Cultivator or tiller

[Fargo]

What are the pros and cons to a cultivator vs a tiller? I like the cultivator idea because its cheaper, less moving parts so it should be easier to maintain and it doesn't create a hard pan under the tilled soil as I understand a tiller does. I am also intrigued by the bedding option I've seen on cultivators at www.everythingattachments.com. Cost is not my most important concern since my dad has a tiller that he no longer uses that I'm sure I can buy at a very fair price. But I do like easy to maintain and using the right tool for the job.

My tractor is a L3800 and I have about 4 acres of land, but will only use maybe an acre or so for a garden and maybe another acre or so for a small orchard. So I will be tilling/cultivating around 2+/- acres.

So what are the pros and cons and opinions on a tiller vs cultivator?

 

[sodak]

IMO, Tiller will get you a better seed bed by really breaking up the soil. Cultivator will break up the soil but not as much (you will have larger chunks).

 

[Fargo]

IMO, Tiller will get you a better seed bed by really breaking up the soil. Cultivator will break up the soil but not as much (you will have larger chunks).

Ironically, that same argument could be used as a reason to get a cultivator instead of a tiller.

http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2013...r-and-how-to-have-a-great-garden-without-one/

I'm not trying to start an argument. Just trying to give a better idea of where my confusion is coming from.

 

[zload]

IMHO you are talking about different implements for different jobs. The cultivator is really designed to work around existing plants in a row to reduce weeds/grass by ripping it out or covering them up with soil while the tiller is designed primarily as a pre-planting soil prep implement.

Not to say that you can't use a cultivator as a pre-planting tool but its not going to really break up the soil very well or very evenly compared to a tiller or a disc harrow. I guess you could cultivate with a tiller by having really wide rows but again not optimum.

Typically the pre-planting implement argument is between a tiller and a bottom plow/disc harrow and each has its own merit. Probably the best idea is a bottom plow then a disc harrow then a tiller if you have the $.

For what its worth I have a disc hiller or bedder similar to some of the ones at the site you mentioned they work really well for making beds. There are a number of ways of doing that since really it is just two disc set at an angle to pile the dirt up.

 

[Fargo]

Thanks zload. That does help me to understand better. I guess the better question might have been what implement is used for what purpose. I'm really trying to figure out what is going to be the best way for me to maintain a large garden.

Glad to hear that the disk hiller/bedder works well for you. That really caught my interest when I first saw it.

 

[Ike]

I have both and there is no way I would use the cultivator to break up ground. I have a 6 foot tiller and Mon I done a 3 acre food plot. All last year junk gone in one pass. Today I done another one appox 2 acres and this one was heavy sod rooted on a loam type soil. This one was used by me for the last 10 plus years as a staging area for my winter firewood so it was hard and tough to do. I went over it one time and then went over it the second time which made it about 6 inch deep soft soil ready for planting. I would never try using my cultivator here as it would take to long. This fall on this plot I am going to use my chisel plow to break up compaction from the wood cutting

 

[clay45]

With some implements you need room to move fast enough to get the soil to lay over properly and have room to do it. With the tiller its a non issue. If anything a cultivator, middle buster or sub-soiler might be handy just to break up the soil, expose rocks and roots before tilling hard packed ground anyway. Their lower cost makes one handy to have on hand along with the tiller.

 

[Fargo]

Thanks guys, good food for thought.

 

[zzsparky]

Ironically, that same argument could be used as a reason to get a cultivator instead of a tiller.

http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2013...r-and-how-to-have-a-great-garden-without-one/

I'm not trying to start an argument. Just trying to give a better idea of where my confusion is coming from.

My local Farm Bureau is against using tillers. Their thinking falls in line with the link you gave. Their reasoning is primarily discussed in number one of the link, involving microorganisms, bacteria, etc. that is most helpful for the soil. We have a lot of Amish in my area, and their farms are amazing. You don't see any tillers there...just plows and disks. I have much to learn regarding farming, but it seems the more research I do on the subject, the more against tiller usage I am becoming. I own a tiller, but may sell it if I can learn other methods which are better for the soil.