How do i dig up stuff I find with my metal detector without damaging my lawn?

Question

I have a metal detector and i was metal detecting in my back yard and marked some spots where i got hits and I was wondering how i could dig them up without damaging my lawn too bad.

Answer 1

get a shovel and enter the dirt side ways, just tearing up the grass, then tear it back, then dig straight down.

Answer 2

use a shovel with a rounded end

Answer 3

Use a shovel directed straight down and essentially cut you a circle around the area you want excavate.  Then pull up the sod, set aside.  Dig to your hearts content, find your treasure, brush the dirt back in the hole - and place the circular sod back in place.

Your lawn might even do better in that spot since you will have aerated the soil & loosened the compacted dirt so water & nutrients can enter the root structure easier.

Just take care and it will be fine.

Answer 4

If you cut out a piece of the grass a couple of feet square and about 4" deep you'll be able to place it back in the space you removed it from. Use something like a large plastic garbage bag laid flat on the ground to place the dirt on top of so you can replace it when you're done. Use a plastic hand trowel if possible as you can pass each trowel full of dirt over the detector to find the target. After you're done and have replaced the dirt and sod, water thoroughly. Having said all this, you are more than likely to find construction debris around your house so don't go crazy digging up every hit, especially the closer you are to the actual building.