POWERCOMPOSTING
Power composting simply meanstilling under and burying in the soil all manner of organic matter such as crop residues, leaves,grass clippings and cover crops. This material will decompose during the
When power composting, do not keep the Depth Regulator Lever at a deep setting if the tiller jumps or bucks.
If jumping or buckingoccurs, move the Depth Regulator Lever down to one of the shallower settings and then slowly increase the tilling depth on later passes.
Failure to follow this warning could result in personalinjury.
The first placeto begin is with crop residuessuch as leftover vines, stalks, stems and roots. Power compost these crop residues as soon as they finish bearing. The sooner this is done, the better, as tender green matter is easierto till under. Usethe deepestdepth regula- tor setting possiblewithout causing the engine to labor or the tiller to jump ahead.
Standing cornstalks of reasonableheight can be power composted. Pushing over (but not uprooting) cornstalks will often makeit easier for your tiller to chop up the stalks. Keepthe tines clear of exces- sive tangling by "fishtailing" or frequently using reverse. Makeseveral passes,then return afew days later to finish off any remaining stubble.
After tilling under crop residues, add more organic matter such as leaves, grass clippings and even kitchen scraps. When tilled into the soil, this organic matter will decompose andadd even more important nutrients to the soil.
After power composting, you may want to plant a "green manure" cover crop to protect the soil during the
LOADINGAND UNLOADING THETILLER
Loading and unloading the tiller into a vehicle is potentially hazardousand we don'trecommenddoing so unlessabso- lutely necessary,as this could result in personal injuryor propertydamage.
However, if you must load or unloadthe tiller, follow the guidelines givennext.
•Before loading or unloading, stop the engine, wait for all partsto stop moving, disconnectthe spark plug wire and let the engine and muffler cool. Remove the ignition key on electric start models.
•The tiller is too heavy(over 170 Ibs., dependingon model) and bulky to lift safely by one person. Two or more peopleshould share the load.
•Usesturdy ramps and manually (engine shut off) roll the tiller into and out of the vehicle. Two or more people are needed
to do this.
•Ramps must bestrong enough to support the combined weight of the tiller and any handlers.The ramps should provide good traction to prevent slip- ping; they should haveside rails to guidethe tiller along the ramps; and they should have a locking deviceto securethem to the vehicle.
•The handlers should wear sturdy footwear that will help to prevent slipping.
•Position the loadingvehicle so that the ramp angle is as flat as possible (the less incline to the ramp, the better). Turn the vehicle'sengine off and apply its parking brake.
•When going up ramps, stand in the normal operating position and push the tiller aheadof you. Havea person at each side to turn the wheels.
•When going down ramps, walk back- ward with the tiller following you. Keep alert for any obstaclesbehind you. Position a person at eachwheel to control the speed of the tiller. Nevergo down ramps
•Usewooden blocks to place on the downhill side of the wheels if you need to stop the tiller from rolling down the ramp. Also, use the blocks to temporar- ily keep the tiller in placeon the ramps (if necessary),and to chock the wheels in placeafter the tiller is in the vehicle.
•When the tiller is in the vehicle, prevent it from rolling by engagingthe wheels in the wheel drive position (put Wheel Gear Lever in ENGAGE).Chock the wheels
with blocks and securely tie the tiller down.
