Moon phase and digging a post hole

[CurLee]

Ive got about 170 more post holes to dig out of 250+ this spring. I'll dig em whenever I dern well can.

I plant by the signs religiously though...

 

[fireman32]

I’ve witnessed this phenomenon, can’t explain it. Grandpa swore by it.

 

[Jethro Bodean]

My FIL used to say that the moon causes nail heads to pop up on deck boards. He figured if the moon could cause the oceans to rise (tides), then it had enough pull to withdraw nails. He believed that over the real cause - the wood getting wet and drying, and forcing the nail heads up. I roll my eyes at a lot of goofy things like that, that he has always said. My wife and her family are full of lots of dumb notions.

 

[oldguy]

My FIL used to say that the moon causes nail heads to pop up on deck boards. He figured if the moon could cause the oceans to rise (tides), then it had enough pull to withdraw nails. He believed that over the real cause - the wood getting wet and drying, and forcing the nail heads up. I roll my eyes at a lot of goofy things like that, that he has always said. My wife and her family are full of lots of dumb notions.

Careful now - some folks got a notion that the world is round!

 

[JustUs4All]

My FIL used to say that the moon causes nail heads to pop up on deck boards. He figured if the moon could cause the oceans to rise (tides), then it had enough pull to withdraw nails. He believed that over the real cause - the wood getting wet and drying, and forcing the nail heads up. I roll my eyes at a lot of goofy things like that, that he has always said. My wife and her family are full of lots of dumb notions.

Careful talking bout your grandpaw like that. If your paw is still kicking he probably remembers where the woodshed is. LOL

 

[mallardsx2]

This is the best topic I have EVER seen posted here. lol

 

[27metalman]

This thread is almost as good as one about a bigfoot or a a chupacabra.

 

[Throwback]

This thread is almost as good as one about a bigfoot or a a chupacabra.

How many post holes s you dug?

 

[27metalman]

A few thousand over my life I guess. Sometimes I have dirt left over and sometimes not enough to fill it back up... post, dead carcass, or nothing at all. I can attest to fish bite the best when wind comes from the west and least from the east. Also, if cows are standing up grazing, fish are biting... that I know. Don't know about this moon phase and digging a hole thing?

 

[Throwback]

A few thousand over my life I guess. Sometimes I have dirt left over and sometimes not enough to fill it back up... post, dead carcass, or nothing at all. I can attest to fish bite the best when wind comes from the west and least from the east. Also, if cows are standing up grazing, fish are biting... that I know. Don't know about this moon phase and digging a hole thing?

When you dig a post hole pay attention all things equal some times you’ll dig them and there will be plenty of dirt. Next time there won’t be enough to fill the hole up. I’m telling you. If the moon affects the tides why won’t it affect the dirt ?

 

[Whitefeather]

The reason that it seems like there is dirt leftover some times and not others has nothing to do with the moon phase. The reason is the grain size particles of the dirt you are digging. Sandy soils have larger particles than clayey soils. Residual sandy soils have probably up to 10-30% air voids. Once you dig it out and replace it and compact it then you’ve raised the air voids percentage. By doing this, and the fact the post is taking up space where soil was you’ll have soil left over.
In clayey silty soils, it is the opposite. Clay has smaller grain sizes and less residual air voids. When it’s disturbed and replaced, you can compact the grains of soil tighter than the residual state.
Another thing to consider is the soils moisture content. The soil has an optimum moisture content. If it’s dry when it’s dug, then gets wet it’ll compact tighter up to a certain point. If it’s too wet it will not compact as good as it would at a lower moisture content. If the moon phase had anything to do with soils, then nothing would stand up due to the ground constantly heaving and shrinking.
After 30 years of being in the geotechnical business, that’s about all I know.....Dirt

 

[Gbr5pb]

Plant your watermelons when the signs in the arms! One of the last things I remember my grandpa telling me! Must work the last few times I planted them the deer loved them!

 

[Nicodemus]

Plant your watermelons when the signs in the arms! One of the last things I remember my grandpa telling me! Must work the last few times I planted them the deer loved them!

Any time you have "new ground", make the first crop on it watermelons.

 

[NCHillbilly]

When you dig a post hole pay attention all things equal some times you’ll dig them and there will be plenty of dirt. Next time there won’t be enough to fill the hole up. I’m telling you. If the moon affects the tides why won’t it affect the dirt ?

If it affects the dirt that much, how does your house not fall down?

 

[Throwback]

If it affects the dirt that much, how does your house not fall down?

You ought to know better

 

[Throwback]

The reason that it seems like there is dirt leftover some times and not others has nothing to do with the moon phase. The reason is the grain size particles of the dirt you are digging. Sandy soils have larger particles than clayey soils. Residual sandy soils have probably up to 10-30% air voids. Once you dig it out and replace it and compact it then you’ve raised the air voids percentage. By doing this, and the fact the post is taking up space where soil was you’ll have soil left over.
In clayey silty soils, it is the opposite. Clay has smaller grain sizes and less residual air voids. When it’s disturbed and replaced, you can compact the grains of soil tighter than the residual state.
Another thing to consider is the soils moisture content. The soil has an optimum moisture content. If it’s dry when it’s dug, then gets wet it’ll compact tighter up to a certain point. If it’s too wet it will not compact as good as it would at a lower moisture content. If the moon phase had anything to do with soils, then nothing would stand up due to the ground constantly heaving and shrinking.
After 30 years of being in the geotechnical business, that’s about all I know.....Dirt

Hush ?

 

[Whitefeather]

^^^^ Hate to have to interject logic in these times we live in.

 

[Flash]

Don't know what causes it but I have dug holes to plant a tree or bush put it in the hole and didn't have enough or barely did to fill the void around the plant. Other times dug for some reason, didn't put anything in the hole, put soil back in and it'd be 2-3 inches higher even after packing down

 

[NCHillbilly]

Now, have you tried digging the hole in the same exact place in the same exact type of soil under the exact same soil moisture conditions during different moon phases?

 

[j_seph]

You would think that a fella your age could at least dig a more rounded, smooth hole than that. I suggest you fill it up and start over.