How to Dig Your Grass for a Sprinkler

Manual

• 1

  Cut strips of string with scissors to the exact lengths of the irrigation lines according to the plan and lay them down in the yard where you plan to trench. Tag each future sprinkler site with a marking flag according to plan. This aids in trenching as it reinforces the digging path in the event the string moves. Lay out tarps on each side of the trenching area to make future cleanup easy.

• 2

  Insert a hand shovel into the ground and underneath the grass or sod where you plan to trench. Separate the grass from the dirt below, peel it up in large sheets and set it on one side of the trenching area on top of a tarp. Repeat this step until all sod from the trenching areas is removed.

• 3

  Insert a digging spade into the uncovered earth of the digging area and push it in with your foot. Dig up the dirt or soil and lay it on top of the tarp on the opposite side of the trench from the sod tarp. Dig the trench anywhere from 8 to 18 inches. If you live in a climate where the ground experiences hard freezes, dig the hole deeper to the deeper end of the range. If you live in an area that experiences mild freezes, the trench can be dug shallower.

• 4

  Repeat for each area where you plant to lay a sprinkler line.

Trenching Machine

• 5

  Fill the trenching machine with enough gasoline to complete the trenching task. Lay down string along the trenching path and mark sprinkler sites with marking flags.

• 6

  Turn the trenching machine on and raise the trenching boom or digging component. Move the trencher over to the digging spot closest to the irrigation shut-off valve.

• 7

  Activate the boom and set it to a low speed. Lower the boom slowly on top of the digging area, until it begins to dig up dirt. Lower the boom gradually and increase the speed, until the boom digs to the correct depth. Pull the trenching machine backward along the pipeline installation path.

• 8

  Raise the boom and realign the machine along the next pipeline installation path when you approach a turn or a corner. Dig corners and turns with a hand shovel or digging spade.

• 9

  Repeat for each irrigation pipeline you plan to install.