How to Dig a Hole in the Desert

Digging a proper hole is the first step in plant care. But digging a hole isn’t that simple in the desert. Putting a plant in a half-baked hole will doom it from the start. Here’s how to dig a hole that will set your new desert plant up for success.

I’ll be the first person to admit that digging holes sounds like the most boring topic imaginable. And you might wonder, “What’s to know? What could be more straightforward than digging a hole?”

Here in the unforgiving desert, there are a surprising number of ways you can do it wrong.

You need to know: How deep? How wide? Amend or use native soil? How to check for drainage? And finally…how the heck do you dig through hardpan and caliche?

If you’re used to gardening in “normal” soil, digging a hole in desert soil can be a humbling experience.

Besides, digging a hole properly is one of the most important things you can do to get your new plants off to a good start.

The Ideal Planting Hole

Whether you’re planting a tree, shrub, succulent, vine, or perennial, the same basic principles apply.

Size Matters

The ideal hole should be as deep as the plant’s root ball — but no deeper. An inch or two shallower is OK, too. It’s important not to bury the plant too deep. Many people who have gardened elsewhere are surprised to learn that deeper is not better.

Now take your plant or nursery pot and set it in the hole to check the depth. The depth of the hole should be the same depth as the root ball or slightly shallower.

The ideal hole should be at least three times as wide as the plant’s root ball. When it comes to width, the bigger the better. This is especially true for large plants. For small plants like perennials and ground covers, 2 times as wide should be sufficient.

Check Drainage

Now is a good time to check your hole’s drainage. This is especially important if you aren’t familiar with your soil or are adding a major addition to your yard, such as a tree or columnar cactus.

Some desert yards have heavy clay soil (which drains slowly) or caliche (which doesn’t drain at all). Some yards can have well-draining soil in some parts and poorly draining soil in others, so you should always check your hole’s drainage if you’re planting a sizeable or expensive plant.

To test drainage, fill your hole with water 1 foot deep and let it drain. Immediately repeat. If the water hasn’t drained within 24 hours, you have drainage problems. If all the standing water in your hole is gone, you’re good to go.

If you hit caliche, there are ways to work around it. See the University of Arizona’s Managing Caliche in the Home Yard.

How to Actually Dig a Hole

Now that you know what the ideal hole should look like, you may be wondering how you actually dig a hole.

And if you’ve never dug a hole in desert soil, you may be in for a shock. The first time a gardener told me she used a jackhammer, I thought she was joking. She was not. 😮

Here’s a picture of the jackhammer that was used to plant my new tree.

Short of buying or renting a jackhammer, the best way to dig through hardpan dirt is to water the area well, let the water soak in, then dig as far as you reasonably can, and repeat. My husband likes using a mallet and chisel to first loosen the dirt before digging it out with a shovel.

The key is patience. You may not be able to dig a hole at one go, it may take a few hours or you may span the chore out over a day or two.

Finishing the Job

Now that you’ve got your hole dug, I’d be remiss if I didn’t help you finish the job.

Carefully take your plant out of its container disturbing the roots as little as possible, and then place the plant in the hole. If your roots are girdled, separate them.

Be sure not to bury trees and shrubs too deep. The area on the trunk base where roots begin to emerge is called the root flare. A buried flare can promote the development of girdling roots, deprive roots of oxygen, and permit the entry of insects or diseases.

Should You Add Amendments?

The root ball should rest on undisturbed soil because you don’t want your plant to sink. Then refill the hole with the loosened unamended soil that you just dug up.

There are several reasons it’s generally advised that you not amend the soil with commercial top soil, potting soil, or compost. Amendments eventually decay, causing your plant to sink. And plants won’t develop a strong root system, since roots will stay in that pocket of rich amended soil.

Instead of amending the hole, it’s much better to top dress with compost or mulch which will gradually break down, adding nutrients and organic matter to your soil.

There are a few exceptions.

One time to amend your hole is if it doesn’t drain well or you’re planting succulents or other plants that can’t tolerate wet roots. In that case, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum recommends amending with coarse sand or small gravel until you have a loose, well-drained mix.

The other time is when you are planting a tropical plant that can grow in the desert, but doesn’t love our native soil. Plants that fall into this category include skyflower, sago palm, Mediterranean fan palm, Carolina jessamine, and coral fountain.

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