Should You Be Using Earth Augers in the Garden?

A man is using an Earth Auger to dig a hole in the ground.

An earth auger is designed to remove the earth from a specified spot. It should be noted that this is only designed for moving earth. There are other types of augers to remove other materials; such as ice, or even liquids. 

The most common use for an earth auger in your garden is actually to help you create a borehole, which will allow you to pull water up from under the ground and have your own water supply. Of course, this is a costly exercise, you need to drill the borehole and then add a pump to the necessary length of pipe. The water must then be treated in your own mini-treatment plant, before being tested and, if safe, used.

The good news is that the right earth augers will make drilling the hole easy. The cost of the project will be recuperated in a surprisingly short space of time as you no longer have to pay the water board for water.

Another popular use in the garden is to help with planted and even turning over the soil. As the auger goes into the ground it pushes the soil upward. This is an excellent way to turn the soil over and effectively rotate the soil. Of course, this is slower than using a rotavator across your garden. But, if you’re only doing a small patch or specific plants it’s a more attractive option. 

This type of earth auger can also create small holes, these are perfect for planting seeds while rotavating the soil. You’ll find it is significantly simpler and easier than doing it by hand.

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Another option is to use the earth auger for putting fence posts into the ground. Simply choose an earth auger the same size as the fence post and use it where you want the fence post to go. It will shift the soil and soften it, allowing you to slide the post straight in and secure it in place.

Should You Be Using It?

The bottom line isn’t whether an earth auger is useful in the garden it’s whether you should be using one. The good news is that you should. 

They are easy to use and not considered dangerous. However, they are also not a toy. You should ensure you know how to handle an earth auger before you start using it. Additionally, as with most pieces of equipment, it’s essential that you keep them away from children. You don’t want them causing themselves or a friend an injury!

You should note that the majority of earth augers designed for use in the garden are on the smaller side. They will work quite happily with an 18-volt cordless drill. That means you can do the job yourself and not worry about having cables trailing around behind you while you’re doing it.

Yes, an earth auger is a good addition to your collection of garden tools. Once you’ve got one you’ll wonder why you didn’t get one sooner!

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