Summer is the season of sales, and adjustable tiller is a big investment. The following is what you need to know before buying.

Now is a good time to take advantage of the major sales opportunities for gardening equipment. This is what you need to know before buying a tiller.

For any garden that is too big to manually loosen the soil with a digging fork—unless you like hours of heavy work, it means any garden that consists of more than a pair of four-by-eight-foot beds—tillers are the creation of annual vegetables to thrive An important tool for growing loose, fluffy soil. But the variety of choices can be daunting. Before going to the local equipment dealer, please familiarize yourself with the basics to avoid selling unwanted items.

If you are lucky enough to get a decent discount on your tillers, don't rush to pack your newly purchased items in the back of the shed until next spring-you will need it in a few months. Autumn is the best time to start preparing the garden for spring planting, so make sure it is easy to use. (It is best to cultivate in the compost as early as possible, and let the microorganisms perform their magic a few months before planting-it is also the main window for planting cover crops, for which the soil needs light plowing preparation.)

Types of tillers
Confused about all tillering terms? The following are the basics.

Field cultivators: These mini cultivators are narrow enough to pass between the vegetable rows to "nurture" the weeds that appear after the crop is planted-which means digging them out-without disturbing the roots of the crop. In addition to removing weeds, field cultivators are also good at loosening the surface of the soil and mixing compost in preparation for planting. However, they are not tools for cultivating hard soil that has never been cultivated before.

Front-Tine Tiller: These light cultivators have tines (the blades that stir the earth) at the front of the machine, which are larger and more powerful than field cultivators. They are an affordable and universal choice for medium-sized gardens. Rotating tines help to propel the machine forward, but operating them requires considerable upper body strength, and it can be tiring to use them for a long time or in hard, rocky or rooted soil.

Rear-Tine Tiller: These heavy tillers have blades at the rear and wheels at the front. More importantly, the wheels are usually powered by an engine, so they are easier to operate for a long time than a front fork tiller. On the other hand, the machines themselves are heavier and larger, so enough power is still required to manipulate them. These tillers are the best choice for breaking ground in heavy clay or soil full of roots and rocks that have never been cultivated before. Although high-end rear fork cultivators are expensive, they are still cheaper than tractors, so they are usually hired by small sales market gardeners whose land (and income) is not enough to justify a larger investment. Gardeners on small plots usually rent a rear fork tiller for the first cultivation, and then buy a cheaper front fork tiller every year to maintain the fragile soil.

Mid-Tine Tiller: These are variants of the front forks, which are located directly under the engine. The weight of the engine helps push the tines into the ground, while the wheels with a larger spacing on either side provide additional stability. The purpose of the middle tooth tiller is the same as the front tooth model, but the force required for operation is much smaller.

Types of tines
There are three main types of tines. Most tillers, especially the more expensive models, are designed to allow you to move from one tillage to another according to the soil conditions. Sometimes it is necessary to check each type of soil in turn.

Bolo: These curved or L-shaped blades are standard on most models. They are best suited for situations that require deep tillage and minimal rocks, vegetation, and roots.

Slasher: This is the best choice for cutting roots and dense vegetation. They are designed to prevent such debris from wrapping around the tines and getting stuck, which is a common complaint of Polo tines.

Pickaxe and chisel: These are used to break hard rocky ground.

Precautions for tiller maintenance
Some small cultivators are powered by wires instead of gas engines, which eliminates most of the noise and all exhaust gas. Some even use rechargeable batteries for operation, and Sam E as a power tool. Electric field cultivators require almost no maintenance.

Gas engines are smelly and dirty and require regular maintenance, such as oil changes and spark plug replacement. You also need to exhaust gas in winter or add fuel stabilizers to keep it fresh so that you can use it again in spring. The smaller front fork cultivator uses a two-stroke engine that runs on a mixture of gasoline and oil, while all rear forks and larger front fork models use a four-stroke engine that runs on pure gas. The larger the engine, the more expensive and complicated the maintenance.

Bells and whistles
There are a variety of special functions and additional components that make the tiller easier to use and can be used for various tasks.

Adjustable tillage depth: One of the most basic functions, this is essentially an adjustable rod at the rear of the tiller, which is used to control the depth that the tines can reach.

Adjustable tine width: Some models allow you to slide the tines closer or farther in order to cultivate in rows of different widths.

Foldable handle: most common in front fork tiller, this function makes it easier to install the tiller in the back of the car or in a small storage space.

Counter-rotating tines: Some rear fork cultivators are designed so that the tines rotate in the opposite direction as the wheel rotates forward, thereby generating additional traction, allowing you to plow deeper even in heavy soil.

Double-rotating tines: The high-end rear fork tines can be switched back and forth between positive and negative tine rotation.

Reverse gear: This function is not related to the tines, but to the wheels of the rear tine tiller. The ability to reverse drive the machine makes it easier to operate in narrow places and is less laborious for users.

Electric start: The gas farming engine is usually started with a cable, just like a lawn mower. However, models with this function only need to press a button.

Accessories: Many small tools can be used to convert tillers into other uses, including snow blowers for winter maintenance and edge trimmers and weeders for lawn maintenance. High-end rear fork cultivators usually include a power output shaft, which is a universal socket that can provide power for a large number of machines, much like a tractor.

In addition to the cultivator, you may also need amultifunctional brush cutter , which can help you better use and keep the garden clean and tidy.