In this video, I show you a new tool I use to break up clay and compacted soil called the Prong. I also show how to improve the clay soil and plant a fruit tree to give it the best chance of growing fast and producing well!
Go here for more info on the Prong range of tools: https://www.gardentoolsnow.com/
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Self Sufficient Me is based on our small 3-acre property/homestead in SE Queensland Australia about 45kms north of Brisbane – the climate is subtropical (similar to Florida). I started Self Sufficient Me in 2011 as a blog website project where I document and write about backyard food growing, self-sufficiency, and urban farming in general. I love sharing my foodie and DIY adventures online so come along with me and let’s get into it! Cheers, Mark 🙂
G'day Everyone, go here for more info on the Prong range of tools: https://www.gardentoolsnow.com/ The inventer (Peter) lived down the road from me (same street) in my home town of Toowoomba. By chance, he came across my videos and reached out requesting that I give his range of Prong garden tools a try. Peter is a great guy and a true professional small businessman trying his best to market a top tool he invented out of necessity to dig out rocks in his own backyard. This invention came runners up at the National Innovation Awards in Australia 2013. Cheers 🙂
Thanks for this Mark! We have really heavy clay soils at our place and breaking it up with a big steel bar is a total pain. I've got the exact problem with my grape vine that I planted – even though the hole was really big, the clay around it ended up acting as a sealed container … and you can smell the anaerobic reaction after the vine gets really wet. This tool should allow me to at least dig a drainage trench away from the plant. Cheers!
4:05 Triggered flashbacks of the great conflicts in the South West of West Aus.
The old clay soil battles.
WE lost a lot of good pitchfork prongs some that were able to be recovered from their injuries were never the same!
Looks backbreaking. handle too short
Ah, the elusive rice tree.
Mark
What happens if you dig just that shallow whole and than fill it with water a few times?
In my clay garden in California it is the only way.
This is exactly what I needed to see today. My property ranges from a sand box to compacted clay with very little organic material in either. I struggle to grow grass. But I want to put in some small swales to start water harvesting. I might be stuck with my husband’s pry bar, but it will be a better start than my back breaking mattock.
I'm not trying to be mean but why are you using a shovel designed for a midget with a flat end to shovel through dense soil? A Round Point Shovel with a 48" handle would have done a world of difference. Anyways, thanks for sharing. You seem to know what you are doing since I noticed you have nearly 1 Million followers. Subscribed.
This thing is amazing.Just ordered one.Greetings from Germany to Down Under : D
Is Prong available in EU?
Mate it’s a rubbish tool
That was so helpful! I’m in the south eastern US and it is just straight orange clay through and through. Thank you!
3:42 seconds before you start using tool- need to edit better
Could you did a 6ft hole with this and will it brake throw hard clay stepping on it
How can I buy this tool?
Would this tool work for a dirt bottom dump to get the compressed dirt and rock off from the sides??
I live in Virginia and this looks exactly what I've been digging in! Thanks for a great tool suggestion!
Yeah, we have clay in carolina. We have a tractor with an auger. It can drill 3 feet deep. We backfill with a mix of rabbit poo or sheep feed droppings. It helps,
Use a rotary hoe or a power tiller you can dig a large deep hole if you sit it in one spot
Hey nice tool,Prong makes sense to me I have clay and know what clay is like.
I took a garden shovel witch is a more narrow longer and less diameter than the standard shovel.
On mine about three inches above the shovel I put a piece of 5/8" steel bar that was bent 90 degree to serve as a kicker and now I can dig about six inches deeper and pull rocks out easier than anything I have used.
I have been digging a long trench for drainage (French drain) in Indiana, USA and there are roots, hard clay and buried pieces of fencing. I broke my shovel dealing with this so I ordered the long prong. It has been a huge time saver (and back saver). Congratulations to the inventor for coming up with such a great tool.
Yes, I was just trying to dig a post hole in clay (the starter pull-string on the auger broke) and I thought "I wish I had a giant chisel for this dirt!" Fantastic. The only problem for a post hole is that the foothold would get in the way.
The digging bar has been around forever. That, along with a rototiller ,mattock, and a pointed shovel are indispensible when digging.This looks helpful if you don't have any of the aforementioned implements.
I'm trying to dig down and level a few beds (150 ft by 4ft total area) 5" to properly install weed fabric for bark beds… the earth is hard clay with old juniper roots in it… I'm big and strong but it is the worst digging I've ever done by far in my life… I have a digging bar and grub axe, but that prong looks like the way to go… To break things up tear out the juniper roots.
I just found a mass of actual clay. Like putty. The fact that this guy thinks his “clay” is hard is adorable.
Interesting clay soil test
https://youtu.be/0dFTWOpl_0M
Thankyou
This is exactly what I have to deal with..I will def buy a prong..thankyou so much for this very helpful video.
Little tip, might want to use a shovel that’s for digging. Also amazing product my guy. Might mention it to my boss.
You are an expert of breaking down things by soil. So I have a question which type of plants is the easiest and fastest growing type that could break down easily by soil? Whatever is it, I wanna know so that everyone can grow it for creating more soils for this planet. I just never could be able to understand why Australian like to burn their grass away instead of cutting them down and turn them into soils like you. All of them. All over the world. They using fire to kill all the grass instead of cutting them and dig a hole for it. Or even just use a machine to run over with blades to stir those soils and grass together for it to turn into soil after the rainy season.