Troy-Bilt E666MM, 664DM manual Tilling up and downslopes, 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. Followthese 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 residuesor 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 clearsthe 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.

Tilling on slopes

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

1.Till only on moderate slopes, never on steep ground where footing is difficult (reviewsafety rules in the "Safety"

Section of 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 maintained in the engine (check every one-half hour of operation). The incline of the slope will causethe oil to slant awayfrom its normal level andthis can starve engine parts of required lubrication. Keepthe engine oil level at the full point at all times!

Terraces should be only 2-to-3 feet wide. Digging too far into the side of the slope will expose poor 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 Figure4-10.

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

• If reversingthe tiller doesn'tclear the

debris, it may be necessaryto remove

the debris by hand (a pocket knife will

helpyou to cut away the material).

A. Tilling up and downslopes:		, ll::e
• To keepsoil erosion to a minimum, be		o3mmr,
sure to add enough organic matter to
the soil so that it has good moisture-	O_l_'	REPEAT
holding texture andtry to avoid leaving
footprints or wheel marks.

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 personalinjury.

•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 steep or too short for vertical tilling, it may be necessary to till across the slope and createter- raced rows. Terraces are 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, one below the other.

Figure 4-10

C. Tilling acrossslopeswithout usingterraces:

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

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

create unsure footing and invites soil erosion.

As in terracegardening, start at the top of the slope and overlap the first pass by halfthe width of the tiller. For added stability of the tiller, always keepthe uphill wheel inthe soft, newlytilled soil.