How to Level Your Garden with a Rotavator: Instructions & Tips
As spring gets closer, gardening lovers prepare to start the improvements of the outdoor space. Whether experienced or a beginner, you’re seeking effective and eco-friendly methods.
Levelling your garden is one of the challenging tasks, but it provides many benefits. Despite looking appealing, your garden will have better drainage, and no pools will form. With the right tools and methods, your garden will look fantastic.
A rotavator is a commonly used tool for levelling the ground. It can handle any bumps, breaking down the soil and creating a smooth surface. This article explains the process of levelling your garden with the help of a rotavator and provides helpful tips.
Garden preparations
Once you’ve decided to go for a rotavator hire, it is time to start the prep process. While the rotavator is very helpful, you must prepare your garden first. Obstacles like rocks and debris prevent the rotavator from working correctly, so make sure to have them removed.
This includes any vegetation that is growing on the soil. Grab a turf and a spade and remove the plants. Next, you need to mark the area that you want levelled precisely. Use string and stakes for this purpose to make it easier for you.
Garden leveling with rotavator
It is time to start when your garden is free of debris and plants. The first step is adjusting the depth setting according to the desired depth and soil type. It would help if you started at the corner of the marked area, rotating the soil in parallel rows. Make sure that each row overlaps to get even better levelling.
One of the most essential things for rotavating is keeping it slow. Move slowly while the tool is doing its job. Otherwise, the machine won’t manage to even out the soil. Even worse, rushing the rotavator can result in damaging it.
Not every soil has the same properties, so you might need to go through it a few times to loosen it. Go over the soil a few times with the rotavator to ensure it is appropriately processed. Use a rake in between each pass to check the surface. At this point, you might notice that it is time to adjust the depth setting of the rotavator.
Leveling tools
While the rotavator is an effective machine for breaking down the soil, don’t forget that you will need additional equipment to achieve the desired results.
Levelling up the soil isn’t enough for a beautiful landscape. Consider chipper hire if you want to create a fantastic outdoor space that improves the curb appeal. A chipper is a machine that produces mulch. The high-quality mulch you make will enhance the quality of the soil and stimulate vegetation growth. These machines use natural materials, which promotes sustainability. So, this spring is the perfect time to get started!
As previously mentioned, a garden rake is a beneficial tool for levelling. Whether you are a beginner or advanced, a rake is an essential tool any gardener has in their shed. You will use your rake to smoothen the soil after the machine. But it is also beneficial when clearing the ground from debris and vegetation during the first step. And let’s not forget it will help identify low and high points that require repeated passes.
A landscaping level is one of the remaining tools that helps you level your garden. This is handy for assessing the soil between each pass to determine if you need to repeat.
A wheelbarrow is another must-have if you want to level your garden. It helps transport the debris that you will collect in the clearing phase. Compost and topsoil should also be considered before starting. Not every garden is perfect, and you might have shallow points that should be filled. Or you simply want to improve the soil quality and grow luscious plants. In that case, consider adding the compost or topsoil before you start levelling.
Helpful tips and tricks
Levelling a garden can be challenging, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution. It requires a unique approach tailored to your situation. Take it slow and complete every step of the process carefully and precisely. Also, it would be beneficial to test the soil’s nutrient content and pH level to find a way to improve your garden.
When levelling, don’t forget about directing the slope appropriately to provide drainage. The soil should be sloped away from structures; otherwise, this can cause pooling and damage.
