TILLING TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Tilling Depths
WARNING: Before
tilling, contact your telephone or utilities company and inquire if underground equipment or lines are used on your property. Do not till near buried electric cables, telephone lines, pipes or hoses.
•This tiller can be operated in CRT
•Avoid the temptation to push down on the handlebar in an attempt to force the tiller to dig deeper. Doing so takes the weight off the powered wheels, causing them to lose traction. Without the wheels to hold the tiller back, the tines will attempt to propel the tiller backward, towards the operator. (Sometimes, slight downward pressure on the handlebar will help get through a particularly tough section of sod or unbroken ground, but in most cases this won’t be necessary.)
•When cultivating (breaking up surface soil around plants to destroy weeds), adjust the tines to dig only 1" to 2" deep. Using shallow tilling depths helps prevent injury to plants whose roots often grow close to the surface. If needed, lift up on the handlebar slightly to prevent the tines from digging too deeply. (Cultivating on a regular basis not only eliminates weeds, it also loosens and aerates the soil for better moisture absorption and faster plant growth.) Watering the garden area a few days prior to tilling will make tilling easier, as will letting the newly worked soil set for a day or two before making a final, deep tilling pass.
With experience, you will find the “just right” tilling depth and tine rotation combination that is best for your garden under specific conditions.
•Operate the tiller in CRT mode when tilling virgin ground, sod or hard soil.
•Operate the tiller in FRT mode when cultivating or tilling soft ground or previously tilled soil.
IMPORTANT: When operating the tiller in FRT mode, always lower the depth regulator lever (for a shallower tilling depth).
Let the Tiller Do the Work
While tilling, relax and let the wheels pull the tiller along while the tines do the digging. Walk on the side that is not yet finished (to avoid making footprints in the freshly tilled soil) and lightly, but securely grip the han- dlebar with just one hand. Always operate the tiller with the throttle in the FAST (rab- bit) position.
Avoid Making Footprints
Whenever possible, walk on the untilled side of the unit to avoid making footprints in your freshly tilled or cultivated soil. Foot- prints cause soil compaction that can ham- per root penetration and contribute to soil erosion. They can also “plant” unwanted weed seeds back into the freshly tilled ground.
Avoid Tilling Soggy, Wet Soil
Tilling wet soil often results in large, hard clumps of soil that can interfere with plant- ing. If time permits, wait a day or two after heavy rains to allow the soil to dry before tilling. Test soil by squeezing it into a ball. If it compresses too easily, it is too wet to till.
Preparing Seedbeds
• When preparing a seedbed, go over the same path twice in the first row, then over- |
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lap |
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ished in one direction, make a second pass at a right angle (Seedbed 2). Overlap |
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each pass for best results (in very hard ground, it may take three or four passes to |
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thoroughly pulverize the soil.) | Seedbed 1 | Seedbed 2 |
•If the garden size will not permit lengthwise and then crosswise tilling, then over- lap the first passes by
width, followed by successive passes | 1 |
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Cultivating
With planning, you can allow enough room 
between rows to cultivate. 
Leave room for the hood 
width, plus enough extra 
room for future plant
growth.
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