Fixing a rotary airer - having a nightmare (though as nightmares go it is a very dull one)

[Pennies]

Against my better judgement I bought a rotary airer this morning so I can finally dry my clothes outside and make the most of this glorious weather. I bought one that said you could use immediately, but when I tried to push the holding spike into the ground it wouldn't go. I used a hammer so hard I bent the metal and have had to go and buy a new holder.

My Q is... do I have to set the blardy thing in concrete? It seems my soil is v.v. stoney (which is why I couldn't hammer it in) so I reckon I have to dig a hole anyway but will the weight of the soil be enough to secure the thing or will I have to set it?

I bought one of the larger volume ones so it will be very heavy when laden with laundry wafting gently in the summer breeze...

Told you it was a dull nightmare, but any advice would be welcome.

Best to set it in concrete if you can.
Worth it in the long run

have you looked to see if any previous owners of your home put a hole in? you never know

Solution if you don't want to put concrete in your garden.

Get a large plastic bottle with a neck wider than the pole.

Dig a hole big enough for bottle.

Put empty bottle in hole, stand pole in it, back fill bottle with sand. Back fill hole with soil.

You need someone to hold the pole upright whilst you are doing all the filling in.

saint g! great idea but by the time i got round to doing all that it would rain lol

TAWP - had a good search for a former hole but no joy. Anyway they had one of those mahoooosive dryers so don't think they were of the fresh air drying fraternity.

saint G - like that idea. will give it some consideration.