Okay, so, a few days ago I got this idea in my head. It was freezing cold outside, and I wondered, “Can you actually dig frozen ground with just a regular shovel?” I mean, I have seen those construction guys use heavy machinery, but I was curious if a normal person like me could do it with just a shovel.
So, I bundled up in my warmest clothes, because, you know, it is freezing out there. I also boiled some water, I remember I read somewhere that hot water might help soften the ground a bit. Then, I grabbed my trusty old shovel from the garage and headed out to the backyard.
The ground was hard, like, really hard. I started pouring the hot water on a small area, letting it soak in for a while. It did seem to help a little bit, the ground got a bit softer, but not by much. I took a deep breath and started digging. It was tough work. I had to really put my back into it. I used the point of the shovel to try and chip away at the frozen soil, kind of like how you would use a pickaxe. I also tried the masons hammer, but it’s almost useless.
- First, I tried to jam the shovel in like I normally would, but it just bounced right off. The ground was like concrete.
- Then, I remembered seeing someone use a pickaxe once, so I tried to swing the shovel like that, using the pointed end to chip away at the ground.
- It was slow going, but I started to make some progress. I managed to loosen up some small chunks of dirt and rocks.
The Result
After a good while of sweating and struggling, I managed to dig a small hole. It was not pretty, and it was definitely not easy, but I did it. So, to answer my own question: yes, you can dig frozen ground with a shovel, but it is not fun, and it is a lot of hard work. And you need to find some way to warm up the ground first. If you are planning on doing some serious digging, I would definitely recommend waiting for warmer weather or renting some proper equipment.
Anyway, that was my little experiment. I thought I would share it with you all. Maybe it will save someone else the trouble of trying it themselves. Stay warm, everyone!
