| For more than 30 years I have used test gardens for | | | | tabs and almost all good targets in the same area will |
| the hobby of metal detecting. I have three currently. | | | | also be missed. Numerous times in working beaches, I |
| Two of them are 5 feet square and the third is only | | | | have uncovered gold and coin items only after the |
| 3 feet square. Why use a test garden? | | | | pull tabs were removed. |
| A test garden serves several purposes. Foremost for | | | | In my 5 by 5 test gardens, I place targets at about |
| me is learning the sounds of different targets. My | | | | 8 to 10 inches apart and 20 targets is my maximum |
| first and oldest garden has 20 different targets | | | | number of buried items. I make a map of the garden |
| buried between about 2 to 8 inches deep. It has | | | | designating each item and the depth buried. I have |
| taught me to distinguish sounds of iron objects | | | | the same number of items in my 3 by 3 garden as I |
| shallow and deeper, aluminum targets ranging from | | | | place the targets at about 5 to 7 inches apart. |
| pencil erasers, gum wrappers and various pull tabs. I | | | | To build a test garden use a good detector with all |
| have learned how to distinguish old nickels, Indian | | | | metal capabilities and remove all buried signals from |
| Head cents, war nickels as well as the pesky zinc | | | | the area. Keep it away from utility lines above or |
| pennies. Practicing with all my detectors and various | | | | below the ground. I recommend using items that are |
| coil sizes has made me more proficient than just | | | | common to your hunting area. Mine contains items |
| depending on detector target ID systems. As a result | | | | dug from schools, beaches, parks and ball fields. This |
| of really getting to know my test gardens, I can also | | | | is where I do most of my hunting and these targets |
| wisely choose detector brands when a given target | | | | will be my probable finds. I bury very few large good |
| has a strong probability based on my research of a | | | | targets like silver halves or dollars. They are less |
| given hunt site. Another basic use is to determine | | | | common finds and are nice surprises when dug. Of |
| signal strength and intensity for select targets. | | | | the 150,000 coins I have dug, these large coins are |
| My favorite dimes are the Mercury and Barber coins. | | | | less than 1/2 percent of my totals. Quarters make-up |
| In garden two I have them buried from about 4 to | | | | about 15%, nickels about 5%, dimes about 30% and |
| more than 8 inches deep. Each of my Fisher 1200 | | | | pennies about 50% of all coin finds. |
| series and my CZ 20 can locate all of the dimes. My | | | | A third important use of test gardens is practicing |
| various White's, Garrett and Minelab machines will | | | | pinpointing targets. Various detector coils have |
| locate most of them but not with the strength of | | | | different centers of detection. Practice, practice, |
| signal of the Fisher units. I choose to use Tesoro | | | | practice! You can learn to maximize your pinpointing |
| detectors for nickel finds as I can distinguish better | | | | skills. Hand in hand with pinpointing is the testing of |
| between old nickels and aluminum pull tabs. For relic | | | | retrieval tools. Probes, knives, spades and other tools |
| hunting, Garrett Master Hunters and White's 5900 | | | | need to be mastered so items are retrieved with |
| and 6000 units are my choices based on distinguishing | | | | little to no damage. Damaged coins are no fun. I did |
| different signals as well as their depth on bullets and | | | | damage a semi-key half dollar 22 years ago. A very |
| Revolutionary and Civil War items. These are | | | | expensive small scratch on the reverse dropped the |
| workhorse machines, rugged and powerful units | | | | value of this 1900's era gem about 100 dollars. That |
| excellent for both coin and relic hunting. I use my | | | | was my last damaged coin. I use my test garden to |
| smaller test garden for 3 to 5 inch coils and the coins | | | | assure this will not happen again. |
| and other targets are buried at no more than 6 | | | | Build your test garden and watch the quality and |
| inches deep. I do not believe in overlapping good and | | | | number of your good finds increase as you master |
| bad targets to see the "breakthrough" capabilities of | | | | the use of your treasure finding equipment. Here's to |
| a given detector or coil. This does not exist in my | | | | "diggin it"! Larry. |
| opinion. Turn your discrimination up to knock out pull | | | | |