Getting pebbles and small stones out of garden soil quickly and efficiently is a problem every gardener must inevitably confront, as few plants thrive in rocky soil and some demand virtually no stones to grow properly. Breaking new ground almost always involves stone removal, while converting a plot from tomatoes to carrots is just one example of a switch that might involve a more stringent attitude toward pebbles in soil. Basic sifters can either be purchased at a garden or hardware store or made from scratch using basic building materials, such as wire mesh and framing wood.
Remove any obvious, large stones from the garden plot by hand.
Lay out your tarp or place your tub or wheelbarrow in a convenient place, near the plot you need to sift. Whatever you use to catch the dirt you sift out, keep in mind you must eventually return that dirt to the plot.
Set the sifter down on top of the container, and shovel dirt and stones from the garden plot into it. Avoid adding so much to the sifter that you cannot lift and handle it easily.
Shake the sifter side to side so that the dirt breaks up and falls through the wire mesh, leaving only the stones behind.
Discard the stones and repeat Steps 3 and 4, continuing the process until you have sifted enough soil from the garden plot for your purposes.
Return the sifted soil from the container to the garden plot, either with the shovel or by dumping it.
Things You Will Need
- Tarp, tub or wheelbarrow
- Soil sifter
- Soil - close up image by Fibonacci from Fotolia.com