If you’re in the market for a tiller but are unsure which one to buy, Lorna Ochiel, East Africa representative for Husqvarna, has some advice to share about these powerful, versatile and easy-to-handle machines, which can cope with anything from a lush lawn to the hardest of soils.
“Tillers are great for breaking up large open areas of soil or for smaller garden patches, but before you buy one, make sure you’ve done your homework and know the pros and cons of each. Beyond the obvious difference between a front- and rear-tine tiller, which is the position of the tines, deciding which one to choose will depend on the job at hand,” she says.
Need to prepare soil in a large area? Get a rear-tine
Landscapers, professional gardeners, and farmers with large open areas will find a rear-tine counter-rotating tiller, with a generous working width, to be the most suitable machine. Rear-tine models are designed for use on densely packed earth and lawns and can reach greater depths than their front-tine counterparts, digging much deeper, which is beneficial for establishing new garden beds.
With powered wheels and tines that turn in the opposite direction, these machines are very effective at breaking up soil. However, the downside is that they struggle to get into tight corners and around obstacles, making this option unsuitable for smaller gardens. A rear-tine tiller’s engine is larger, making the machine heavier because it’s designed for heavy-duty tillage.
Enjoy gardening? Get a front-tine
Front-tine tillers are suitable for smaller areas with tighter spaces and less landscaping work— including greenhouses, small plots, garden patches, and tunnel maintenance. These tillers are driven by tines that can only move in one direction — forwards.
They are ideal for getting into small spaces and moving around plants. Standard working widths range from 74 cm to 135 cm, and additional tines can be added to customise the size of your tiller.
Front-tine tillers typically have lighter and less powerful engines compared to their bulkier counterparts. However, their smaller size makes them easier to store and transport, and they are more budget-friendly.
Weighing up the facts
“When deciding which tiller is best suited to your specific requirements, bear in mind that while the front-tine tiller is lightweight, cheaper, and great for small spaces, it is not the right choice for deep tilling and can only move forward,” says Ochiel.
“However, they are very versatile and can perform a variety of tasks with accessories for moss raking, edging, scarifying, and ploughing. If you have several small patches and flower beds in your garden, ensure that the tiller you choose has carrying handles or transport wheels. By contrast, the rear-tine tiller is excellent for deep tilling and can cover large, wide, open areas quickly, but it is more expensive and not as precise as a front-tine tiller,” she concludes.
Regardless of the size of the area that needs to be tilled, Husqvarna has a variety of options to choose from, and for optimum manoeuvrability and control, all their tillers have a reverse gear. In addition, every front-tine model can be fitted with accessories to enable various related tasks.
For more information or to view Husqvarna’s range of front- and rear-tine tillers, visit here.
