Three top tillers to ease the task of preparing the soil this Spring

The vegetable plots and allotments are alive to the sound of tillers preparing the soil ready for planting and here are three rear tine tillers which will produce a perfect soil ready to take plants or seed.

The first is the Ardisam 6014V Compact Rear Tine Cultivator, much lighter than many other similar machines but with a really rugged frame and strength.
Powering the tiller is a 196 cc Viper engine capable of turning over thick claggy soils and with minimum vibration thanks to its Isovibe pivoting drag system which keeps the machine level when travelling across the ground.
A heavy duty transmission is contained in a cast iron housing for a longer life.
The cultivator has contra rotating tines which can be adjusted to go down as far as 25 cm.
The working width is 16 inches, just about the right width to till between the rows.
This tiller costs £599, £100 less than the maker’s recommended retail price. Delivery is free the next working day and there is a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
Another machine which will save hours of digging with a garden fork is the MTD T450 Rear Tine Tiller, perfect for the allotment and smallholding. And this one is on special offer.
It has a Briggs & Stratton 206 cc engine and is designed to produce fewer emissions and use less fuel. Chain transmission is sealed in an oil bath for a longer life.
The tiller has 16 self-sharpening tines in sprung steel which means they will flex slightly rather than break under stress. These tines are dual rotating giving a better tilth over its 43 cm working width.
Trailing behind the machine is a serrated steel ‘groomer’ to leave a really neat finish.
The tiller has wide, deeply-patterned tyres for good grip and weight box on the front can be filled with sand if you need to till to a greater depth.
This tiller costs £1179 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £1399 and there is a one year guarantee.
Delivery is free within four to five working days.
And last a machine from an Italian company with a reputation for manufactuing equipment for heavy demanding amateur and professional use.
The Bertolini 403 Two-wheel rotary cultivator has a Honda 163 cc high performance engine designed to run smoothly over a long life span with a forged steel crankshaft , cast iron cylinder sleeve and a dual-stage air filter.
This has two forward and two reverse gears and has great manoeuvrability and the transmission is housed in an oil bath for a long life.
There are three pre-set working depths, and working widths of 35 cm, 50 cm and 60 cm to work between the rows of different crops.
It has a power take-of to take accessories and quick-fit couplings to save time.
This tiller costs £1799 compared with the maker’s recommended price of £2348 and is delivered free within two to three working days.
It has a two year manufacturer’s warranty.
For a fuller selection of tillers to suit every type of garden , allotment nad smallholding please see our special pages.