Pickaxe?

If you have enuff muscles, you can rent a 'Bosch Brute'. Most rental stores would have it. It's a big breaker for concrete and the like. I have had a lot of serious digging in my tiny little project, I had to dig my pond down about 6' through that crap. I used a 5' digging bar and a pick. Believe it or not, it will make quick work out of 4". Here's a pic of the bar.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1070002}}

Yes, I agree with boxofrox I think.... I use a very heavy steel bar almost an inch thick and about five or six feet long. It's pointed at one end and flat on the other. Works great for loosening hardpan concrete-like soil/dirt.

If I were Westgate, I'd ask for the "Bosch Brute" in the blue t-shirt...

Thank you all for your replies!!

Picaxe or Bosch Brute.

Since we have Picaxe, we will try that first to see how much more we can dig... If it didn't work, we will need to rent a bosch brute...

Our crowbar is about 1/2'' thick, 4' long. I felt I will hurt my shoulder using it for breaking the hard clay since it seems forever to dig 3 inch diameter hole...

The picture really helped me to understand what Bosch Brute look like. Thanks!

-b

Bosch Brute is a brand of electric jackhammer, manual hammerer you see pictured is Norwegian ;-)

boxofrox, that looks like fun.

That definitely were not fun :-( By the time I was done digging that hole, I was raising the shovelfuls above my head until the wheelbarrow was full and then climbing out and running it all the way out to the front yard. Between the pond and streams and the walkway, I had a pile that would become 40 yards before I had a dumptruck come and haul it all away. I'm tickled with the result but it took it's toll one me.

Did you try sharpening the shovel yet?

Makes digging about 60% easier.

Bench grinder or angle grinder. I keep the latter in my truck to sharpen shovels twice per day when working.

boxofrox, I wanna see pictures of the result!

I don't wanna hijack the thread so here's just one at about the same angle as the digging bar one.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:8608}}

I found our pickaxe in garage, spent 1-2 hours (on and off) digging this morning...

PickaxeãRocks!

I finished 2/3 of the area I needed to dig more... I'm pretty sure I can finish it up tomorrow.

Can't wait for tamping gravel & sand next! ;)

Thanks again everyone for all of your advices.

-b

Let's hear it for the 'Bosch Brut-ette :-)

Did you decide on your flagstone ?

I've had clay problems and have learned about soil penetrants.
One or two applications will alter clay so that it is MUCH easier to dig in. A shovel will easily dig down several inches after an application. I've used this in clay so pure that you could throw pots with it.

There are lots of different brands, usually a liquid that is mixed with water, either in a hose end sprayer or just in a bucket.

Google 'soil penetrant' and order online, or check at your local garden supply store. I also use it (a few drops) to water pots so that dry soil absorbs and holds onto water better.

I don't understand the chemistry of soil penetrants, but maybe one of our experts will explain it. I just know it works!
Daphne in Tacoma

Boxofrox....that is spectacular!
I'm curious...does the end result match your vision....what I'm asking is were you able to "see" it before you started the project? jwww

Judy,

Yes and no. I sat for hours and stared at the disaster it was before I started, not knowing where to start. My wife wanted a pond and I needed to stabilize the hillside. Once I got an idea of how to attack the structural elements, I went in and drew it up. Although I later decided to re-do the pond itself and have tweaked the plantings some, the 80,000 lbs of rock garden and all the other structural elements remain unchanged. I had the rock all dumped in a pile and a friend sat on an excavator and picked each rock I pointed out and placed it where I asked him to. There is only one thing my wife is not pleased with and that is the neighbors ugly fence. I've got a number of trumpet vines planted on it but if they don't get going pretty soon, I'll have to come up with another solution :-)

It's kind of hard to see from the pic but there are actually 5 waterfalls. The top one is up where the irises are in the upper right. It falls into a small reservoir which has two more that feed the streams on either side of that big rock behind the 'Viridis' JM and then two that fall into the main pond. Here's a pic of the top two waterfalls right after I did them before the plantings were all done.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1070003}}

Thanks for sharing the hidden falls. I know rock is heavy but 80,000 lbs........What an amazing project. jwww

I spend my life on the road and the whole purpose of this little corner was so that I could sit down at the end of a long day and let it all go. The waterfalls and front fountain when accompanied with a nice Carona and lime surely help get me there :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1070004}}