Digging soil advice

PinkFlamingo16

Hi,

I'm laying sleepers in the garden but need to dig out soil first. There are quite a few tree stumps, ivy and the soil is very tough to dig. Is there a tool/garden equipment that will help get through this? It's too tough to dig out by hand.

Thanks.

EssexExile

Can you get a mini-digger to it?

MisterP123

Mattock and/or pickaxe, and a GOOD, SHARP Spade.

bris

You could hire a rotovator if its a big area but it sounds like it's just a long thin strip you need for the sleepers. If so then just use the advice above as a rotovator is good at breaking up the soil, but it can still be hard work and wouldn't be worth if for a small area.

Davesnave

I don't know how I'd do that sort of work without a mattock or a small digger, but we all know the latter isn't cheap to hire and won't fit everywhere.

getmore4less

As said Mattock

it the tool you need if grubbing out.

Something like
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Mattock-with-Fibreglass-Handle/p/501003

PinkFlamingo16

Thanks for the advice. It's a narrow strip so a mattock would be ideal

ashe

Having cut down a 30 foot tree, and dealt with its many roots, I agree with mattock and for when they are too thick for that, a cheap reciprocating saw with Bosch wood blades on it

Ganga

I have been looking for a similar tool to a mattock,have seen them on the tv/films,imagine a mattock with no pick side to it and the mattock blade about three times as wide,would be great for digging out the heavy clay in my garden.
Any ideas or has anybody seen the tool i have described?

FreeBear

Davesnave wrote: »

I don't know how I'd do that sort of work without a mattock or a small digger, but we all know the latter isn't cheap to hire and won't fit everywhere.

There are mini excavators that will fit through a standard doorway - https://www.jewson.co.uk/tool-hire/earth-moving/excavators/products/6708/microlite-excavator/ - Agreed, not particularly cheap to hire, but you can get a lot done in a day, so it depends on what value you place on your own time.

Mojisola

Ganga wrote: »

I have been looking for a similar tool to a mattock,have seen them on the tv/films,imagine a mattock with no pick side to it and the mattock blade about three times as wide,would be great for digging out the heavy clay in my garden.
Any ideas or has anybody seen the tool i have described?

You're looking for an Azada - sometimes called a heavy duty hoe.