There are several garden tools you can use to turn the soil of a vegetable bed, but by far the most thorough and efficient way I have found to do it is with a mini auger powered by a cordless drill. This page looks at the three different mini augers I use and what I use them for.
Mini Augers offer several advantages over conventual gardening tools such as forks or spades. They:-
- REDUCE EFFORT
Require less physical work to turn the soil. - SAVE TIME
It takes less time to thoroughly turn a bed over than with a fork or hoe. - PRODUCE A FINER MORE EVEN SOIL
Turning a bed with a fork tends to leave large lumps of soil, whereas a power mini auger produces a much finer crumblier mixture. Added manures and fertilisers also mix in more evenly. - LESS LIKELY TO INJURE WORMS
Worms are less injured as they are flipped out of the ground by the auger’s rotating action.
There are two mini auger manufacturers that I am aware of that produce a range of auger sizes for the gardener to choose from, the Aussie Gardener Store, and Sutton Tools (maker of drill bits). Both these companies offer are range of augers with different diameters and lengths. Below are details about the three augers that I use.
- LEFT: 207 POWER PLANTER 5cm wide x 15.5 cm Long.
Used to plant seedlings, bulbs and to lightly till around established vegetables. - MIDDLE: SUTTON GARDEN AUGER 7.5 cm wide x 45 cm long.
Used to turn soil in my raised beds. This is the Auger that I use the most. - RIGHT: SUTTON GARDEN AUGER 10 cm wide x 45 cm long
Mostly used to turn my compost bins. On the far right is the cordless drill I use to power the drill bits.
Turning a vegetable bed over using a Sutton 7.5 cm wide x 45 cm long mini auger.
Turning such large drill bits puts quite a strain on a cordless drill, so it is important that you use a high-quality powerful drill to ensure that you don’t burn the motor out.
These drill bits can also buck if pushed too hard, especially in heavy soil. To avoid injury it is important to always hold the drill firmly with both hands.
These mini augers are not cheap, ranging from around $50 to $200 (2025 Australian prices), but both brands that I use are of a robust construction, so they should last for years.
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