[Alan lad]

Got my "lotty" in May,very overgrown but managed to put 3 raised beds in just for this year. Cutback and burnt off the rest and now autum is here am planning turning it all over. It's not been done for a number of years and I have chance of a rally rear tine rotavator/tiller but not sure if it will be up to the job.planning to just do a couple of inches depth at a time but don't want to buy something that won't cope,think it's got a 5hp engine,rear mounted contra rotating times,3 speeds etc. Has anyone got one,used one etc or should I hire a heavy duty machine to get me started? Just the cost of hire is what this guy wants from me to buy one.

[Vit]

Welcome to message board.

For the first turn "after few years" i would recommend to use something big, or be ready to spend lots of time with smaller one. On other side, using small one is better, when you want to remove the stones , roots and weeds.
 You probably takling about buying chinese made noname rotovator. Maybe it's ok, but beware. You have to be 100% sure about warranty and spare parts supplier. Also if you buying brand new machine is better after checking oil(forget about 2stroke apart you got one for free), run the engine on idle one or two tanks of fuel, than flush oil and fill up fresh one. If you got secondhand branded machine(the best value i guess), change oil both in engine and transmission(10W30 or SAE30) and flush carb with proper solvent, replace or install new fuel filter. It will help you to avoid "nightmare" when you will start to process soil at your plot.

Feels free to ask questions
Good luck

[Flatcat]

If you are able to do the work by hand, then I would always recommend it, but the machine you describe should be more than up to the job. Anything wheel driven with the rear mounted tines will be able to break new ground.

For continued cultivation, again it is always best by hand, be when running low on time, we borrow a friend's Merry Tiller, which is the smaller, tine driven cultivator which just loosens and turns the soil rather than a rotovator which just churns everything up in it's path.

Damon

[grendel]

I have an old rotovator, its great for turning over the soil and preparing the soil for planting and really cuts the time to turn the soil over, I can get both my  half plots done in a few hours, I do need to double dig a bit at a time but the rotovator makes life a lot easier, leaving more time for all the other jobs.
Grendel

[Swed]

I asked the same question a few years back.
One of my aquaintances, who grew up in a family who ran a garden, replied: Howard GEM (period).

Another friend described how well an Irus works. ("borrowed" that photo from www.ebay.de)

Still, one can get a lot of heavy work done by the tiny, almost silly looking, Mantis www.mantis.com
Using the Mantis will simply take more time to finnish the work, but it will get it done

Stay away from front mounted "jumping all over" non-tilling things! You will only get dissapointed, and risk hurting yourself. (e.g. http://www.partner.biz/int/products/cultivators-tillers/pft5554rb/ )

This is the concept I do recommend:
http://www.ppestates.co.uk/product/151/
NX_OBErLyEw

[grendel]

this is what I've got, and it does a lovely job, I find it really works well if you drag it backwards towards yourself.
Grendel

[grendel]

I actually have 2 of these - I bought both non working for £5and £10 each and tinkered with them and got them working. at the moment they share a petrol tank because one of them needs a new fuel tap. I guess they are about 30 odd years old, but still run well and do a great job.
Grendel

[Vit]

2 Swed i like second one - doesen't looks so heavy
2 grendel good deal so it's ended "rear mounted rotary"