Question by Lauren CA: Should I call the electric company before I start digging a vegetable garden?
We just bought our first house and I’m looking to start a small vegetable garden. Do I need to call the electric or gas company before I start digging? It’s only going to be a foot or so down that I’ll be digging. Just enough to turn the soil so I can plant in it.
Best answer:
Answer by carol
yes I would .
What do you think? Answer below!
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
hi well the thing is that it depends how deep you’re digging and were so i would but just to be safe some people would call
no if the cables are underground its deeper than you are going to dig
It doesn’t hurt to call.
you need to find out what the depth regulation of the underground power is. go to the electircal company and ask.
but it would a good idea so you do get injuried ???
If you are digging in the utility easement, it would be a good idea to call the electric and/or gas company to find out how deep their lines are. In most cases, they will be deeper than you will be digging, but not always. Check the plat of your property to see where the easements are located (generally along the side or across the back of the property). If your garden extends into the easement I would give them a call.
Unless you’ve got a pretty irresponsible electric company, I wouldn’t worry about it. They’re supposed to be about 6′ deep, but they don’t always dig that far. But I’ve seen their trenchers, and they look like they go at least 3 feet, so you should be fine.
In most areas the utility lines have to be at least three feet deep but how much is a local telephone call going to cost you?
When in doubt, check it out! Much better to be safe than sorry. While your at it ( gardening, that is) look at the web site “squarefootgardening.com” this site will save you time and money, a lot less space for your garden, less water,and less work. On the plus side you can even take your garden with you if you ever move.
yes if there’s a possible buried utility line of any kind being buried in your yard
Call them all. Light, water,gas,cable,and telephone just to make sure you know where they are. On things like cable and telephone they may not be very deep at all and if you cut one they may want to charge you for the repair if you want the service. They really don’t mind coming out and putting little flags in your yard to mark them fore you.
go outside and look at your power meter, if you see wires coming from the utility pole to your roof your power is overhead, if you see no
over head wires and pipes coming up out of the ground to the bottom
of your panel you have underground power. your not going to hit any lines in the top 12 inches or roto tiller depth. if your going down more than a
foot and you determine your power is coming from under ground i
would probably call.