Are there more efficient ways to till a raised garden bed?

[MichaelE]

I use the square foot gardening technique in a raised garden bed. In general I'm happy with the technique, but this time of the year, I do get jealous of people who pull out a motorized tiller on their row gardens while I'm using a garden hoe to prepare my beds. The garden hoe is truly back straining. I can imagine continuing to garden into my 80/90s (40+ years in the future), but not if I need to do this hoeing (or hire it out). Ditching the raised beds is not an option as my back yard is flat as a pancake and floods often.

I am a big believer in working smarter rather than harder ... is there a way to use motorized tools in a raised bed? I apologize if it seems like a stupid question, but I would think that any of the motorized tillers that I've seen online would potentially destroy the side walls of the raised bed. The walls are a soft untreated pine wood.

Additionally, I have weed guard under my beds that a motorized tiller would chew up. At this point, I could probably cut the weed guard out, as it's done it's job.

Any thoughts on tools, techniques, etc for tilling a raised garden bed more efficiently, would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[karstopography]

Try a garden fork. This tool is the main tool I use to turn the soil.

 

[MichaelE]

Try a garden fork. This tool is the main tool I use to turn the soil.

Thanks! I wasn't thinking about garden forks, that will definitely loosen the dirt up faster.

 

[trail twister]

There are small tillers that you can use. I at 73 keep looking at them and decide the shovel and folk work fine for the once a year job every time.

Weight at 33 pounds for the 4 stroke model. They till to a max depth of 8 inches so depending on how deep your weed gaurd is you could avoid chewing rhe stuff up.
there is a 4 stroke model so there is no fuel to be mixing. and there is a 2 stroke model a bit cheaper but you need to mix fuel or buy the expencive premix in a can.

Mantis makes a corded electric model also.

Al

 

[MichaelE]

There are small tillers that you can use. I at 73 keep looking at them and decide the shovel and folk work fine for the once a year job every time.

View attachment 65517

Weight at 33 pounds for the 4 stroke model. They till to a max depth of 8 inches so depending on how deep your weed gaurd is you could avoid chewing rhe stuff up.
there is a 4 stroke model so there is no fuel to be mixing. and there is a 2 stroke model a bit cheaper but you need to mix fuel or buy the expencive premix in a can.

Mantis makes a corded electric model also.

Al

Al,
Thank you for the idea. I will definitely try it out.
-Michael

 

[MichaelE]

Al,
Thank you for the idea. I will definitely try it out.
-Michael

Al,
Your idea spurred an idea to look for a cordless tiller. I started researching and found a nice article. It seems that maybe rather than a tiller, I should be looking for a cultivater. This looks promising as well. See link below.

Best Cordless Cultivators for a Small Garden Reviewed

Looking for the best cordless cultivator for a small garden? I share and review my top 3 picks for the best garden cultivators.

theimpatientfarmer.com

 

[trail twister]

Yes that should work nicely in a raised bed, you may even use it cultvate plants later.

Al