Things You'll Need:
- A shovel
- A post-hole digger
- A tall stake
- Gloves
- Protective shoes
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Step 1
Know where your electric, gas, sewer and water lines are before digging. If you don't know where they are, contact your utility provider. Most providers will come out and place flags on your property indicating where your lines are.
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Step 2
Put on your gloves and wear good shoes. When digging with a post-hole digger, you may accidentally hit your foot. The gloves will protect your hands from blisters or abrasions from your shovel and digger handles.
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Step 3
Create a guide for your post-hole depth. Mark a stake at the depth you want your hole to be. When you're digging, you can place your stake in the hole and check your progress. If you are making multiple post-holes, it's critical that they be the same depth.
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Step 4
Carefully determine where you post hole should be. You will not want to dig any extra holes. Make sure you measure before digging.
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Step 5
Dig the first foot with your shovel. The first 8 to 12 inches of soil are usually the hardest to break through. Using a shovel is much easier than working with a post-hole digger.
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Step 6
Use your post-hole digger after you break through the first foot. A post-hole digger is like a pair of scooping scissors. Push the scooping end into the ground and then pull the handles apart. This closes the scoop and allows you to bring dirt out of the hole. Repeat this step over and over until you reach your desired depth. Hand-held post-hole diggers can go down about 4 feet. To dig any deeper, you'll need a machine.
