Motor hoe or rotary cultivator?

Between the months of November and February, passing near cultivated fields, you may perceive an acrid and annoying smell. In fact, this is precisely the period in which tractors work the soil and fertilize the fields to prepare them for sowing.

In this annual phase, even those who have a vegetable garden can prepare the soil. There are different schools of thought: some believe in fact it is better to work the land both in November and in February; others say it's better to do it only once.

To carry out these activities, there are agricultural machines of various types, such as rotary tillers and rotary cultivators, which are also created for small plots and non-professional growers. Work becomes simpler, less tiring without giving up excellent results.

As a first phase, the vegetable garden needs to be dug, then the clods of soil underneath must be turned over and brought to the surface. This process can be carried out with a spade or using accessories that are inserted (depending on the models) both on the motor hoe and on the rotary cultivator.

Then you need to break the clods, so as to make the soil soft and suitable for planting or sowing.

At this point we can decide which of the two machines to use. The ideal would be to have both! The rotary cultivator can be used for more important and tiring jobs, perhaps at the beginning of the season when the soil is more difficult to treat. The motor hoe, on the other hand, can be particularly convenient when the ground is already loose and the
area is smaller, difficult to manage with a rotary cultivator.

But what are the advantages of a rotary cultivator? Greater stability, less vibrations and less fatigue: in fact its wheels
they advance and the cutter works independently, unlike the motor hoe. The end result is a finer soil that makes transplanting or planting easier. Depending on the model, there is the possibility of attaching different types of tools such as the plow.

What are the disadvantages? The rotary cultivator is less manageable in confined spaces. Its milling is shallower (around 15 cm). Furthermore, compared to a motor hoe of the same width, the cost will be more expensive.

What are the advantages of a motor hoe? Greater milling depth (25/30 cm), more suitable for reducing large clods resulting from digging. Lighter and more manageable, perfect for example in small vegetable gardens to switch between one crop and another.
It has a lighter weight and is transported more easily, without too much effort.

What are the disadvantages? It has a very nervous operation, it requires enough strength to use it, especially on terrain with large or uneven clods. To obtain a good soil finish, several passes are necessary.

The motor hoe uses the cutters themselves as a forwarding system: the drive shaft, via a belt and an oil-bath chain, allows the cutters to turn. Some models have one or two speeds and reverse.

The rotary cultivator advances via traction on the wheels and the tillers turn independently. The operating system is more complex, with an oil bath gearbox, which allows more demanding work.

Furthermore, the rotary cultivator has a higher weight which makes it further stable

Like all four-stroke machines, it is important to carry out an annual service. Furthermore, since they are machines that are always in contact with the earth, they have a filter that tends to get dirty and it is important to keep it clean on a regular basis to prevent dust from entering the engine. It is also a good habit to clean the cutters, especially the part where the movement is engaged.

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