Tine or Plough? A Practical Guide to Prepare the Soil

31 July 2025

Preparing the soil is one of the most important stages in ensuring good crop results. 

VITO’s petrol tillers stand out for being practical and versatile tools, ideal for those looking to speed up agricultural work. For this type of machine to perform at its best, it is essential to understand when and how to use it.

In this article, we explain in which situations the petrol tiller offers the best results, which accessories should be used and how to prepare the soil to ensure efficient and long-lasting work.

Why should you use a petrol tiller?

The petrol tiller is ideal for turning over and tilling the soil quickly and efficiently.

It is especially useful in:

• Vegetable gardens and small plantations
• Previously cultivated land
• Maintenance work on loose soil

Which accessory should be used for soil preparation?

Regardless of the machine you’re using, when the soil is very hard, dry or compact (as happens, for example, after long periods without cultivation), it is necessary to first use a plough to break up the soil in depth and open furrows that allow air and moisture to penetrate the soil better.

This creates the ideal conditions for the rotary tines to work the topsoil in a second phase, leaving it loose and ready to receive seeds or plants.

This method protects equipment, prevents excessive wear on accessories, reduces user fatigue, and ensures an efficient result.

If necessary, particularly on more demanding, clayey or uneven terrain, even more robust and aggressive accessories can be used, such as metal wheels. These offer greater traction and stability to the machine, improving ground adherence and maximising ploughing efficiency.

Choosing the right accessories for the land conditions is a crucial step in achieving more efficient results with a petrol tiller.

Therefore, successful soil preparation depends not only on the choice of machine, but also on the correct use of accessories. Knowing when to use the plough and the tine makes all the difference in the quality of the work and the longevity of the machine. 

Explore all agricultural products at: https://www.vito-tools.com/en/categories/agro