Who has a dacha or dacha plot for sure is familiar with such a unit as a cultivator. Those who have only recently purchased a dacha or moved into their own house with a vegetable garden, can already begin to study what it is.
Article Summary:
What is a cultivator and why do you need one?
So, a cultivator is a machine that is used in agriculture. Its purpose is to process the land with special cutters. It is possible to equip it with attachments.
Each model has a different capacity, which depends on the engine of the cultivator, as well as on the working width. It is used for tilling the soil.
Choosing the right cultivator
What do you need to know before directly buying a cultivator? We remember that this is a specialized equipment, which is designed to make agricultural work easier for man and help him save time.
Therefore, it is not worth it to be guided simply by the photo of a cultivator for dacha. It is necessary to know and understand what you need it for.
Cultivators have different purposes:
- Cultivators work the soil in continuous tillage and harrow the soil;
- Do plowing between the rows, feeding the fertile level if necessary;
- Prepare the ground for sowing, additionally level the soil, remove weeds, loosen the ground cover;
- Universal cultivators – perform cultivation in all directions.
Cultivators can cover a single row or be multi-row.
The weight of such units can vary depending on their purpose – the lightest are designed to work on small plots, the heaviest are equipped with a powerful engine and can be equipped with additional attachments.
If you decide to buy a cultivator for your use – be sure to hold it in your hands to make sure you are comfortable holding it.
All of the control handles should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, without giving you any comfort. The handles should be made of roughened material, this will not allow the cultivator to slip in your hands.
Controls – it should start without much trouble. Some models are additionally equipped with special protective discs, which are located on the edge of the shaft.
A quality cultivator (whether it is a manual or an electric cultivator) will serve you long and reliably. Such models have sturdy designs, and cultivator companies usually guarantee the build quality of their machines.
Drive types
- Manual cultivators.
- Motor cultivators.
- Which can be coupled to tractors.
Motocultivators – its main purpose: land cultivation. More functional model due to the fact that it can be equipped with a large number of attachments.
Electric cultivators are equipped with two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines. The model with a four-stroke power unit is considered the best in terms of performance (in terms of time and quality). These models are considered the most economical.
Cultivators come with a variety of attachments, the most common of which are the plow, ploughshare, and duckbill. As an additional part is a potato digger. Often it is rarely used, as it plunges to a sufficient depth.
A lawn aerator plow may also be the right thing for you. There are attachments that allow you to dissect garden debris into small fragments – a shredder and a rotary mower.
Hand-held cultivators are hard to pass up. They are good for places where large units will be quite difficult to pass – it is a flower bed with intricate paths, a small line near the fence, an alpine hill.
Despite the fact that beautiful flowers often grow in such places, they also need to be periodically “braked”, saturating the soil with additional oxygen. Hand-held models allow you to avoid damaging the root system of plants.
There is probably no single answer – which cultivator is better. Modern manufacturers offer a variety of models with different attachments, for every taste and wallet.
Light models have a small grip, the depth of cultivation of cultivators is only 20 centimeters. They can be electrically driven or petrol-powered.
The lightest models are equipped with an electric drive and have up to 3 horsepower. A woman and even a teenager can cope with such light versions of cultivators. The disadvantages include the presence of a wire, which is very easy to cut while working.
Small models will quickly enough cope with a plot of up to 10 acres. They have a greater plowing depth and can capture an area of up to 40 cm in one stroke. Cultivators on gasoline are more expensive than their electric counterparts.
Unfortunately, electric ones require constant voltage and an extension cord. This is not always convenient. It is also worth remembering that they are undesirable to use in wet weather.
The medium models are designed for use by the stronger sex. It will be difficult for a woman to handle them. They are mainly used in large areas that require effective loosening of the soil. It is allowed to use other tools together with this model. The weight of an average cultivator can be up to 48 kilograms.
For the cultivation of the standard 6 acres of a garden plot, the ideal option would be a small model of cultivator. Unfortunately, it is not capable of more than weeding and spring soil preparation. If you have a difficult terrain – give preference to a light model.
How to use a cultivator
Practically all variants of cultivators are the same in the principles of their operation. You need to plug in and fill up the unit, put it in the place where you want to start working and turn it on. Next, you push the unit forward, gradually advancing toward the end of your goal.
Remember that rushing and excessive pressure on the unit is not advisable. The cultivator is capable of digging the soil at 1.5 shovel tips.
In case you find that the cultivator is stuck in the soil – rock it slightly from side to side. Do not let it out of your hands – hold it firmly. Do not allow it to overheat.
In the case of the gasoline version – do not use a mixture that has been standing for a long time. This will help extend the life of the cultivator engine.
Tips for choosing a cultivator
- Try to research the market for cultivator manufacturers.
- If you buy a heavy, powerful device – give preference to wheels without cameras. Wheels with tubes can deflate, so you have to constantly pump them up.
- Choose your engine oil from the engine recommendations.
- Pay attention to the quality of additional accessories for your chosen model of cultivator. If they are of poor quality – it is better to refuse from such model.
- After a long break in work – it is necessary to warm up well on idling.
Modern cultivators for dachas can significantly save time and effort of the working man. In this case it will not matter – what is the size of your plot.
Today, manufacturers offer models for different site sizes, with different capacities and different attachments.
Photo of a cultivator for dacha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtoJqD_5kFM
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