How to Find a Gold Ring Lost in a Garden

No one wants to lose an expensive and sentimental object like a gold ring, and especially not in the dirt and grime of the garden. If you are unfortunate enough to have this happen, it is important not to panic and start wildly digging in every direction. You are most likely to recover the ring through a patient and methodical search. Using a metal detector also is likely to increase your chances of finding the ring.

Wooden stakes

Plastic tape

Plastic trowel

Plastic bucket

Sieve

Metal detector

Try to remember exactly where you were and what you were doing in the garden when you last saw the ring on your hand.

Mark off the area where you think the ring might be with stakes and plastic tape. Prevent pets or children from getting into this area and moving any soil that could bury the ring more.

Take a deep breath to lessen the sense of urgency and remain calm.

Sweep the suspected area with your eyes like a sweeping floodlight, avoiding focusing on any single area.

Systematically search a small area at a time. Choose a method and remain consistent until you have covered the entire suspected area.

Avoid disturbing too much dirt. Just cover the shallow surface area at this time.

Use a trowel and sieve to methodically sift through the dirt to find your ring.

Employ a metal detector if you have no luck searching by hand.

Set the discriminator to the 'Ring' setting so it is more sensitive to heavy metals like gold.

Practice first with the metal detector, a penny and another piece of gold jewelry. Train your ear to hear the difference between small beeps indicating a coin and a real 'hit' indicating the gold.

Work over the suspected area methodically, moving the metal detector slowly and lightly over the surface.

Dig at any target spots, and sift through the removed soil.