Cultivator is a word that can describe a person who removes weeds and works in soil. It can also describe the implements that are used to perform these tasks. As there are many types of people who can consider themselves cultivators, there are also many types of cultivator tools. Some of them are fairly common, while others may be less familiar even to those who regularly engage in lawn and gardening tasks.
Shovels are examples of cultivator tools that most people are familiar with. These tools are designed to dig into soil or other material, to lift it, and to transport it, if necessary. Usually a shovel has a metal bottom that is shaped like a scoop and has sharp edges. Traditionally, shovels were attached to long wooden handles. Now, these cultivator tools can come in a range of sizes and lengths.
Spades are cultivator tools that are very similar to shovels, and sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably. The spade, however, has its own identity. Whereas shovels tend to have broad scoop-like bottoms, spades tend to be flat. These tools are best used for digging.
A hoe is a hand tool that usually consists of a long handle connected to a metal head. The hoe compares to the spade in that it is not usually designed to lift materials and carry them like shovels. It differs from both the spade and the shovel because, in most cases, the flat head is at a right angle to the handle, and is designed for overhand motion. This design tends to add more versatility, making the hoe a good choice for hilling, digging, and chopping weeds.
A high wheel cultivator is a tool that can ease the user’s workload by allowing her to accomplish tasks faster. High wheel cultivators have simple designs but can be sophisticated garden companions. Usually, the machine is simply composed of two handles connected to a large wheel. An attachment mechanism descends from the arms and allows the user to add a variety of accessories that can act as rakes, hoes, and spades.
A low wheel cultivator normally has a similar design to the high wheel cultivator. One of the biggest visual differences is that the wheel is smaller. The advantage of the smaller wheel is that it may cause more force to be exerted for soil penetration and other tasks. One disadvantage is that a smaller wheel does not move over uneven ground as easily, and may require more effort by the user.
Five-tine animal drawn cultivators are tools that can add speed to a job and alleviate some of the effort required of a person. These mechanisms are usually pulled by horses and have tines that work the ground as they are pulled. Some are designed so that a person can walk behind and grasp protruding handles. Others are designed with seats so that users can be pulled along.