Having problem with plugs turning brown

[CTMinMA]

I am having problems with my plugs turning brown a day after detecting. I use the trap door technique that I learned from watching videos on the internet. Luckily the ones that are turning brown are in my own yard lol. I use a Wilcox digger and also a Lesche type of digger. Any help would be greatly appreciated and if there is already a thread on this subject I apologize in advance.

Take care
CT

[coinnut]

Hey, Plugs turn brown even if you use the hinge method if you dig a shallow plug. Digging a deep plug helps keep the original dirt with the roots. Also not digging when the temperature is going to be high (80's, 90's). I did just see a video on You Tube of a guy that uses his knife to poke holes in the plug to give it some room for water to penetrate it. Basically he sticks his knife in the plug in a lot of spots to open it up to water. He even did it to a yellow plug and within a week most of the yellow was gone. Give it a try and see if it really works.

I just found the video. Here it is:

Metal Detecting Plugs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kah40lWe6L4#ws)

[Ill Digger]

Yep it's that time of year. The ground is drying out or it's already really dry. Seeing how it's your yard, turn on the sprinkler after you hunt and water down the grass real well. But as for hunting in other peoples yards you might want to wait till this fall or make sure you have a good rain coming that day or evening. I've also told the home owners to turn on the sprinklers after I leave to make sure I don't leave there yard looking like a cheetah. Also I've found (the hard way too) the plugs under or around a shady area seem to survive better than plugs dug in constant direct sun . If you are going to dig a plug in an area that sees alot of sun I tend to only dig the deeper targets. If you go rooting throught the roots of the grass in this hot/dry period of summer the grass is almost sure to die. So go after the deeper targets and dig a THICK plug so your not distirbing the root system. I push the entire blade in the ground and flip over a 6 or 7 inch thick plug, retrieve the target and back fill the hole ASAP, so the soil doesn't have a chance to dry out at all. And if the ground is really dry sometimes thats not even enough for it to survive. It's just that time of year. We just have to be carefull what and were we're digging so we have a place to come back to. It's better to wait and come back when the ground and grass can handle a little stress. The stuffs been in the ground along time, it ain't going anywhere. At least you'll still be welcome back to dig it again and again as long as we don't get kicked out of a site before that.
Hope this helps
Good luck & HH :grin:

[CTMinMA]

Thanks for the advice, didn't even think about the temperature when I went out to practice last weekend in the 90 degree weather. As for the deep stuff I will just have to save money to get a new detector so I can find the deep stuff. lol.
The ace 150 is good for about 5.5 to 6 inches.
Thanks again and I appreciate the quick responses.

Take care
CT

[Dick Stout]

Skip the hot dry days of summer....no way around it. Plugs will turn brown.

Learn as well to use a probe. Seems difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it you will use it a lot.

[tanacat]

Thanks G for the vid- I never heard of aerating the plugs... makes sense especially with our clay soil here in the bluegrass.

[Myownwings]

I've been carrying a 1 gallon plastic milk container filled with water. I pour some water in the hole and then close the lid and pour some more on top, then I step on the plug before I move on. The plastic jug also sometimes serves as a area marker for me.

[NiagaraCountyNY]

I find the best way to avoid browing besides not digging when its powder dry is to Dig a larger and deeper U shaped flap.(never cut pluggs if u are worried about browning!) I have really good results like this.Swipers method of poking holes in the plugg does seem to help.Good Luck!HH

[danhughes]

Don't dig plugs! Dig two sides of a triangle, and leave the grass hingedon the third side.

Like this:
Metal Detecting - Digging a Coin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv11LAnmvbU#)

---Dan, http://danhughes.net