grass

[Curious The George]

I don't like to use a screw driver due to the fact that you increase your chances of scratching whatever it is you find. This is a VERY old place and I don't want to ruin any potentially valuable finds.

Been using a screwdriver for years, never scratched a coin or other valuble find. Can pop out items 5-6 inches down and then pinch dirt back together. Can't get any easier than that and not ruin a perfectly manicured lawn.

Boy, I'd like to see you do that around here. Red clay that is as hard as bricks and shot through with small to fist size rocks. There is absolutely no way to pop a coin out that is 2" deep much less 5".

Jeric2 I think you have the best plan going for you right now. We are headed into winter and there is a lot of natural die back. Come spring any nearby grass will sense that there is a bare spot near by, if there is any, and be sending roots over that area for the spring break out.

Go dig and have fun. I do like the advice about working the field areas first and save the house to the end, but don't wait till spring. 100 acres is a lot of ground to cover. I would do some searching around the house and out buildings while you can take advantage of the winter die back.

Good Hunting!

 

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[erikk]

I don't like to use a screw driver due to the fact that you increase your chances of scratching whatever it is you find. This is a VERY old place and I don't want to ruin any potentially valuable finds.

Been using a screwdriver for years, never scratched a coin or other valuble find. Can pop out items 5-6 inches down and then pinch dirt back together. Can't get any easier than that and not ruin a perfectly manicured lawn.

Use a brass welding rod till you get good at pin pointing and pop them out with a screwdriver

 

[BuckleBoy]

Unless you have a LOT of practice with the "probing" method (with a screwdriver or whatnot), my advice is--Don't Try It.

You Will gouge coins unless you have used the method extensively. There are folks that swear by it, but I also see a lot of scratched coins posted by folks that probe.


Best Wishes,


Buckles

 

[jeric2]

yeah, I think I'm going to take the time to pinpoint properly and dig as small of a plug as I can to get the targets. The probe scares me a bit. I'll have to practice with it on a newer site first.
And yes, where I am going does have harder dirt/clay with rocks, so the probe might not be the best method there anyway. Thanks for all the advice. I hope to be going over Thanksgiving break and hope to be posting some good finds after that.

 

[BuckleBoy]

yeah, I think I'm going to take the time to pinpoint properly and dig as small of a plug as I can to get the targets. The probe scares me a bit. I'll have to practice with it on a newer site first.
And yes, where I am going does have harder dirt/clay with rocks, so the probe might not be the best method there anyway. Thanks for all the advice. I hope to be going over Thanksgiving break and hope to be posting some good finds after that.

Sounds Great! And Best of Luck to you.

 

[corklabus]

In most lawn and garden departments, you will find a liquid product used for transplanting house plants ,etc: Carry this in a spray bottle and coat the roots of your plug with it. The product minimizes root damage and shock. It will help in whatever climate you choose to hunt in, but plenty of natural moisture would help more.
I didn't "name" a particular product because there are many to choose from.

I see many good tips here, but I've never heard these products mentioned before.
......and best of all....use your best conservative judgement about diggin.

 

[Ramapirate]

Dig a horseshoe and not a circle / A flap, not a plug. It leaves the grass attached to
the point that you rarely kill much if any. I think once you have permission and you
do your very best not to "flagrantly flail the fescue" then you are covered.
Keep us posted!

HH,
Ramapirate

 

[cyeager]

SUPERthrive. One to three drops per gallon. Add liberally to filled hole. Less shock on grass root structure. Be sure to compress the soil before adding or you will create a mud puddle. Works well.

 

[deepskyal]

Buckleboy seems to have the best advice and Ramapirate apparently uses the same method as me.

One thing I've learned over the years...tiny plugs...from my own experience...tend to die easier than larger ones. I can pinpoint pretty darn good but you will almost always get that one coin that sits just on the edge of the hole and you keep poking around and end up with a bigger hole anyhow.

I don't use a pinpointer...maybe that would be a big aide..but that's just an unnecessary expense for me.

This time of year, you'll be hard pressed to find any lawn products for sale in most stores. It's a seasonal thing.

There is one product you could buy. It's a gel that absorbs water during rainy times and then allows the dry ground to take the moisture back as it gets drier. We used that a lot landscaping when we put in new plants, trees and shrubs. Never lost a one. You could always presoak the gel so it's full of moisture, put it in your hole, and let it water the grass when it gets hot and dries.

The place you describe would be best left for spring and fall when you have rain and cool weather. It's usually the hot, dry summers that make your brown patches when digging plugs.
But again...I've rarely had a plug turn when I make it a bit larger, leaving as much root mass intact and with the hinged part.

And DO make sure you tamp it down good! Finely manicured lawns with shallow plugs...a lawnmower will just spit em out.

The perfect soil...is slightly moist, not dripping wet or crumbly dry. Test an inconspicuous area and see what it looks like...then detect it.

Al

 

[nova treasure]

I think you already have all the advice you need,but i am bored so i will leave my reply .
I always try to hunt a site like this after mowing season and with moist conditions.The temps start dropping and the grass quits growing and starts to lose it's color. I will than determine where i want to dig on the property by rating best chances to least and than only decide to dig targets with great confidence and no questionable targets. I will than lay a white towel (this color is used to quickly view any objects mixed with dirt) beside my pinpointed target and cut a u shaped plug with the hinge like already stated in other replys.I will than try to dig deep enough under the target to keep from shoveling " so to speak " I will take my dirt out in small quanitys and lay it on the towel,check for the target and remove alittle more until the target is retrieved.I will than funnel the towel and place the dirt back in the hole to keep from shadowing the plug with dirt spill.I will than carefully place the hinged plug back in the hole and push it down to keep it compressed with the rest of the ground and afterwards your presents should be unnoticable.
The Respect given to a landowner is more important than the hunt itself.
I know this is alittle more info than you needed, but could be some decent info for someone else.

Nova Treasure