Five Questions With Chad Harrison

1) What are some of the biggest hurdles for home gardeners when it comes to planting?

Something I’ve noticed is that people put a limit on how much time they’re going to spend in the yard. So they go to the store, they pick up their plants, they go home and they start putting plants in the ground. And then it’s going to take six or seven minutes to dig a perfect 2-gallon hole.

If you bought 14 or 15 1-gallon plants, half of your day is going to be spent digging a hole. If the biggest hurdle is digging that hole and it feels like it’s a job, you’re probably not going to do it as often as you would want to. So, I would say digging by hand is the hurdle.

2) How do Power Planter products alleviate some of the hard work?

I think the best part is, if you get an auger and attach it to your drill, that alleviates you from having to bend down and be on the ground. The auger alleviates 90% of any of that work because it brings up your backfill up and you don’t have the clumps. You drop your plant in and all you do is push the dirt back in the hole, pack it in a little bit and you’re done. You don’t have those clumps left over that don’t fit anywhere. You can just pat it down into the soil so there’s no mess or cleanup.

3) How can Power Planter products can help garden centers increase sales?

If the gardener has in mind that they want to spend six hours in the landscape, that includes planning, going to the store, picking up the product, bringing it home and planting it. If you have a shovel and you’re digging holes, it’s probably going to take you six to seven hours to do whatever your job is. If you have an auger, it cuts that time in half. So if I have six hours planned and I’m done in three, that gives me time to go get more plants. I just created three more hours of gardening time.

4) What types of soils do Power Planter augers work in?

They’ll work in any soil. In Oklahoma, they have extremely rocky, stony soil and they use it out there with no issues. Where I live in South Carolina, we’ve got these big chunks of red clay that I’ve got to break up because I know the root system isn’t going to penetrate these big pieces of clay. But I don’t have any problems with that anymore. It’s not a job anymore; it’s a joy.

5) What has been your personal experience with Power Planter augers?

They’re easy to operate and easy to get because they’re made in the U.S. You have an unconditional guarantee on parts, materials and craftsmanship. I don’t use a shovel for anything anymore unless I’m digging something up. If I’m putting something fresh in the ground, I’m using an auger.

Last fall, I planted 11 2-gallon trees and shrubs in my backyard. I was back in the house in 45 minutes. I’m talking hose back on the hose reel, and everything put away in 45 minutes. In a normal situation, you’re trying to make sure they’re all even and that the plant sits right. This takes all of the guesswork out.

For more information: powerplanter.com