Confusion over the terms tiller/cultivator

I am in the process of getting ready to retire and take on my �next job� of market gardening. I�ve purchased the land and picked up a Ford 860 last January. The tractor came with a rototiller. When I got onto the land this spring it had been chisel plowed last fall and the tiller worked very will for finishing the field preparation for the cover crops I put in this year.

I did put in a small garden and quickly discovered that weeding 4 acres of market garden won�t be fun for long. It seems as though I could cut my weeding time substantially with a 3 pt two row cultivator. I picked up a copy of Peterson and Beemer�s book Ford Tractor Implements and I�m really confused on the differences between what they call cultivators and tillers. I think I want something similar to the Ferguson type 9-BO-20 model tiller with nine shanks. It would seem like this equipment would let me both cultivate between the vegetable rows (by removing and repositioning shanks) and in the fall/spring loosen ground that had been put to cover crop so I can use my rototiller for seedbed preps. My ground has been under constant cultivation by the previous owners. It is 18 inches fine mineral (loam to silty loam).

My confusion comes from pictures and references to both cultivators and tillers in the Ford Tractor Implements book. They look basically the same to me with just slightly different designs. Is this a case of British and American farmers being separated by a common language? Are the old timey tillers and cultivators just the same implements called by different names?

I would much appreciate any clarification you could give me and advice if I am planning to use the wrong tool for the job.

Thanks in advance for any help you could give?

Dale

I do want to contact you for the information you offered. I tired to access your e-mail addressed but got an error message. I don't know if it is me or my computer. My e-mail is [email protected]. If you could let me know your address I'll contact you.

Thanks for the offer. I can see I really need the help.

Dale

Then there are field cultivators, which is what you are talking about. they prep the soil for planting in spring. Can be used as you want to, I'm sure.

Tillers have always been the rotory garden tillers 'here'.

I think it's just regional differences in wording. Like a 'disk-harrow' - don't have such a thing 'here', you have a disk, or a harrow - 2 very different implements. :)

--->Paul

Where I am at we have spike toothed harrows and spring toothed harrows. Usually just called a harrow and a springtooth.