Many novice gardeners give up as soon as they begin to hoe the first row. Depending on the area of the country the ground can be extremely hard. Garden tillers and cultivators can make the difference between getting started and harvesting a good crop of summer vegetables
Garden tillers not only turn the soil but weed at the same timeif you are just now selecting a plot in the yard for the vegetable garden. That one of the things about grass --- and weeds, for that matter. It seems that grass never grows as plentifully as where you plan to put the garden. Garden tillers and cultivators will not only turn the soil but can displace grass and weeds, all in one easy step.
Garden tillers and cultivators can cost between several hundred dollars and a thousand or more. Again, many first time gardeners may not want to invest in a garden tiller until after the first season of gardening. The best option for the novice may be to rent a garden tiller. Most areas of the country have rental stores that will allow daily rentals. Depending on where you live the cost of the use of a garden tiller for the day may be as little as $40 for the day up to $75 in some areas. These are averages and as with everything else, some gardeners may find a rental to be more than the average.
For the gardener who plans to rent the garden tiller or garden cultivator for the day, he should have the garden plot staked out and know exactly where he wants to till before he rents the machine. Of course, this may make the job a two weekend event, the first to plan the garden and the second to till the soil. In some areas, if a person rents a tiller on Saturday he may be charged for a single day but not be required to return the garden tiller until Monday morning. Check with the local rental stores for terms.
When tilling the soil, especially if renting the garden tiller, it is best to have the compost ready so it can be mixed in at the time of tilling. When renting a tiller the store owner will be able to tell you the type of tiller that is needed in your area. Some of us with softer or lighter soil can till the garden soil with a lightweight machine. For those who live in areas with clay soil will probably need a heavy duty tiller, especially if the soil is rocky. Whether you plan to buy or rent a garden tiller, it is a good idea to check with the local rental store to see which type garden tiller they recommend for the area in which you live.
Know how large an area you have to till before renting or purchasing a tiller. The width of the tiller ranges between 8" and up to 24". For those with a larger garden plot, it may be worth purchasing a wider tiller that is designed for heavy duty use. Our suggestion to a potential buyer of a garden tiller is to purchase the best garden tiller you can afford. It is always better to have too much machine than too little when it comes to tilling. Too many times novice gardeners have given up because they were using garden tillers that were not heavy enough or wide enough to adequately do the job for the garden plot they have selected.
Gas Garden Tillers versus Electric Garden Tillers
The choice between a gas garden tiller and an electric garden tiller is part personal preference. The gas garden tiller will be louder than the electric garden tiller. And, yes, we find that gas garden tillers are loud. Ear plugs are suggested as some of the gas garden tillers can reach 85 decibels.
Some of the other considerations when making the choice between gas garden tillers and electric garden tillers are outlined.
Gas Garden Tillers:
- Gas garden tillers generally perform better and can handle heavier duty.
- Gas garden tillers have greater horsepower.
- The width of the tiller usually is between 8" and 24" tending toward the wider.
- Rear-tine or front-tine, although we find the rear-tine to be preferable.
- Gas garden tillers require about the same maintenance as a lawn mower: gas, oil, pull start, annual maintenance.
- With a gas garden tiller the garden plot can be located anywhere.
Electric Garden Tillers:
- Require an electric outlet for plug in, limiting range of use
- Quieter than gas garden tillers
- Generally speaking, most electric garden tillers seem to be in the 8" to 12" width range with a predominance of 10" width
- Most electric garden tillers we have seen have a front-tine and are generally designed for lighter work in softer soil.
Overall, it goes without saying that gas garden tillers require more maintenance than an electric garden tiller. However, the gas garden tillers out perform the electric garden tillers in all areas in our opinion.
Rear-Tine Garden Tillers versus Front-Tine Garden Tillers
Our preference is the rear-tine garden tiller. The tines are located at the back of the machine and come in two standard types. There are the standard rotating tines and the counter rotating tines. Many of the better gas garden tillers offer tines that dig forward and can also be reversed. This is often preferable as in some soils it can be a benefit to reverse, especially it if the soil is particularly hard or rocky.
Most electric garden tillers have front-tines located under the engine and are designed for smaller projects and lighter weight work and softer soil. Of note, some of the lighter weight front-tine garden tillers are referred to as mini cultivators. In our opinion these mini cultivators are good for the very small garden with soft soil.
Regardless of the area to be cultivated, garden tillers can make gardening easier and far more enjoyable. For the novice gardener, it is strongly suggested that you rent a tiller the first year to get a feel for the machine and with experience a better choice can be made when it comes time to buy.
Selecting the Garden Tiller:
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