What Is a Tiller & Cultivator?

Tilling

• Preparing the soil before planting is the most important aspect of gardening. Good, loose soil helps plants’ roots penetrate the surrounding soil and grow stronger. Tilling is the act of loosening the soil, typically to a depth of 10 inches. The tiller/cultivator may also be used to blend amendments, such as compost and manure, into the soil. Tilling is sometimes done at the end of the season as well, to shred dead vegetation and mix it into the soil for decomposition.

Cultivating

• Cultivating is done for two reasons: to break up the top layer of soil to allow air and water to penetrate, and to remove weeds. The smaller, or mini, tiller/cultivator tools can be used to remove weeds between rows of vegetables. Since the area between rows is generally the high-traffic area of the garden, an added bonus of cultivation is that it breaks up the top of the soil, aerating it and preventing soil compaction.

How it Works

• Depending upon brand and size, tiller/cultivators have tines that rotate into the soil to break it up. When tilling, some machines have a reverse tilling function that causes the tines to reverse their direction, digging deeper into the soil. In the cultivating position, the tines dig into the top 2 or 3 inches of soil, uprooting weeds and loosening the soil.

Considerations

• Some gas-powered tiller/cultivators require that you mix oil and gas together to run the machine. Others don’t, and these typically contain the words “no mixing required” in advertisements and on their packaging. When considering which tool to purchase, look for a guarantee if you are unsure about the quality of the tines. Some manufacturers guarantee the tines against breakage for a certain amount of time after purchase.