Learn the differences between tillers and cultivators and the tasks they’re best suited for.
Can you use a cultivator to make a new garden bed?
Will a tiller besuitable for weeding aisles and pathways?
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Lets break down what makes these machines different and which tasks theyre best suited for.
What Is a Tiller?
Tillers are large machines designed for heavy work.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
They are gas-powered and solidly built.
Front Tine Tillers
Front tine tillers are small and light but still meant for work.
Rear Tine Tillers
Rear tine tillers are larger workhorses meant for bigger areas and tougher tasks.
With larger engines and heavy-duty transmissions, these tillers weigh 300 pounds or more.
Rear tine tillers can be expensive.
Marty Baldwin
What Is a Cultivator?
Cultivators are smaller machines meant for lighter work and smaller spaces.
They can be gas, electric, or batterypowered and can be picked up and carried to a job.
Electric cultivators are quieter, lighter, and require less maintenance than gas-powered models.
Newer versions often have power similar to small gas models.
They can be corded or cordless.
If youre thinking about calling over the neighbors 6-foot-tall teenager to help lift it, its a tiller.
Many cultivators are purposely labeled as tillers when their construction reveals they are not.
Dont fall for it.
Choose the right tool for the job, and youll be much happier.
Using one machine for both roles is an exercise in frustration.
Either machine can be forced to do tasks meant for the other, but it isnt ideal.
A tiller can be made to work between the rows for cultivation ormixing soil amendmentsin large established beds.
Think of it like lawnmowers.
Choose the right tool for the job and make life easier.
Its stronger construction, larger and heavier tines, and more powerful engine are designed for this exact task.
Many people use garden forks or broad forks to minimize soil disturbance.
A tiller works for wide aisles, but stick to a cultivator near plants.
