Tillers are very important for gardening. Their main purpose is to help break down and loosen up hard compacted soil, so that it’s softer, more aerated and in good condition for plants and seedlings to grow in it. They’re also called cultivators because you need them to prepare the ground for planting and cultivation.
There are different types of tillers you can use for your gardening projects. There are manual hand tillers powered and operated by hand, and there are also electric and gas powered tillers which make use of electric motors and gas engines for power.
Electric and gas powered tillers are usually better and much more effective for breaking down large areas of land for cultivation, but if you’re just growing a very small garden in your backyard, or maybe a few raised garden beds, they’ll just be overkill for that scale of a project.
If you’re just trying to grow a very small garden or a few raised garden beds, what you need is a manual hand tiller.
Manual hand tillers are easier to operate, you have more control of the tool which is very important since you’re cultivating a very small area, and they’re a lot less expensive compared to the electric and gas-powered units.
So, in this article we’ve listed 5 different types of manual hand tillers you can use to take care of small gardening projects in your yard.
Twist Tillers
Twist tillers are one of the most common types of tillers you can use for small gardening projects around the home.
Apart from tilling the soil, you can also use it to dig up and remove deep rooted weeds from your garden.
The whole tool is usually made of metal for strength and durability, and the handles are usually long like that of a shovel to allow more leverage.
If you’re looking for a simple tiller you can use to cultivate small areas or raised garden beds around your home, this is one of the best options to go for.
Digging Fork
Unlike your regular pitchfork which is designed for moving already loose material like soil and hail, a digging fork or garden fork is designed to dig through both loose and compact soil.
The fork prongs are thicker and stronger than those of a traditional pitchfork, and thus are very capable of digging into strong compact soil without bending or breaking.
Whether you’re tilling, aerating or aggregating the soil with fertilizer, a digging fork like this is one tool you’ll find very useful.
Rotary Cultivator
A rotary cultivator also known as a garden weasel may not look like much, but it’s a very good gardening tool you can use to till and cultivate small gardens and raised beds.
It consists of a long handle with a set of spiked rotating wheels angled towards each other, which are designed to breakup and fluff up compacted soil, preparing it for planting seeds and seedlings.
A rotary cultivator can also be used for weeding around plants. Just roll the spiked wheels over the weeds in your garden and it will dislodge any shallow roots they may have, making it easier for you to just pull them out of the ground.
After spreading fertilizer, you can also use it to aggregate or mix the soil with the fertilizer.
Garden Hoe
Garden hoes have been around for a very long time. You can use them to carry out a lot of tasks in the garden including tilling, cultivation and weeding.
They even come in different variations and shapes designed for different types of tasks. Some are mainly designed for weeding, but most can generally be used for tilling and cultivation.
Related: 3 Budget-Friendly Hydroponic Systems To Start Growing Plants At Home
Hand Claw Tiller
If you’re working with a really small raised garden bed, or maybe you’re just planting in small containers, most of the tillers above may still be too big for you.
What you need in this case is a hand claw tiller. It’s a lot more portable, lightweight and easier to handle.
If you like sitting or kneeling while attending to your garden, this hand claw tiller/cultivator is also easier to use in these positions.
With it, you can get really close to the ground without the discomfort of handling a large tool.
