Twist Tiller. Tips from Professionals

Tilling is breaking hard and compacted soil and mixing it up to prepare it for new plants or crops. Tillers can also be used to remove old plant roots and weeds. It loosens the soil and makes it ideal for seeding and fertilizing.

Twist Tiller:

A twist tiller is a manual handheld tiller with twisted tines. The twisted tines make it easier for the user to rotate the handle as the tiller is pushed into the ground. This kind of movement is best for breaking and mixing soil. A twist tiller is perfect for small gardens and narrow spaces since it can easily carry around. Manual rototillers and powered tillers are better suited for bigger yards since they require less effort.

Do Manual Tillers Work?

A tiller is a must-have tool if you want a perfect garden across all seasons. Like most garden tools, tillers may also be powered or manual. Powered tillers are divided into two categories, i.e., gas-powered and electric models.

I recommend going for a powered tiller if you have a large garden, whereas manual tillers are the optimal choice for smaller gardens. They do the job just as well as the powered ones, are much more budget-friendly, and are much easier to maintain.

Manual tillers are perfect for breaking up hard and compacted soil in small gardens. They can also mix soil and blend in compost and fertilizer.

● Types of Manual Seeders:

Manual tillers can be broadly classified into types, hand tillers and push tillers. Here’s how the two differ:

– Hand Tiller

A hand tiller is a handheld tool quite similar to a rake, except that it is usually smaller, and its claws have a different shape. Other names for hand tillers include mini rakes, grubbers, claw rakes, etc.

Some hand tillers have straight tines, while others have twisted tines and are known as twist tillers. Twist tillers can be rotated around the axis of the handle at the same time they are pushed into the ground.

This way, twist tillers mix the soil while breaking it, making them the ideal handheld tillers. Hand tillers are better suited for uneven ground and tight spaces where push tillers cannot be used.

– Push Tillers

Push tillers are walk-behind tillers built similarly to manual walk-behind lawnmowers with rotating blades replaced with rotating tines. The rotating tines of manual push tillers may be circular to star-shaped.

I recommend a manual push tiller for a mid-size garden where using a hand tiller is a lot of work while using a powered tiller seems overkill.

How to Till Your Garden with a Manual Tiller/Twist Tiller:

Tilling is the ideal way to prepare a ground for planting new seeds. A manual handheld or walk-behind rototiller is ideal for breaking compacted soil and blending in fertilizer and organic matter. Tilling a garden with a manual tiller is simple, but the area must be well-cleaned before tilling.

Follow this step-by-step guide to achieve the best tilling results with your manual tiller:

● Step 1: Prepare the Soil

Tilling prepares the soil for new plantations. Therefore, you must remove old and unwanted grass and plants before tilling. Soil preparation for tilling consists of the following:

– Remove Old Plants, Grass, Sod, and Weeds:

Dig out the roots of old plants, grass, and weeds with a shovel. The best technique to dig out old plants is to aim at the roots at a 45 degrees angle to sever them. Sever the roots, then pull out the plants with your hand. Wear safety gloves to protect your hands while digging out the old and unwanted plantations.

Sod can be removed by digging small patches with a shovel or applying an herbicide. Alternatively, you can cover the sod with a black sheet to prevent it from getting sunlight, and this will kill the sod in three to four days.

Properly dispose of the removed sod or use it later as compost. Dead plants, leaves, and other organic matter may be left in the area to be mixed with the soil during tilling.

– Remove Obstacles from The Area:

Stones, rocks, large roots, and other obstructions must be removed since they not only damage the tines but also may hamper the growth of new plants. Inspect the area and remove any obstacles you find. You should also be aware of the location of underground cables and pipes not to hit them while tilling.

– Test the Soil:

Different plants need different soil conditions for ideal growth, and plants may even die if the soil conditions are not right. I recommend checking the soil type and pH before planting new seeds.

You can test the pH of your soil with a pH test kit that you can easily find at garden stores or online. Or you can use the following method to do to determine your soil type:

• Water: Water a small section of your garden.
• Ball: Grab a handful of the moist soil and squeeze it into a ball.
• Dry: Store the ball in a well-ventilated space protected from rain for 24 hours.
• 24 hours: Retrieve the dry soil ball after 24 hours.
• Check the ball: A tight ball means clay, whereas a ball that crumbles indicates sand. A crumbly ball that loosely holds its shape indicates loam. Loam is the ideal kind of soil to have for new plantations.
• County extension office: Depending on your location, you can contact your county extension office for a more accurate soil type and pH examination for free or a minor fee.

– Improve the Soil:

You can improve your soil after finding out its type and pH to make it more favorable for new seeds and plants. You can add specific soil to create loam or add specific supplements to modify its pH:

• To reduce pH: If the pH of your soil is high (acidic soil), you can reduce it by sprinkling some wood ash or lime on the soil before tilling.
• To increase pH: If the pH of your soil is low (alkaline soil), you can increase it by sprinkling compost, peat moss, or sawdust before tilling.
• To create loam: If your soil is sandy or clay-like, apply 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of manure, peat moss, shredded leaves, or compost.
• For Extra Benefit: You can make any soil type more favorable for the growth of new plants by applying organic matter such as compost, manure, leaf mold, etc.

● Step 2: Till the Soil

Till the prepared soil by moving along straight rows in your garden until the entire area is covered. Tilling with a manual tiller is straightforward, yet it is a bit different for push tillers and handheld tillers.

– Push Tiller:

Adjust the tilling depth to about 5-8 inches (12-20 cm) and start pushing your walk-behind manual rototiller along a row in your garden. Pushing a manual rototiller rotates the wheels to move it forward and rotates the tines to till the soil.

Complete one row and then repeat the process for the adjacent parallel row. Repeat until the entire area has been tilled. Inspect the area at the end, and till any patches you might have missed in the first go.

– Handheld Tiller/Twist Tiller:

A handheld tiller has to be moved from one point to the other. Like the push tiller, walk along a row in your garden and push the tines of your handheld tiller to the required depth. Twist the tiller while pushing it into the ground and pulling it out to achieve ideal breaking and mixing. The twisted tines of a twist tiller make it easier to rotate the handle while pushing it into the ground and pulling it out.

Maintaining uniform mixing and breaking is difficult with a handheld tiller since the operator controls the distance between two points and the digging depth. I recommend going at a slow pace to maintain uniform tilling.

Complete one row and then repeat the process for the adjacent parallel row. Repeat until the entire area has been tilled. Inspect the area at the end and till any patches you might have missed in the first go.

What is the Difference between a Tiller and a Cultivator?

Contrary to the common misunderstanding, “tiller” and “cultivator” are not two different names for the same tool. A tiller’s job is to break hard, compact soil to make it soft and favorable for fertilizing and plantation.

A cultivator’s job is to mix soft soil with fertilizer or compost before plantation. Tillers are usually heavier and costlier than cultivators.

Will a Tiller Break Up Roots?

Whether a tiller will break roots depends on the size and power of the tiller as well as the size of the roots. A powered tiller can easily break small roots, but the resistance of large roots can stop and even damage the tines.

The answer to this question can be explained better by categorizing them into different types and seeing whether a tiller will break a particular type. Here’s a brief breakdown:

● Small Plants:

A tiller is usually strong enough to break up the roots of small plants such as vegetables and flowers. However, if you do not intend to get rid of the small plants in your garden, be very careful to avoid hitting their roots with the strong tines of your tiller.

Depending on the type of plant, roots can be long.

● Weeds:

Weeds can have an extensive network of roots beneath your garden, but the roots are generally very soft and can be destroyed with a rototiller. You could even think of a rototiller as an ideal weed-destroying device.

● Trees:

Tree roots are almost always too strong for a tiller and must be avoided when tilling your garden. It is never a good idea to hit roots from more mature trees with a tiller, no matter the power because tree roots can permanently damage the tines.

You should be aware of the possible locations of tree roots in your garden, and you must move around them when tilling.

● Bushes:

A rototiller can break up the roots of young bushes easily. Bushes whose roots grow into the soil vertically aren’t much trouble either.

On the other hand, the roots of matured bushes can be just as strong as tree roots and can damage the tines. Bushes that spread their roots horizontally can also challenge a low-powered tiller.

Which is Better, a Rear-Tined or Front-Tined Tiller?

It would be best if you had basic know-how of these two tiller types before deciding which one is better. Here’s a brief introduction to the two:

● Rear-tined Tiller:

A rear-tined tiller has tires on the rear side and wheels on the front side. The wheels of a rear-tined tiller are mounted on an axle that can be turned, just like in a car. The wheels propel the rear-tined tiller, while the tines’ only job is to dig and break the soil.

● Front-tined Tiller:

A front-tined tiller has its tines on the front side and wheels on the rear side. The wheels of a front-tined tiller do not propel the tiller and are only there to guide it. A front-tined tiller pulls itself forward due to the tines breaking the soil and pulling as they dig into it.

● Which Type is Better?

In terms of ease of use and power, a rear-tined tiller is better than a front-tined one. Due to the front wheels, they are more maneuverable and generally have a more powerful engine. But they are more expensive than a front-tined one.

– Tiller target area and cost

Rear-tined tillers are best suited for tilling a large yard or one with highly compacted or rocky soil. Front-tined tillers are best suited for smaller lawns and tighter spaces and are also more budget-friendly.

– Tiller weight

However, front-tined tillers are smaller and lighter. And they are generally more maneuverable compared to a rear-tined tiller. Front-tined tillers also take up less storage space and are more budget-friendly than rear-tined tillers.

– Tiller maneuverability

To take a front-tined tiller from one area of the lawn to another, you will have to push down on the handle to lift the spinning tines on the front side and then push the tiller to the desired area.

Whereas the wheels of the rear-tined tiller are powered and make it easier to drive to the next area. Unlike the tines of a front-tined tiller, the tines of a rear-tined tiller spin only when you want them to by pulling a lever to start or stop them.

It is also unsafe and impractical to pull a front-tined tiller in the reverse direction, whereas a rear-tined tiller can easily do so with the help of a reverse gear.

Can I Use a Tiller to Level My Yard?

A rototiller can level a yard by maintaining the same depth setting for the entire area. You may also start with the shallowest setting and go over the entire yard to loosen the top couple of inches, then increase the depth to dig deeper. Inspect the area at the end and use a rake to spread soil from higher patches toward lower patches to achieve a uniform level.

Can a Tiller Remove Grass?

Not all tillers can be used to remove grass completely because the grass roots can grow deep into the ground, and smaller tines cannot penetrate deep enough. A tiller whose tines can penetrate deep into the turf may be used to remove grass, but you may still need to pull out the roots or hit them with a shovel to destroy the roots.

Will Grass Grow Back After Tilling?

The grass may regrow from leftover roots in the soil or grass seeds that may fall from the grass and get mixed in the soil during tilling. If you want to regrow grass, I recommend reseeding it.

If you want to remove the grass permanently, I recommend pulling it out before tilling or covering it with a black sheet for some days to prevent it from getting sunlight. This will kill the grass and prevent it from growing back.

When Should I Till My Yard?

The best time to till the soil is before planting new seeds and plants in the spring. Tilling is difficult when the soil is hard and compacted, so it is usually easier to till after rain. However, wait a day or two after rain to till your yard.