Rotivation

[posie]

Ok, I give in, I'm going to rotavate.  Between kids/me/dog being ill.  Grandmother needing chores done, mother doing her back in and now finally going back to uni, I have officially run out of time to be able to spend digging.  So I'm going to hire one on weekend.

Any tips on things to avoid (apart from my feet) would be gratefully received.....  ;D

[posie]

[Lauren S]

Posie you go for it. Just pick out any roots and chopped root bits and it should be fine.  :)

Lauren

[redimp]

Worms

[Eristic]

Most rotovators pull themselves along by the force of the spinning cutter blades. To keep control of the machine lean down on the handles to stop it running forward forcing it to dig in, raising the handles to let it pull forward.

Do not try to plunge it straight into full depth of soil but make many passes gradually getting deeper. Make sure you engage the clutch at the end of a run before trying to turn the machine. A strong man can hump it round the corner but rotovators can run amok if they get away from its owner.

[GINGER]

go for it posie,
Being in a wheelchair I have to pay someone every year to rotavate my  garden, and the plot when I get it. there are a lot of different schools of thought about digging but at the end of the day the harvest is all you need.
I tried a methon in Exeter a number of years ago called Acta Bacta no dig, and I had great harvests.

[Eristic]

Make sure you engage the clutch at the end of a run

Sorry. Should be disengage the clutch. ie stop the engine turning the cutters.

[growmore]

To keep in charge of it use the method Eristic said and keep the revs down its very rare that you will need full throttle ..

[isbister]

Talking of machinery getting away from you reminded me of when I hired a machine called an Allan Scythe. I don't think you can get them now, they've been banned. It was basically an engine on wheels, the front end like a handful of shears that went nnggn nngnn nngnn in an incredibly ferocious fashion, designed for scything undergrowth down to ground level. Anyway, happily cutting a swathe through an overgrown garden I tripped and fell over, Allen Scythe proceeds without me and before I could get to it it had eaten its way through a fence panel and halfway through next doors shrubbery. It wasn't funny at the time

[Fork]

but it is now  ;D ;D

[Lauren S]

Oh no, sorry to laugh, but that sounds like something out of a comedy sKetch.  ;D

Lauren  ;D  ;D

[posie]

Ok you lot are scaring me now! lol I have enough trouble with the clutch on my car so heaven help me!  :o

[SMP1704]

Hi Posie

I was in the same position earlier this year, so hired one over a weekend, but when it arrived on site I couldn't control it........probably as much due to technique as weight and brute force. Luckily one of my male neighbours offered to take over and then to use it on his plot - he did a fantastic job by using the method that Eric described but V hard work.

[posie]

Hmmm, perhaps it's time to bribe my very strong, healthy brothers!   ;D

[Fork]

Its winter digging time now and hopefully the local farmer will start delivering his well rotted manure to our site this weekend.

Some dig over there plots and then fork the manure all over the surface.Others like myself will dig the manure in.

The in the spring the rotovators will be out and almost everyone on our site will turn the soil until its in a manageable.