Rotovator

[JanieB]

My allotment sharer and I have managed to clear it of most of the weeds but digging it is almost impossible. Heavy oxford clay and the very dry spring mean that trying to dig it by hand is like trying to get a fork into concrete. Not helped by the water being turned off between October and April and our water butts being emptied by someone else.

I have acquired a rotovator. Have no instructions except that it takes 4 stroke. And something about taking the wheels off before using.

It can't be that difficult? Can it?

[jackie j]

I have never used one so cant advise on how to use it. Just make sure you get all the weeds out by hand otherwise you just chop them up and spread them around. Once you have done that then rotovate, someone did mine for me and it was brilliant, could have done with it being done again and also to have done the other half.

[zazen999]

Janie - I'm worried about you using it on solid clay! How soft is it once you get under the crust [so to speak]?

This is where cardboard put over the soil during winter comes into it's own; it's so lovely and crumbly underneath; even on our lottie that has no topsoil...

What rotavator is it?

[bearded bloke]

This may help a bit .......

YouTube - Rototiller Garden Tool Tips : How to Use a Rototiller

[JanieB]

Janie - I'm worried about you using it on solid clay! How soft is it once you get under the crust [so to speak]?

This is where cardboard put over the soil during winter comes into it's own; it's so lovely and crumbly underneath; even on our lottie that has no topsoil...


What rotavator is it?

Done the cardboard bit. The soil is generally really easy to work. I wouldn't normally use a rotovator but the ground is really dry and hard on top at the mo. We need to get stuff in now and the fastest way to achieve this is the using a machine. Don't know what machine it is until I dig it out of the back of my car.

I'm pretty good with anything to do with engines (don't tell the boys this, us girlies aren't allowed). I think I'll have a play in the garden before I take it round to the lottie so's I look as if I really know what I'm doing.

Thanks BB. You posted while I was composing mine.

[scarey55]

I have one Janie and I am using it at the moment to try and lick my plot into shape.
The thing that I have found works for me is, don't try and do it all at once. I usually do one quickish pass just to loosen the soil and weeds then I rake the weeds away. Then I do another pass where the machine really starts digging and then I do a final pass to actually dig deep.
Mine is a little bit different from the one in the video with the blades further forward and the wheel at the back. It will try and run away with you when you first use it so make sure that you have a good grip on it

[zazen999]

I rotavated the garden the weekend after we moved here; mostly on my own whilst Mr Z made tea.

It was just before that really wet spring we had 4 years ago - after a ridiculously dry spell...and I had to get cans of canal water to pour over the soil as it was so hard the rotavator wouldn't touch it. Once it had a little water, it was fine though.

I'd not do it again though - was a bit of a nightmare. I'm sticking to cardboard and just planting through where I have hard soil or weeds.

[Kristen]

And something about taking the wheels off before using.

It can't be that difficult? Can it?

Yeah, I think it can be, depends how fit you are. The "take the wheels off" type rely on the turning rotors to both dig and propel. On hard ground they won't dig, and will just leap about bouncing off the ground. its like doing 10 rounds with a Gorilla! but if you are strong, or don't want to pay for gym membership its the way to go.

Sometimes they have a vertical adjustable bar at the back, which works as an anchor or a depth guide. If you have that then dig a hole, put the anchor into it - the Rotavator will be tilted backwards, and you can then let the tines gently scramble on the virgin ground (the anchor won't be pulled into the harder ground in front of it, so the machine won't be able to run-away), you can use the handlebars to make the tines go left-and-right / side-to-side in an arc and they will granularly dig in - tilting the machine to one side so that all the engine weight is on just one side tine will help it dig if the ground is really hard.

A better tool for the job is a self propelled Rotavator - that has powered wheels, is very heavy (so doesn't jump about so easily) and lots of its weight is balanced on the tines. Still got a bit of the Gorilla-wrestling about it though! A tractor-driven PTO Rotavator is the only way to avoid that.

But once the ground is broken / soft then a Rotavator will make quick work of it.

[jacob marley]

Hi Janieb it sounds like your machine is similar to a small Webb Wizard/Merry Tiller type machine if you have to take the wheels of when you work .
I simple tip when using the machine is to make sure the cutting edges on the blades are all facing forwards they work better that way and if you do not want it to run away with you just press down on the handles this makes them dig deeper as well.i hope this helps..jacob