What is an Archimedean screw tendril used for?
Little holes... Little holes... always little holes...
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An Archimedean screw auger, or manual auger, is a tool seldom seen in our gardens. However, it is a gardening tool, for replanting or managing natural areas particularly effective on certain ground that is hard to dig: very compact, clayey or very stony soils. The auger can bore narrow and sometimes very deep holes (up to over a metre) allowing subsequent installation of posts, stakes, as well as small perennials, bulbs or very young shrubs. Fed up with straining your back with a pick in stony ground? Adopt an Archimedean screw auger for your planting!
What is a tendril shaped like an Archimedean screw?
An Archimedes screw auger is a hand auger made up of a T-handle for handling during digging and an Archimedes “screw”, that is, a series of spirals mounted on a shaft. An auger must be made from robust steel.
A hand auger is designed to make holes of a given diameter and to a considerable depth (sometimes more than a metre!). These holes are used for planting fence posts, but also for planting perennials, bulbs or small shrubs, especially in bare roots.
Archimedes screw augers are particularly wear-resistant, making them suitable for frequent use, especially in gardens with challenging soils such as rocky soils.
The 90 mm Archimedes screw auger model from Polet is fitted with a more robust Archimedes screw, even better suited to hard or rocky soils than standard models. The particular shape of its spirals allows coarser materials to be brought up more easily: soil, small stones… This model is made of bright red lacquered carbon steel and has a comfortable 45 cm T-handle for easy handling. Total length of auger is 106 cm.
Quick physics reminder: an Archimedes screw, sometimes inaccurately called a “worm screw“, is a device for moving liquids (water, wastewater, slurry…) or flowable solids (powder, grain…) thanks to spirals rotating on a shaft. An Archimedes screw is therefore closer to a kind of propeller, contrary to its name. The invention is usually credited to Archimedes, though some authors claim the idea is older. But let’s not quibble over a few hundred years…
Model of 90 mm Archimedes screw auger from Polet
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What is a scraper used for?How to use an Archimedean screw auger?
Tendrils are manual augers used to make small-diameter planting holes in hard-to-dig soils such as clayey, very compact or stony soils. This tool allows working without (too much) fatigue and, above all, without injuring yourself.
- Grasp the tendril with both hands on the handles;
- Turn the auger, driving it into the soil at the same time like a giant screw;
- Continue turning the tool until the hole is deep enough;
- Remove the tendril by simply lifting by the “T”: soil will be “trapped” in the spirals and thus lifted out;
- Hole is done! You can insert your stake or plant.
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