Picking up a shovel and moving dirt around can feel like a daunting task.
There’s no shame in renting a tractor if you have the money, but it can be done without one too.
This post will explore 13 different methods of moving dirt around with no tractor required.
- Motorized mini-trolley and mini-dumper
- Carriage pulled by animals
- Wheelbarrow
- Dumpster
- Garden cart
- Burlap bag/plastic sacks
- Tarp/tarpaulin cloth
- Wooden pallet
- Garden trug
- Soil buckets/bucket pail
- Wrangle/grabber/grapple
- Tank/barrels
- Compost bin/curbside garbage trash bin
Table of Contents
1. Motor mini trolley and motor cart mini dumper
Mini trolleys, which may have motors with up to 1000W of power, are perfect for moving dirt with no more than one person needed.
Unlike tractors, mines, and clamps, it is safe to use with low noise and vibration.
It’s luggable with a capacity of up to 1763.7 lbs (800kg).
Compiled with various functions, it’s perfect for outdoor work such as pick up, loading, offloading, and transportation in a stable fashion.
Its construction includes 3-piece tires (or two pairs of wheels) and metal construction, which greatly withstand external impacts.
Two axles are provided to ensure stable movement and easy control.
Please note that it’s not suitable for carrying people.
It is also powered through an onboard battery pack, but it has been designed to charge while in use.
Available in two versions, the trolley, and the dumper.
2. Animal-drawn cart
Rural areas may not have ready access to heavy farm equipment like tractors, which makes transporting a large load of dirt an issue.
Farmers can use a horse-drawn cart to move large amounts of dirt on land to get around this problem.
The horses should be harnessed in tandem and driven from the front using reins.
The driver may choose to sit in the cart or to stand beside the horses and guide them with a whip.
Bullock or ox carts (depending on the animal species) can be particularly convenient since they are more maneuverable and can be pulled across uneven terrain.
Not all domestic animals like horses, donkeys, and oxen will do well pulling a cart as they have strong backs.
They must be well-trained to develop great physical stamina and endurance.
3. Wheelbarrow
The humble wheelbarrow still has its place in the world of gardening.
It’s particularly useful if you cannot use a tractor and grading box to move your dirt around.
Unobstructed visibility, easy mobility, and ease of emptying make it an ideal tool for hauling round loads of fresh soil or mulch.
Ready-made wheelbarrow straps with good tensioning capacity, on the other hand, can help you transport your wheelbarrow contents to the desired spot without making a large, ungainly mess with your shovel.
Metal or wooden handles and a sturdy, ergonomically shaped wheel are also important features that make wheelbarrows ideal for transporting large quantities of sand or soil.
What’s more, they’re lightweight and relatively easy to clean.
4. Dumpster
For larger amounts of dirt, a dumpster may be an option.
Whether for a new construction site or for landscaping around your house, hiring a dumpster has several advantages: you won’t have to do the backbreaking work yourself, and you can avoid dealing with transporting the dirt.
Of course, the price of getting some dirt delivered or disposed of that way is far too high for smaller gardens.
So if that’s your situation, a mini curbside dumpster is a great option.
Its compact size and transportability allow it to be easily dumped into the right spot or loaded onto your pickup truck or trailer.
5. Garden cart
Convenience is the name of the game when it comes to moving materials.
A garden cart or dolly might be an excellent solution if you’re concerned about the potential for injury while lifting or carrying loads.
With exceptional traits for efficiency, comfort, and versatile configurations, they can be used as bag holders, pushers, and pickups for multiple loads and stand up to heavy-duty use without fail.
Flat-free tires and hand controls mean easy mobility, whether wheeling it into the back of your truck or sliding it under a shrub.
Chassis-style, heavy-duty carts with metal frames weigh roughly 34 lbs and can hold up to 600 pounds of dirt.
6. Burlap bag/plastic sacks
As long as you’re not worried about spilling and the bags getting wet, burlap bags are an extremely resilient, low-cost option.
Whether you plan on containing the trash or want to save yourself the hassle of figuring out what to do with the dirt, burlap bags can be a joy to work with.
They’re lightweight, reusable, and easy on the wallet.
Best of all, their good air permeability helps to keep loose dirt, mulch, and even soil from caking and drying out in the bag.
Canvas or plastic sacks are a good alternative if your local garbage authority and laws allow it.
7. Tarp/tarpaulin cloth
While it’s not the most satisfactory way to move dirt, a tarp can be ideal for small-scale or temporary jobs, like protecting the turf from your home remodeling project.
This allows you to move the dirt without having to pack it, and while you’re at it, you’d be wise to include some heavy-duty tarps used in construction or landscaping projects.
These tarps are made of extra-durable polyethylene and are lined with reflective material, which makes them highly resistant to water and sunlight damage.
It’s easy to wash them clean, and they can be folded up neatly and stored in your garage or attic.
