How to: Streamline yard projects

Updated Mar 13, 2024
man pushing mini trencher
Some mini-trenchers feature a simple, push-forward design for easy operation and enhanced operator safety compared to competitive pull-back models.
Little Beaver

Landscaping keeps lawns protected, healthy,  and looking great. Whether it’s a full landscaping project or just adding a sprinkler system, there are tools that can help speed up the work. Keep reading to learn how mechanical earth drills and mini-trenchers can help landscaping projects go quickly and smoothly.

Mechanical earth drills

man with mechanical drillLook for mechanical earth drills that combine a compact, lightweight design with additional safety features to allow safe and efficient one-man operation.Little Beaver

Mechanical earth drills cut down on the time spent digging holes. When planting trees or shrubs, installing mailboxes or fence posts, using an earth drill significantly speeds up the process while creating consistent holes that meet the project’s size requirements.

Look for mechanical earth drills that combine a compact, lightweight design with additional safety features to allow safe and efficient one-man operation. Some drills feature a torque tube, which reroutes kickback from the drill away from the operator, making these drills one of the safest options for single-person operation.

Mini-trenchers

Traditionally, landscapers have used shovels and other gardening tools to break up soil to dig trenches for edging or underground wiring or sprinkler lines. This process is time-consuming and physically grueling. That’s why mini-trenchers exist.

Look for mini-trenchers that feature a simple, push-forward design for easy operation and enhanced operator safety compared to competitive pull-back models. Some mini-trenchers can cut trenches up to 12 inches deep and 4 inches wide, neatly depositing the soil on one side of the trench to make backfill quick and easy.

Horizontal boring kit

man with horizontal boring kitHorizontal boring kits attach to mechanical earth drills, providing both dry and wet boring opportunities.Little Beaver

When installing underground wiring or sprinklers, a portion of the line might need to run underneath a driveway or sidewalk. To do so, a reliable, safe equipment option is needed to easily bore underneath the concrete or asphalt. Some manufacturers offer horizontal boring kits that attach to mechanical earth drills, providing both dry and wet boring opportunities.  Once connected to a drill, the horizontal boring kits can bore underneath a standard sidewalk, driveway, or parking lot.


Editor's Note: This article was written by Joe Haynes, president of Little Beaver, Inc.

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