of the
> root ball can be set into a shallow hole. Mounding up soil up around the
> exposed portion of the root ball will allow roots to grow out and into the
> surrounding soil. This mounded soil should be gradually tapered away from
> the plant so that it eventually blends into the surrounding soil.
>
> Even if caliche is not present, it is often hard to dig in our desert soils.
> This is due to a high clay content and also gravel. Wetting the soil before
> digging makes the work easier. If you're putting in a lawn, vegetable garden
> or flower bed, tilling in lots of organic matter will really improve the
> soil. The organic matter can be desert compost, peat, or composted horse or
> cow manure. A three or four inch layer mixed into the top foot of soil will
> make future digging and planting easier. Plant roots will also have an
> easier time growing in this improved soil.
>
> Do not amend the soil when planting trees and shrubs. Research has shown
> that adding organic matter to the planting holes of trees and shrubs is
> detrimental to their growth. Simply fill in around the roots with the same
> desert soil which you dug out of the hole.
>
> Our desert soils are rich in most nutrients. However they are often lacking
> in nitrogen and phosphorous. These are the first two of the three number
> analysis listed prominently on the fertilizer bag. Nitrogen can be surface
> applied and will move down into the soil. Phosphorous moves very little in
> the soil and therefore is most effective when mixed into the soil at the
> time of planting.
>
> Iron deficiencies also develop on some acid loving plants such as gardenia,
> rose, citrus, bottlebrush, and nandina. Although there is sufficient iron in
> the soil, it is not available to these plants because our soils are
> alkaline. Typical iron deficiency symptoms appear as chlorosis of the new
> foliage in which leaves are yellow with the veins appearing as fine green
> lines. Eventually entire leaves can turn yellow. Iron deficiencies can be
> corrected by the addition of chelated iron to the soil. Chelated iron is a
> water soluble form of iron available to the plant even in alkaline soils.
>
>
> On 9/12/07, Richard Daines <rjdaines@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Not a geocaching question since we are not allow to dig or use pointy
> > objects to make holes but I can't see that that is a problem for Arizonans
> > in the desert areas since I find it virtually impossible to dig a hole in
> > this caliche soil. I believe it's also known as hardpan. Just how to you
> > guys dig a hole, my gosh, I just wanted to plant a few cacti before the
> > temps went over 100F one morning.
> > ____________________________________________________________
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> > Arizona's Geocaching Resource
> > http://www.azgeocaching.com
> >
> >
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