How to use a Garden Cultivator

When spring planting season rolls around, make your life easier. Cultivate your garden soil. Garden tillers or cultivators rip weeds from their plots while churning rocky dirt into loose, finely textured and aerated soil. So when you’re ready to till that plot, keep these tips in mind:

Inspect your cultivator before use – Check the tines for signs of wear or large debris, and refill the fuel if needed. Adjust the depth stake to your desired depth and stand firmly behind the machine. Always start the engine with the tines above the ground. Clear the tines between each pass and be sure to move aside any stringy materials, large rocks or pieces of wood.
Wear appropriate clothing and safety gear – Protective eyewear, gloves, long pants and closed-toe shoes will help ensure your safety while operating your cultivator. Always keep your feet clear of the powerful rotating tines when working.
Let the machine do the work – Control and guide the machine with a steady grip, but don’t try to force it in a particular direction. Encourage the tines to keep digging, but be sure not to shove them into the ground.
Use parallel and perpendicular passes – Walk the cultivator slowly, and overlap the space covered slightly after each pass. You won’t be cultivating as deeply in the overlapping pass, but retracing the lane will help even the soil. Once you’ve covered the entire area with parallel passes, work crossways by tracing perpendicular lines across the original lanes.
Work through soil gradually – Start with a shallower depth stake and then increase the depth once you’ve loosened the top layer of soil.

Read your owner’s manual – Always read the manufacturer’s instructions so you can familiarize yourself with your specific equipment. The manual will contain starting instructions as well as recommendations for use. If you’re looking into cultivators, you’ll find gas and electric options here.