Digging a hole in my garden, how deep can I go?

actuallylike

Hi all,

I'm looking to dig a metre deep hole in my garden (Dublin) around 30 cm in diameter. It's close to a tree so I'm cautious of roots. Few questions before I attempt it.

• Would it damage the tree to cut through roots ? I'd try avoid any big roots, but not sure what lies underneath.
• Could there be anything waiting for me under the ground (gas, electricity, rocks), that would halt it? I'm in a small estate in Kimmage, small garden too. Other people's gardens on all sides.

Regarding the tree, it's relatively big (trunk around 30 cm diameter too). The roots have really spread through the garden (not too pushed about that). I'd aim to bore a hole around 1.5m away from the base.

I'd look to do it manually, I see they have hand drills that do this kind of thing on amazon.

Thank you.

magicbastarder

i suspect you'd be highly likely to hit roots. regarding hitting services, the tree would probably already have fouled them, but is it in the front or back garden? more likely to have services in the front garden usually.
you may also be likely to hit rocks.

listermint

I have to ask.





Why

Will this become the AH "unopened safe" thread?

Harry Palmr

Going a meter deep into unknown territory is certainly a risk, admittedly you are more likely to hit a massive rock you can't move than the mains - you should obviously just have a look at the layout of the road you are on, power cables, water supplies etc usually enter from the road side, the back garden ought to be free of such infrastructure but have a look for anything on your neighbour sites (any poles with down cable, etc) that suggests something could be crossing under your property.

o1s1n

Did you find a treasure map in your attic?

my3cents

The Curse of Oak Island comes to Dublin.

If you find any Knights Templar down in the hole OP be sure to let us know.

btw I've dug a hole nearly 2 meters deep before by the side of an old oak tree to get down to fix a water main. Once you get down say 60cm you tend not to get many more roots.

Harry Palmr

I'm growing a "Knights Templar" apple tree at the moment, I'm assuming it's a very old variety!

positron

Digging a meter deep isn't really a provlem. I did a meter and half (may be slightly more) to sort out water logging issue. With just 30 cm diameter your main problem would be how to dig that deep as you can't get into it - mine was a rectangle shape big enough to get into it and shift the soil out. If you live in a housing estate, you might find a lot of crap builders have dug in under the grass, and then you might hit the original ground estate was built on etc.

893bet

There is a lot more work in this than you think.

The roots will break your heart also.

Willing to bet you give up before the 2 foot mark.

standardg60

listermint wrote: »

I have to ask.





Why

My sentiments exactly!
Apart from that if you do hit major roots it's best to dig round them.. cutting them can cause the death of the tree in the long-term.

amcalester

Anyone seen the OP’s wife lately?

Wildly Boaring

How?

Unless you hire a mini digger or bobcat with an auger this will be very , very difficult. Might be 300 x 300 at the bottom. Need to start about a metre by a metre to have the space to achieve.

If under the tree, ie there are branches overhead, it is not advised to dig as it can permanently damage the tree. However so small a hole is likely to hit 1 maybe 2 major roots. Tree will be ok, I'd assume


Edit sorry yeah services are always likely when digging anywhere. But if you're planning digging by hand just stop if you find anything. Should be able to approximate where all your own house services are. I'd make 100% I knew the route of ESB, rest wont harm you. There is a tool called a CAT for finding services but no need for a hand dig

caff

More likely to hit an unmapped waster pipe, often shared between semi d or terraced houses via the back garden.

standardg60

amcalester wrote: »

Anyone seen the OP’s wife lately?

Be needing to go a bit deeper then..septic tank depth I reckon

RiderOnTheStorm

Roots from a tree usually go out in all directions and downward too. You may hit a few but it will be a very small number compared to all the tree has. You wont kill the tree! You might see a few branches droop or leaves drop much later. But the tree will survive & recover. If there are a lot of roots, you are making a lot of work for yourself. Instead of going down, could you go up? ie mske a raised bed?

The Enbalmer

I dug a 1 m deep hole for a pond once and it was hard work.
I had no tree roots to contend with but after the first 1' or so I hit compacted boulder clay.
It's a job for a pickaxe to get the soil broken up and every so often your hands will feel it as you strike a rock.
Obviously not all soil is the same but don't underestimate the work involved.
Compacted soil makes a huge spoil heap too so think what you want to do with the stuff you take out of the hole.

Jolly good fun though,found a couple of medieval floor tile fragments and some great rocks to use in beds.

macraignil

actuallylike wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm looking to dig a metre deep hole in my garden (Dublin) around 30 cm in diameter. It's close to a tree so I'm cautious of roots. Few questions before I attempt it.

• Would it damage the tree to cut through roots ? I'd try avoid any big roots, but not sure what lies underneath.
• Could there be anything waiting for me under the ground (gas, electricity, rocks), that would halt it? I'm in a small estate in Kimmage, small garden too. Other people's gardens on all sides.

Regarding the tree, it's relatively big (trunk around 30 cm diameter too). The roots have really spread through the garden (not too pushed about that). I'd aim to bore a hole around 1.5m away from the base.

I'd look to do it manually, I see they have hand drills that do this kind of thing on amazon.

Thank you.

At 1.5metres away from the tree I would reckon the roots you might hit would not be that vital to the tree particularly if it is just a small hole you are aiming to dig.


Urban gardens usually do have all sorts of material buried so I'd advise not to dig too quickly. The most likely thing that you could hit that might get damaged would be the sewer pipes but these will generally run in straight lines between access manholes (there to allow them to be cleared if there was a blockage) so check for the straight lines between these before starting.



You will probably need to go a bit wider at the top of the hole to allow easier access to the bottom of the hole and to allow you to lever out rocks and other debris that you might find as you dig. A pick or large steal crow bar would make the job faster but could increase the chance of going straight through a pipe or other service line.

actuallylike

at the replies

Thanks everyone for the advice. Don't think there's any systems under our gardens. Most of them are terraced houses anyway so no way you'd get any machinery back there.

The reason I wanted to do it (to avoid the police knocking on my door looking for my 1m high, 30 cm wide wife) is I was toying with the idea of putting a beer dispenser in there, something like the below. Thought it might be fun for having people over



It's completely self contained, so all you need is a hole to drop it into. I thought before I commit to buying it, I'd try digging first. had my eye on this, not too expensive and no machinery necessary. I know there's no way I'd get through big roots with it, but I may get lucky and miss the major ones



I'll still do a bit of research before I commit though

893bet

Don’t waste your time or money with the auger.

magicbastarder

how waterproof is that beer dispenser? i.e. where is the water table in your back garden?
if you ever get water pooling in the garden, it's a sign that the water table is sometimes right at the surface.

T-Maxx

I love beer.

But that will just be a complete waste of money and effort. Stick to a bar fridge rather.

Is that you Trevor Jordache?

actuallylike

magicbastarder wrote: »

how waterproof is that beer dispenser? i.e. where is the water table in your back garden?
if you ever get water pooling in the garden, it's a sign that the water table is sometimes right at the surface.

Never had an issue with water out the back. It's fully contained. It's all in a cylinder, beers don't touch the soil. Anyway, was just exploring the possibility. It's not a requirement /need.

bilbot79

Friend of mine did this and burst a water pipe

Victor

actuallylike wrote: »

I'm in a small estate in Kimmage, small garden too. Other people's gardens on all sides.

You know the Poddle is a flood risk?

sabat

Why would you want to keep all your beers out in the sun at ground level and create an eyesore in your garden? Maybe just buy something like this instead:
https://www.vidaxl.ie/e/7290103655358/keter-cool-bar-anthracite-192710

MacDanger

sabat wrote: »

Why would you want to keep all your beers out in the sun at ground level and create an eyesore in your garden? Maybe just buy something like this instead:
https://www.vidaxl.ie/e/7290103655358/keter-cool-bar-anthracite-192710

I think the beers would be underground rather than at ground level - all you'd see from the top is the platform that the plant is sitting on

Del2005

actuallylike wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the advice. Don't think there's any systems under our gardens. Most of them are terraced houses anyway so no way you'd get any machinery back there.

What makes you think that you can't get a digger in a terrace?
http://www.xcav8.ie/micro-digger-hire

You'll have to remove the doors but that's a lot easier than digging. I'd do it for the digger.

NomadicGray

Hire the digger and dont listen to the false prophets above, its a fine idea!

The Enbalmer

actuallylike wrote:

The reason I wanted to do it (to avoid the police knocking on my door looking for my 1m high, 30 cm wide wife) is I was toying with the idea of putting a beer dispenser in there, something like the below. Thought it might be fun for having people over

That is the sorriest reason I ever saw for digging a hole.
If you're gonna dig a hole at least make it for a worthwhile purpose.