"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Glen Able" contains these words:


The only fenceposts that we set in concrete, are tall HD posts which
are going to carry tall trellis or screening which will be subjected to
heavy wind-load, ie, offer serious resistance to 70+mph winds. Or,

Blimey - how tall is your trellis?


Lower level fence posts don't need concrete (far better not, it's a
curse if you ever have to move a post later, for instance putting in a
gate or letting down a fence temporarily for machine access).

In deep loam, a post with a point tip can be rammed in with a
sledgehammer (use a protector on the top surface of the post to avoid
splits). In stony compacted ground, where a hand augur would be useless
anyway, use a pinch-bar (to loosen soil) and narrow blade spade (to get
it out). Deepest sections are done lying on the ground, whole arm down
hole, wielding a catfood tin or similar :-)

It's not stony, but I don't think it's ever been cultivated where the fence
is to go (found a few old pennies), and it is heavy and compacted. I've dug
a few holes for trellis etc. and I find it tiresome (trowel and flowerpot
for scooping) and rough on my delicate computer programmer hands - wearing
gloves is also annoying as loose soil drops into them and compacts into
indestructible solid plugs in the fingertips

Actually, my main concern about getting an auger ('augur' is a sign, btw)
was that I've heard them described as useless, but I guess from what you say
that they're probably dealing with stony ground.

Another tool I found for this sort of thing is on amazon -
http://tinyurl.com/5xk9b
No idea if they're any use at all.

HTH

Yes, thank you.