How to Use a Rotary Hoe

A rotary hoe is a perfect for turning hard clay soils to prepare garden beds or soils for new turf.  The rotary hoe is not to be confused with a rotary tiller though, as tillers are better suited for soft sandy soils.

Most rotary hoes use a 4 stroke petrol motor and the machine is actually configured with the motor located at the front of the machine, with the adjustable cutting tines located at the back. That being said, always make sure the flap in front of the tines is down while operating the machine as your feet essentially are near the tines during operation and you don’t want soils to kick up at you during operation.

With many rotary hoes being self-propelled, you can easily disengage the tines to help steer the machine where you need it to go without lugging it around.  The forward drive lever and tine lever is up near the handlebar which can be used independently.  There’s also a clutch lever on the handlebar that you need to press in order to be able to start driving the machine.

Prior to turning the machine over, adjust the handle to your ideal working height, and put on your ear muffs, specs and gloves on for safety.  The ignition controls are usually at the top of the handle bar, with a second ignition switch down on the motor itself.  For cold starts, make sure both the fuel switch and choke is turned on at the motor, and the throttle is set to full.  Next simply use the pull cord to fire it up and turn off the choke once the motor is running.  Once you’re ready to drive the machine, put the drive lever in the direction you want to go and remember to press the clutch lever.  Simply let the clutch go if you need to stop at any point.

If you need to reverse at any point, disengage the tines first, then put the drive lever in reverse.

There really isn’t much to it, and the rotary hoe will definitely make your next landscaping job easy.  For instructions on how to use a rotary hoe and other handy tips, watch our video.

Kennards Hire has the experience and know how to help you with your next project.  Get in touch with your local branch today.