Bob Crewe is an expert on garden tillers, but when he needed one at his suburban Chicago home, he rented it.
That's about to change.
"This might be the season when I finally pick one up," said Crewe, who works for Power Equipment Direct, an online home equipment store. "If you already have one waiting for you, you're more apt to go out and get to it."
The advantages of owning or renting a garden tiller -- or its smaller cousin, a cultivator -- are many.
Tillers and cultivators are useful for turning soil, mixing in compost and fertilizer for soil amendment and loosening soil to help water reach plant roots.
Gardeners are firing up their tillers now to prepare flower beds and vegetable gardens for planting. This year's early spring has brought strong demand for tillers, said Joseph Cohen, CEO of Snow Joe, a garden equipment company headquartered in Edison, N.J.
"No one expected to be in the garden this early. I've never seen demand this early," Cohen said.
In summer, tillers and cultivators can weed between vegetable rows, said Barbara Hastings, senior manager of marketing and communication for Troy-Bilt brand of outdoor equipment. The company is headquartered in Valley City.
Come fall, tillers plough garden waste back into the soil to decompose over the winter, Hastings said.
Many homeowners like to rent a tiller just for a few hours, and let someone else deal with maintenance and storage. Fees at tool rental companies can run from $29 for a two-hour rental of a small tiller up to $85 for a 24-hour rental of a large unit. Rental companies typically ask for a deposit.
But, when you rent a tiller, transportation is your headache. That means lifting a heavy unit in and out of the car, and protecting the car trunk from dirt and mud, Crewe said. You may also need to wash and dry the tiller before returning it.
If you rent a tiller every year, the fees will soon equal what a new tool would cost. Plus, owning a tiller means no more working with one eye on the clock.
What type of tiller should you rent or buy? The size of your plot and type of soil to be worked are the two big determining factors, say tiller manufacturers.
Here are tips to keep in mind when renting or buying a tiller or cultivator; information came from the above experts and eHow.com:
• Cultivator: This lightweight machine is for mixing loose soil material and breaking up soil between rows of plants.
Cultivators are good for raised beds. They are easy to store and maneuver, but they can handle small areas only. Models run on gas, electric or battery power. Expect to pay between $100 and $250.
• Rear-tine tiller: The blades, or tines, are in the back and the engine is in the front. This type is bigger, heavier and more powerful than front-tine tillers. If you're turning a patch of lawn into a flower bed, this is the kind of tiller to use. "The rear tine tillers will really dig into the ground," Hastings said.
If you want to cultivate between rows of vegetables, plant rows at least 16 inches wide to accommodate a rear-tine tiller. Some large models have electric start and reverse gear. Expect to pay approximately $550-$1,000.
• Front-tine tiller: The blades, or tines, are in the front of the machine. This type is good for weeding between rows. Expect to pay about $300-$550.
• Tines: The blades that churn through the soil. Look for tines made of heavy-duty steel with multiple cutting surfaces for cutting through roots and weeds, Hastings said.
There are three kinds of tines: bolo for deep tilling, slasher for chopping roots; and pick and chisel tines for rocky soil.
• Counter-rotating tines: Tines that move opposite to the rotation of the wheels. Counter-rotating tines dig in harder, making this feature perfect for breaking new ground, or dealing with hard-packed soil or clay.
• Forward-rotating tines: Tines rotate in the same direction as the wheels. Most front-tine tillers only come with forward-rotating tines, Hastings said. Rear-tine tillers can come with counter-rotating or forward-rotating tines.
• Safety: Read the safety instructions carefully before operating the machine. Wear long pants, boots and safety glasses. Keep kids and pets away from the area.
If your tiller runs on a mixture of gas and oil, follow the directions carefully. (Some larger tillers run on regular gas.)
Remove rocks from the area before you begin tilling. Chop large roots with an ax first; tines can get caught on roots and jerk you forward.
Choose the right tiller, and you may be inspired to turn your entire lawn into a vegetable garden or an expanse of ornamental plantings.
"You'll use it season after season," Hastings said.