Cultivator for cottages: tips on choosing the best mechanism and the main types of machines (80 photos)
Who has a cottage or a suburban area is probably familiar with such an aggregate as a cultivator. Those who have just recently purchased a cottage or moved into their own house with a vegetable garden can already begin to study what it is.
So, a cultivator is a machine that is used in agriculture. Its purpose is the processing of the earth with special cutters. It is possible to equip it with attachments.
Each model has its own performance, which depends on the cultivator engine, as well as on the width of the grip. It is used for cultivating the soil.
Choosing the cultivator correctly
What do you need to know before buying a cultivator directly? We remember that this is a specialized technique that is designed to facilitate agricultural labor for a person and help him save time.
Therefore, it is not necessary to focus simply on the photo of the cultivator for the cottage. You need to know and understand why you need it.
Cultivators have different purposes:
- They treat the soil with continuous processing and harrow the land along the way;
- Make row spacing plowing, if necessary, feed the fertile level;
- Prepare the land for sowing, additionally level the soil, remove weeds, loosen the land cover;
- Universal cultivators – carry out cultivation in all directions.
Cultivators can cover one row or be multi-row.
The weight of such units can vary depending on the purpose – the lightest are designed to work in small areas, the heaviest are equipped with a powerful engine and can be equipped with additional devices.
If you decide to purchase a cultivator for your own use, be sure to hold it in your hands to make sure that you are comfortable holding it.
All control handles should fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, do not provide any amenities. The handles should be made of rough material, this will prevent the cultivator from sliding in your hands.
Controls – it should run without any problems. Some models are additionally equipped with special protective discs, which are located on the edge of the shaft.
A high-quality cultivator (no matter, manual, electric cultivator) will serve you for a long time and reliably. Such models have strong structures, and cultivator manufacturers usually guarantee the assembly quality of their devices.
Drive TypesManual cultivators.
- Motorcycle cultivators.
- Which can be connected to tractors.
Motorcycle cultivators are its main purpose: land cultivation. A 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). At the same time, such models are considered the most economical.
A variety of attachments are included in the set of cultivators, the most common of them are a plow, a plane cutter and a spud. As an additional detail, this is a potato digger. Often it is rarely used, as it sinks to a sufficient depth.
The right thing for you may be a plow with an aerator for the lawn. There are nozzles that allow you to dissect garden debris into small fragments – this is a shredder and a rotary mower.
Manual cultivators – it's hard to give them up. They are good for places where it will be quite difficult for large aggregates to pass – this is a flower garden with intricate paths, a small line near the fence, an alpine slide.
Despite the fact that beautiful flowers often grow in such places, they also need to be periodically "slowed down", saturating the soil with additional oxygen. Manual models allow you not to damage the root system of plants.
There is probably no unambiguous answer – which cultivator is better. Modern manufacturers offer a variety of models with different hinged structures, for every taste and purse.
Light models have a small grip, the depth of cultivation of cultivators is only 20 centimeters. They can have an electric drive or run on gasoline.
The lightest models are equipped with an electric drive, have a power of up to 3 horsepower. A woman and even a teenager can cope with such easy options of cultivators. The disadvantages include the presence of a wire, which is very easy to cut during operation.
Small models will quickly cope with a plot of up to 10 acres. Their plowing depth is greater, they are able to capture an area of up to 40 cm in one move. Gasoline-powered cultivators are more expensive than their electric counterparts.
Unfortunately, electrical ones require constant voltage and an extension cord. This is not always convenient. It is also worth remembering that it is undesirable to use them in wet weather.
Medium models are designed for use by the stronger sex. It will be hard for a woman to handle them. They are used mainly 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 reach up to 48 kilograms.
For processing standard 6 acres of a suburban area, a small cultivator model would be an ideal option. Unfortunately, he is not capable of more than weeding and spring soil preparation. If you have a difficult terrain on your site, give preference to a light model.
Rules for using the cultivator
Practically all variants of cultivators are the same in the principles of their operation. You need to connect and refuel the unit, put it in the place from where you want to start work and turn it on. Next, you push the device forward, gradually moving towards the end of your goal.
Remember that haste and excessive pressure on the device is not recommended. The cultivator is able to dig up the soil for 1.5 shovel nozzles.
If you find that the cultivator is stuck in the soil, swing it slightly from side to side. Don't let it out of your hands – hold it tight. Do not allow it to overheat.
In the case of using a 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.
Recommendations for choosing a cultivatorTry to study the market of cultivator manufacturers.
- If you buy a heavy, powerful device, give preference to wheels without cameras. Wheels with cameras can deflate the air, so you will have to constantly pump it up.
- Choose engine oil from the engine recommendations.
- Pay attention to the quality of additional accessories to your chosen cultivator model. If they are of poor quality, it is better to abandon such a model.
- After a long break in operation, the device must be warmed up well at idle.
Modern cultivators for dachas can significantly save time and effort of a working person. At the same time, it will not matter what size your plot is.
To date, manufacturers offer models for different site sizes, with different capacities and different attachments.
Photo of a cultivator for a cottage