Difference between Tiller & Cultivator

A tiller is a machine that has many names— cultivator, rototiller, mini-tiller. A tiller works the soil to help plants grow. They are often used in gardens and small farms where people want to prepare the soil for planting, dig up grass sod or root crops, mix compost into the soil, till under cover crops or other organic material, or break up large clumps of earth to make it easier for water and roots to move through the soil. Tilling can also be done by hand with tools like shovels and hoes.

Tillers work well when you want to loosen up "worked-up" soil that is typically found around plant roots in traditional row crop farming. This loosening helps promote better water infiltration and moisture retention. It also allows for easier access for plant roots to absorb nutrients.

The major concern with tilling is that it can damage soil structure by causing large clumps of earth to break up, which will make it harder for plants to grow. Repeated tilling without amendments (additions) like compost or manure can deplete the soil's natural nutrients, organic matter, and microbial life.

For this reason, some gardeners prefer not-rototill gardening where they use mulch instead of rototilling the areas in between plants where weeds are encouraged to grow because they protect the soil from being exposed to sunlight and lost through evaporation.

The mulch cover also helps keep down weed seedlings. It is essential to have a good layer of mulch in order to avoid weeds growing in the garden bed. The key to weed-free ground cover is keeping out light. Also, if mulch is used correctly it can conserve soil moisture and reduce water runoff which helps prevent erosion. Mulch is a key factor in soil protection and in water conservation.

A cultivator or a tiller, on the other hand, destroys existing plants and cuts deep into the soil where rototilling breaks up plant residues from previous crops to add organic matter to the soil. It will kill all weeds that are pulled out of the ground by ripping them from their roots. In addition, it stirs up the top several inches of soil allowing it to dry fast when rain falls after cultivation.

Some gardeners prefer this method over mulching because they don't have to worry about adding any chemicals for weed control. Also, tilling can help mix some fertilizer into your garden bed which makes it easier for vegetables to reach nutrients within the first couple of inches of soil to help plants grow strong roots.

However, gardeners need to be aware that tilling creates "mini-climates" within the soil which can cause some areas of your garden bed to have colder temperatures than others. It can also dry out sections of your garden quicker than others depending on topography, moisture content, and how often you till your beds.

If rototilling is done too frequently it can actually reduce the overall fertility in your beds because it breaks up organic matter along with breaking apart large dirt clumps. After a few years, this problem will correct itself if you don't till too much so this shouldn't discourage any new or experienced gardener from using their rototiller weed control needs.