[Mega]

Good morning 

We are installing more raided beds onto our half plot at the moment but also own an old rotivator.

The rotivator has served us well and helped us out no end in the past, but I am wondering whether it is time for a change.

Reading lots about the for & against was wondering what your take on it is please? 

We are also installing a small row in the middle soley for beneficial flowers etc - so a bit like a nectar bar & companion planting the beds to see if this works any better than regimental rows.

Nice to see the sun out at long last 

Have nice day - whatever you are doing

[DD.]

Nothing wrong in rotavating if your plot is free of pernicious weeds, like it sounds yours is.

I'd have thought that it was a bit difficult doing raised beds though!

[Glosterboy]

Nothing wrong in rotavating if your plot is free of pernicious weeds, like it sounds yours is.

I'd have thought that it was a bit difficult doing raised beds though!

No more difficult than rotovating an allotment whereby the boundaries are designated by wood planks, wire netting or any other types of material come to that. Unfortunately, not all allotment area boundaries are determined by a nice grassy edging.

[Stevens706]

I use my rotovator mainly to mix in the manure. I hand dig the ground, spread the manure then later rotivate it.

[DD.]

Nothing wrong in rotavating if your plot is free of pernicious weeds, like it sounds yours is.

I'd have thought that it was a bit difficult doing raised beds though!

No more difficult than rotovating an allotment whereby the boundaries are designated by wood planks, wire netting or any other types of material come to that. Unfortunately, not all allotment area boundaries are determined by a nice grassy edging.

I can't agree there. You only got to get over the allotment boundary once, something you'd have to repeat with every bed.

Then there's the issue of the rotavator being higher than yourself, as surely you're not going to trample over raised beds, as this defeats one of the objectives of them.

You also cannot rotavate right up to the edge, so the unrotavated bit is going to be a far higher proportion than an unbedded allotment.

[Glosterboy]

Nothing wrong in rotavating if your plot is free of pernicious weeds, like it sounds yours is.

I'd have thought that it was a bit difficult doing raised beds though!

No more difficult than rotovating an allotment whereby the boundaries are designated by wood planks, wire netting or any other types of material come to that. Unfortunately, not all allotment area boundaries are determined by a nice grassy edging.

I can't agree there. You only got to get over the allotment boundary once, something you'd have to repeat with every bed.

Then there's the issue of the rotavator being higher than yourself, as surely you're not going to trample over raised beds, as this defeats one of the objectives of them.

You also cannot rotavate right up to the edge, so the unrotavated bit is going to be a far higher proportion than an unbedded allotment.

“You only got to get over the boundary once,” I’m sorry I can’t make out heads or tails of this statement?

I certainly have no issue regards walking on rotovated earth. If the rotovator which is being used as the swivel type handles facility to work off-line? Then the issue is not a concern. If the rotovator has not got that facility? Then there is no choice!!

I don’t ever rotovate right up to the edge. I tend only to rotovate approx one fork width from the edge. And then dig and clean to ensure a clean finish boundary all the way round.

[DD.]

It's really quite simple.

If your allotment has a boundary, you've only got to lift the rotavator over it once. You have to do that for each bed you have. It's a simple mathematical equation to therefore deduce that rotavating raised beds is more difficult!

[stuart curran]

my concern is if you hit the end of the raised bed  you may injure yourself  when the rotovator

jumps. Im sure you already know what its like when you hit very hard ground so think what it

will be like if it climbs over the edge and drags you with it for this reason i will say not a good idea sorry 

[Glosterboy]

It's really quite simple.

If your allotment has a boundary, you've only got to lift the rotavator over it once. You have to do that for each bed you have. It's a simple mathematical equation to therefore deduce that rotavating raised beds is more difficult!

More difficult than what? I can only think of allotments which boundaries have the luxury of defined nice grassy edgings!!

[Yorkie]

Each raised bed is, by definition, higher than the surrounding paths.  Therefore, for each raised bed, you have to physically lift the rotavator onto and then off the bed.

On a flat allotment there is no additional lifting once you've got the rotavator onto the plot.

[DD.]

See, not that hard to understand, was it?

[mumofstig]

Each raised bed is, by definition, higher than the surrounding paths.  Therefore, for each raised bed, you have to physically lift the rotavator onto and then off the bed.

On a flat allotment there is no additional lifting once you've got the rotavator onto the plot.

and you only lose one undiggable edge - you lose a space around each raised bed.
If the raised beds are only the usual 4ft wide, the machine is only working on about the middle 2ft of it.....I decided it wasn't worth the effort 

[Glosterboy]

Each raised bed is, by definition, higher than the surrounding paths.  Therefore, for each raised bed, you have to physically lift the rotavator onto and then off the bed.

On a flat allotment there is no additional lifting once you've got the rotavator onto the plot.

There you go DD!! Why couldn't you (as a Global Moderator!!) provide an adequate, easy to understand explaination of the possible difficulty of which raised beds could cause; as and when rotovating? Rather than negative replies. Isn't that the role and function of a good Global Moderator? To provide helpful and positive responses for the benefit of all?

[mumofstig]

I thought he'd already provided that info

It's really quite simple.

If your allotment has a boundary, you've only got to lift the rotavator over it once. You have to do that for each bed you have.

[DD.]

Yes I had done, hadn't I? I can't understand why the poster couldn't understand!

"Moderator" has nothing to do with it. Unlike other forums, the moderators here are first and foremost active members. To be helpful is the role of ALL members.