[scottishislandlass]

i finally discovered i can make use of a croft for what will hopefully be a rather large vegetable patch.  i began digging the ground a couple of months ago, and unfortunately it really is too hard going with rushes etc.  i don't think i can wait another year to grow veg!  would it be bad for the ground to rotavate in the coming weeks?  i have no idea.  all suggestions welcome!

[SalJ1980]

Hi islandlass! I have no experience of rotovating so can't help you there - I don't know if the ground might be a bit too hard this early in the year?

You could always start by cutting the rushes down low to the ground and then covering the ground with black plastic sheeting or cardboard to suppress the weeds/rushes from growing back, then rotovate and/or dig more thoroughly when the ground is a bit more forgiving?

I'm sure someone else will be along shortly with more ideas.

Please do pop in to the Welcome to the Forums board and introduce yourself there!

 

[8Bed]

I tried rotavating a few beds of ours Tuesday morning  

I gave up after 10mins as it was -4 degrees & it just bounced off the surface.

-8bed

[richyrich7]

Not 100% sure on this, but my feeling is that if the grounds not frozen or too wet then a rough rotovation would be ok, bit like winter digging leave the clods to break down naturally.
If you reduce it down to a tilth now I think it will compact again with the rain and frosts, thats why I suggest just doing a rough job for now, you can always do it again in the spring just before planting.

[Clampit]

I bought a rotavator in hope to break the ground up on my plot when I got it. I cut all the grass and weeds down before I rotavated, but i'm sorry to say that method didn't work for me. It just resulted in scrape marks on the surface of the soil.
I ended up turning the whole plot over with a spade and then breaking the big lumps up with the rotavator.
I have got fairly decent soil as well, not being solid clay or anything like that.

[scottishislandlass]

thanks for the advice!  frost isn't something we're bothered with too often up here, and it is gloriously sunny right now, so will get to it!

[woodburner]

I have a feeling the rotivator would find marsh grass hard to get through, but then again I don't have much experience of rotivators.
I had a clump of marsh grass about a foot across at the base and had to dig it out in one piece, it was so tough, but for all I know a rotivator might have cut through it like butter.  :?

[richyrich7]

Depends on the size of it a mantis tiller would get no where , a gem however should manage, best bet thinking about it would be to get it ploughed if possible.

[Trillium]

You need to remember that a rotovator is for chopping up soil more finely, not for initiating ground breakup. I've rototilled my gardens for years now but each spring I must loosen the hardened soil with the spade first so that the rotovator blades can bite into the soil. Otherwise they simply bounce over the surface. And if the soil is at all wet or frozen, the rotovator just clogs up. It's a waste of time and you risk breaking the blades.

[pushrod]

You need to remember that a rotovator is for chopping up soil more finely, not for initiating ground breakup. I've rototilled my gardens for years now but each spring I must loosen the hardened soil with the spade first so that the rotovator blades can bite into the soil. Otherwise they simply bounce over the surface. And if the soil is at all wet or frozen, the rotovator just clogs up. It's a waste of time and you risk breaking the blades.

Rotovators are usually the bigger machines;(unless we're talking ploughs   ) tillers and cultivators is usually the name given to the smaller machines like mantis etc.

Scottishislandlass if your machine works - use it. If the ground is too wet or heavy try another dryer day. Experience will eventually let you know when and not to use it.

[Trillium]

My machine is a 5 hp beast with several speeds and variable depth gauge, and it still needs the ground to be loosened a bit to really get in deep. Without some loosening the blades prefer to skip over the surface for the first 3 or 4 passes.

[Gwiz]

I think the advice is, if the ground is frozen or wet, keep off it/don't dig.
The same go's for the rotovator.