Allotments 4 All

With the weather being so dreadful of late I haven't been to the plot as much as what I would have wanted so instead been reading through allotment magazines and gardening websites.I am now contemplating buying a tiller for next season.What my main question is what would you recommend and or is it worth it.

Our experience is that it's not really worth it.  I bought a rotavator when we first got our allotment, and it was helpful in the early days after we'd cleared the plot, but we've hardly used it since.  I've thought about getting a lighter weight machine just for tilling, but once the soil is in good condition, it doesn't really need it.

On our site, several people have Mantis tillers, but only one regularly uses it.

Thanks Melbourne Ive just been toying with the idea, what you have said about your observations can only see me using it once or twice anyways.Wish the sun would shine more so I can get out and not get so bored lol.

I have a 4 stroke mantis.  Ummed and aaard about it for about 6-9 months.  I use it several times per year both at the plot and in my garden for my borders.  It does save a lot of hassle but I still clear out the thick of any weeds first. 

I have an old Howard 200. It's a real work-horse and chugs along even after 40+ years of chugging. I use it just once or twice a year in the spring to break up the winter dug clogs of soil and leave the ground ready for sowing.

It saves lots of time and hard work but if my father hadn't left it for me to use I would not have spent out on a new rotovator.

Unlike many modern tillers the Howard has drive wheels so pulls itself along and me - effort is minimal and results are wonderful.

Father-in-law gave me his *robi tiller (2 stroke light weight). Not a bad machine for small areas...again seed bed preparation but a real bug*** to start at times. Again... nice to play with, light weight to carry to the plot in a bicycle-trailer but I think I'd do without if I had to buy one from new.

Just remembered... *flipping noisy to use.

Hi Mattock Maddness Thought I would put a woman's perspective on a tiller. My friend and I are in our 60's and last year bought a second hand 2 stroke mantis tiller as the rotorvators on our site are far to big and heavy for mere females to use. We both agree it was money well spent. We work three plots between us and for the first time in 3 and 1/2 years we had soil of a fine tilth. :) I can fit it in the boot of my car and carry it comfortably to our plots that are, incidently the last three on the main path of our site. It takes no effort to start and in a few minutes grinds the soil down. We have used it both at the end of last season and when we started to plant up this season and again once we pulled the onions to break up soil ready for the next crop. Obviously there are negatives, one is the more you rotovate the more likely any nasty weeds such as mare's tail and bindweed can multiply. So long as you weed as often as possible this can be dealt with, All in all we are well pleased and would recommend one to anyone. Jeanbean

Thanks for all your advice.I will consider using one but the price seems a bit steep if I am only going to use it twice a year.I must admit after seeing people using them on our allotment prior to planting the soil does have that dusty sandy completion.But the cons in my case outway the pros never mind, once again thanks for the advice.

I have a ryobi petrol strimmer(which I'm selling as it's too heavy for my back problem) but it has other attachments including a rotovator so perhaps something that combines several things is a better option. Incidentally I don't have the rotovator attachment so I don't know how well it works.

I would recommend to hire or borrow one for couple of times..to get feel what they are like and if you really need one. Like others, we use ours couple of times a year, MAX, and rest of the time it just 'sit' in the shed. I've got few larger beds that get rotavated and all the smaller beds are now in such a condition that they don't need that sort of attention anymore. I can see us getting rid of our rotavators altogether in few years time.

Hi Goodlife
That's exactly what I was thinking try it out and see what happens.Don't think I will buy one just to use it twice max a year, although on the other hand its not a bad piece of kit to have just in case my old back gives in lol.Going up plot now to do some major weeding, dry and sort of sunny at last. :)

Quote from: Jeanbean on July 20, 2012, 07:22:39
Hi Mattock Maddness Thought I would put a woman's perspective on a tiller. My friend and I are in our 60's and last year bought a second hand 2 stroke mantis tiller as the rotorvators on our site are far to big and heavy for mere females to use. We both agree it was money well spent. We work three plots between us and for the first time in 3 and 1/2 years we had soil of a fine tilth. :) I can fit it in the boot of my car and carry it comfortably to our plots that are, incidently the last three on the main path of our site. It takes no effort to start and in a few minutes grinds the soil down. We have used it both at the end of last season and when we started to plant up this season and again once we pulled the onions to break up soil ready for the next crop. Obviously there are negatives, one is the more you rotovate the more likely any nasty weeds such as mare's tail and bindweed can multiply. So long as you weed as often as possible this can be dealt with, All in all we are well pleased and would recommend one to anyone. Jeanbean

A very nicely reasoned comment and a good piece of advice in my humble (male) opinion.  ;)

I've go tthree effectively....
The big one is a Howard 400, the one that is next down from a Gem adn can be considered a half-width, half-powered Gem... the lack of width can make it a bit of a handful at times, the secret is to always use it with the bars swung to the side unless transporting or potato ridging.... It's brilliant for chewing up the ground no matter what state of clagginess it's in, and is also handy for bashing in manure... rotavate (might take a few passes to get down to full depth), then scatter manure adn rotavate again at  full depth...

The smaller one is it's baby brother the 200... it's mroe a cultivator shaped like a rotavator in my book, but easy to handle and on light soil it'd be fine for general rotavating too. I also use it in the greenhouse (big greenhouse though) as it's small enough to be quite maneuverable.

THe last one is a Ryobi Expandit attachment that replaces the strimmer head on my petrol strimmer... It's good points are how easily you can get it into tight places and it's capable of making a fine tilth for seed beds and the like... the bad point is you have to carry it rather than it driving around on wheels....and it's not got the power to do anything more than till a couple of inches...

It's horses for courses really... I love my 400 but it's hard to justify unless you put a big space down for potatoes, at which point it becomes wonderful, the 200 is great but would be a disappointment on heavy ground... one tip with them is replace  the engine with a modern one rated for approx twice the power adn with a manual throttle rather than an auto....

The Ryobi attachment is OK if all you want is seedbeds bashed into dug ground....

Sounds as if you've plenty of petrol power for your "plots" Chiscross1966!

It is such a shame the Howards are no longer manufactured. I'm very attached to my 200 but it's getting on in years - almost 50 at a guess. It's developed an oil leak that the local mower service & repair place is unable to fix for me.  :(

Its only disadvantage is lack of a reverse gear but it copes wonderfully with my 12 rod.

I'm a no-digger and have found that I get less weeds and less slugs than my neighbours, also less pest overall...just a though...Charles Dowding website is a great start for no dig.

D.

Quote from: Dragonette on July 24, 2012, 12:11:00
I'm a no-digger and have found that I get less weeds and less slugs than my neighbours, also less pest overall...just a though...Charles Dowding website is a great start for no dig.

D.

I feel "No digging" makes sense when it comes to keeping the weeds under control if your neighbours are good at it too. After all everytime you turn the soil you are bringing potential weed seeds back to the surface and some last quite a while under the surface.

But I like digging for several reasons: I turn the bottom to the top to refresh the leached nutrients that have been washed down, newly planted things get a 'fresh' dollop of soil to grow in and the bit that has seen a plant through a season is mixed in lower down.

I find it particularly useful as a way of cleaning up the top surface and digging in the soft annual weeds which help enrich the soil and improve the structure.

Good exercise too.

Well...... it's just my personal opinion.  ;)

I certainly wouldn't use a rotovator too frequently as it tends to crumble the soil into a pan.