Tilling On Slopes, Clearing the Tines

TILLING TIPS & TECHNIQUES (CON’T)

Tilling On Slopes

Read the following recommendations before tilling on slopes:

If you must garden on a moderate slope, please follow two very important guidelines:

1.Till only on moderate slopes, never on steep ground where footing is difficult (review safe- ty rules in Section 1: Safety of this manual).

2.We recommend tilling up and down slopes rather than terracing. Tilling vertically on a slope allows maximum planting area and also leaves room for cultivating.

IMPORTANT: When tilling on slopes, be sure the correct oil level is maintained in the engine (check every one-half hour of operation). The incline of the slope will cause the oil to slant away from its normal level and this can starve engine parts of required lubrication. Keep the motor oil level at the full point at all times!

Tilling Up and Down Slopes (Vertical Tilling)

WARNING: Do not

operate tiller on a slope too steep for safe operation. Till slowly and be sure you have good footing. Never permit tiller to freewheel down slopes. Failure to follow this warning could result in personal injury.

•To keep soil erosion to a minimum, be sure to add enough organic matter to the soil so that it has good moisture-holding texture and try to avoid leaving footprints or wheel marks.

•When tilling vertically, try to make the first pass uphill as the tiller digs more deeply going uphill than it does downhill. In soft soil or weeds, you may have to lift the handlebars slightly while going uphill. When going downhill, overlap the first pass by about one-half the width of the tiller.

Clearing the Tines

The tines have a self-clearing action which eliminates most tangling of debris in the tines. However, occasionally dry grass, stringy stalks or tough vines may become tan- gled. Follow these procedures to help avoid tangling and to clean the tines, if neces- sary.

•To reduce tangling, set the depth regulator deep enough to get maximum “chopping” action as the tines chop the material against the ground. Also, try to till under crop residues or cover crops while they are green, moist and tender.

•While tilling, try swaying the handlebars from side to side (about 6" to 12"). This “fishtailing” action often clears the tines of debris.

•If tangling occurs, lift the tines out of the soil and run the tiller in reverse (if unit is equipped with powered reverse) for a few feet. This reversing action should unwind a good deal of debris.

•It may be necessary to remove the debris by hand (a pocket knife will help you to cut away the material). Be sure to stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug wire before clearing the tines by hand.

WARNING: Before clearing the tines by hand, stop the engine, allow all moving parts to stop and disconnect the spark plug wire. Remove the ignition key on electric start models.

Failure to follow this warning could result in personal injury.

Loading and Unloading the Tiller

WARNING: Loading and unloading the tiller into a vehicle is potentially hazardous and we don’t recommend doing so unless absolutely necessary, as this could result in personal injury or property damage.

However, if you must load or unload the tiller, follow the guidelines given next.

•Before loading or unloading, stop the engine, wait for all parts to stop moving, disconnect the spark plug wire and let the en- gine and muffler cool.

•The tiller is too heavy and bulky to lift safely by one person. Two or more people should share the load.

•Use sturdy ramps and manually (engine shut off) roll the tiller into and out of the vehicle. Two or more people are needed to do this.

•The ramps must be strong enough to support the combined weight of the tiller and any han- dlers. The ramps should provide good traction to prevent slipping; they should have side rails to guide the tiller along the ramps; and they should have a locking device to secure them to the

vehicle.

•The handlers should wear sturdy footwear that will help to prevent slipping.

•Position the loading vehicle so that the ramp angle is as flat as possible (the less incline to the ramp, the better). Turn the

vehicle’s engine off and apply its parking brake.

•When going up ramps, stand in the normal operating position and push the tiller ahead of you. Have a person at each side to turn the wheels.

•When going down ramps, walk backward with the tiller following you. Keep alert for any obstacles behind you. Position a person at each wheel to control the speed of the tiller. Never go down ramps tiller-first, as the tiller could tip forward.

•Place wooden blocks on the downhill side of the wheels if you need to stop the tiller from rolling down the ramp. Also, use the blocks to temporarily keep the tiller in place on the ramps (if necessary), and to chock the wheels in place after the tiller is in the vehicle.

•After loading the tiller, prevent it from rolling by engaging the wheels in the WHEEL DRIVE position. Chock the wheels with blocks and se- curely tie the tiller down.