Troy-Bilt E666M, 664D manual Tilling up and down slopes, Terrace Gardening

Tilling Tips & Techniques

Clearingthe 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 becometangled. Follow these proce- dures to help avoid tangling and to clean the tines, if necessary.

•To reduce tangling, set the depth regu- lator deepenough to get maximum "chopping" action as the tines chop the materialagainst the ground. Also, try to till under crop residues or cover crops while they are green, moist and tender.

•While power composting, try swaying the handlebarsfrom 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 reversefor a few feet. This reversing action should unwind a good deal of debris.

•If reversing the tiller doesn'tclear the debris, it may be necessaryto remove the debris by hand (a pocket knife will help you to cut away the material).

Tilling on slopes

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

1.Till only on moderate slopes, never on steepground where footing is difficult (review safety rules in the "Safety"

Sectionof this Manual).

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

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

A. Tilling up and down slopes:

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

•Terraces should be only 2-to-3 feet wide. Digging too far into the side of the slope will exposepoor subsoil that is unproductive for plants.

•To createa terrace, start at the top of

the slope and work down. Goback and forth across the first row as shown in

Figure 4-10.

•Eachsucceeding lower terrace is started by walking below the terrace you'repreparing. For addedstability of the tiller, always keepthe uphill wheel

in the soft, newly tilled soil. Do not till the last 12" or more of the downhill

outside edgeof eachterrace. This untilled strip helps prevents the ter- racesfrom breaking apart and washing downhill. It also provides a walking path betweenrows.

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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 elec- tric start models.

Failure to follow this warning could result in personal injury.

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

B.Terrace Gardening:

•When a slope is too steepor too short for vertical tilling, it may be necessary to till across the slope and createter- raced rows. Terracesare rows that are cut into the side of a slope, creating a narrow, but flat areaon which to plant.

•Ona long slope, you can makeseveral terraces, onebelow the other.

Figure 4-10

C. Tilling acrossslopeswithout usingterraces:

•If vertical or terracing gardeningaren't practical for you, then you can till later-

ally across a slope. We don'treally recommend this method as it can

createunsure footing and invites soil erosion.

•As in terrace gardening, start at the top of the slope and overlap the first pass by half the width of the tiller. For added stability of the tiller, always keepthe uphill wheel in the soft, newly tilled soil.