Planting tool

Abstract

A planting tool having a handle, an auger receiver and a basket. The auger receiver has an upper opening and a lower opening. The auger receiver is attached to the handle. The auger receiver is adapted to receive an auger. The basket has an upper opening and a lower opening. The basket is slidably attached to the handle for movement between a raised position and a lowered position. When the basket is in the lowered position, the lower opening of the auger receiver is adjacent the lower opening of the basket to define a partially enclosed region between the auger receiver and the basket.

1 . A planting tool comprising: 
 a handle;    an auger receiver having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the auger receiver is attached to the handle, wherein the auger receiver is adapted to receive an auger, and    a basket having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the basket is slidably attached to the handle for movement between a raised position and a lowered position, when the basket is in the lowered position, the lower opening of the auger receiver is adjacent the lower opening of the basket to define a partially enclosed region between the auger receiver and the basket.    
   
   
       2 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising said auger disposed in said auger receiver.  
   
   
       3 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of said auger receiver is approximately equal to a diameter of said basket lower opening.  
   
   
       4 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , wherein when said basket is in said raised position, said receiver is elevated above said lower opening of said basket.  
   
   
       5 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle guide tube attached to said handle and a basket guide bar attached to said basket, said basket guide bar sliding within said handle guide tube.  
   
   
       6 . The planting tool of  claim 5 , in which said basket guide bar comprises a retainer limiting sliding of said basket guide bar with regard to said handle guide tube.  
   
   
       7 . The planting tool of  claim 5 , in which said basket guide bar has a substantially square cross section.  
   
   
       8 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an extension attached to said basket guide bar.  
   
   
       9 . The planting tool of  claim 8 , further comprising a depth gauge attached to said handle, said depth gauge aligning with a line inscribed on said auger.  
   
   
       10 . The planting tool of  claim 1 , wherein said basket has a partially conical configuration.  
   
   
       11 . A method of manufacturing a planting tool, comprising slidably attaching a handle and a receiver to a basket, wherein the handle is attached to the receiver and wherein the receiver substantially blocks a lower opening of said basket when said planting tool is in a lowered position, said basket having a partially enclosed region defined when said planting tool is in said lowered position.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said handle and said receiver are slidably attached to said basket by disposing a portion of a basket guide bar attached to said basket within a handle guide tube attached to said handle.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , in which said disposed basket guide bar has a substantially square cross section.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , in which the gasket guide bar includes a retainer to limit vertical movement of the basket guide bar with respect to the handle guide tube.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching an extension to said basket guide bar.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said attached handle comprises an elongate handle portion and a gripping portion extending generally transversely from said handle portion.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising attaching a depth guide to said handle.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising providing an auger, said auger rotatably disposable in said receiver and having a plurality of lines, wherein aligning said depth guide to one of said plurality of lines indicates a depth measurement of said auger.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising an auger, said auger rotatively disposable in said receiver.  
   
   
       20 . A planting tool, comprising: 
 a handle;    a retainer attached to said handle;    an auger rotating in said retainer;    a basket receiving said retainer, and means for retaining and discharging soil deposited in said basket by said auger.