[needssomehelp]

hi all, we are new to the allotment way of life, the site has never been used as allotments before it was just a field that had been ploughed at the beginning of the year.  when we took it on we bought a rotavator (secondhand) as i am waiting for a knee replacement and hubby has sherman's disease of the back, so digging by hand is a bit of a challenge.
the trouble is we get frowned upon  for using a machine to do the work, i know after a while it can give a bowl affect underground and it chops the weeds into smaller pieces to grow, but i dont really have any choice at the moment, are we so wrong for taking the easier option for us?? 

[m1ckz]

hi and wellcome,rotovators seem to be voodoo on an allotment, i dont know why, each spring i use mine ,, an yes its true i do get funny looks   he heeee, but it turns my plot over nicely, then i rake it level, it does it for me  ,  so carry on regardless , good film that was too lol, tc  mick

[DD.]

I don't use one myself, but a few on our site do.

I don't see why it should be frowned on if it helps you in your situation.

Carry on.

[Kristen]

I have a small Mantis cultivator. In the Spring when the weather is "just right" for our clay soil I get the whole site tilled - I couldn't do that by hand, I wouldn't have the time

"Yar Boo Sucks" to the people glaring over from next door I say!

[Spana]

I use one, well OH does it for me

Good luck with the new knee.  I had one fitted 3years ago , its fabulous

[Yorkie]

No reason why you shouldn't use a rotavator if it makes your life easier.

But if you do have perennial weeds such as bindweed, ground elder, docks, couch grass, marestail etc - then it will chop the roots up into lots of smaller pieces and give you greater problems in the future, as you've identified.

Good luck!

[bigben]

I have never used a rotavator but did wonder if you could use it to "double dig"?
Go over the area once, then use a barrow to move the now loose stuff at one end of the area and pile it up at the other creating a trench. It would need to be fairly wide. Then rotavate in some organic stuff in the trench. Shovel over the next strip of loose stuff into the first trench thus creating another trench and carry on.
I realise it still involves some hard shovel work but does avoid the pan problem and is likely to be easier than doing it by hand.

[m1ckz]

thats a good idea

[sam ward]

I have a 400 sq meter allotment at the bottom of my garden, it also used to be a field, I use a large rotivator (yard machine) which is very unlike a mantis, this has driven wheels and digs to a spades depth. I have never found it causing a bowling effect. I rotivate after the growing season and then again in March to dig in the compost and break up the soil again, after that it is back to the spade and rake.
I firmly believe that if a machine can do it, then use the machine, why make it harder work than necessary. I can dig over my entire growing patch in about 2 hours.

Cheers
Sam

[Stevens706]

Almost everyone on my site uses a rotivator, you have to do everything you can to make it as easy as possible for yourself. Good luck with your plot.

[Christo]

i am waiting for a knee replacement and hubby has sherman's disease of the back, so digging by hand is a bit of a challenge.

Don't know about the rotavator, but good luck with the knee operation! My mum had both replaced about 2 years ago and she is great now. So much happier. 

[evie2]

It's not anything to do with them ignore them, they're probably insecure and wish they'd thought of it.  Have you thought of raised beds, less bending involved  and there's always the no dig method

Good luck with the knee op  

[Babstreefern]

I like my saying, "its easy to rough it".  I have a rotavator (not a Tilly).  It really digs deep.  I always dig my allotment by hand first (I love it for the exercise), and use the rotavator in the Spring to grind the ground to a fine tilth ready for planting.  Its so much easier than raking.

Most of the folks on my allotment have some form of rotavator, and those that don't (usually the older folk), someone does it for them to make it easier for them.

As Kristen says very nicely "Ya boo sucks"

[needssomehelp]

wow thanks for all your encouraging comments!
when we took the plots on we hired the BIG ONE to start with and have now bought a smaller one that still goes down a spades depth.
as a newbie, its great to know other people that have more experiance are using them.
As for my knee, i have no idea how long i will have to wait for the replacement, they told me,  because im 43 they would rather wait untill im older, so in other words suffer! 

[potatogrower]

rotivator is a great machine. i cleared weeds before i used it and its made the soil very soft and stuff is growing great and better than before it was used. a great machine if you want to break up clay soil and mix in compost, manure and sand.