•Move the belt into LOW belt range and the Wheel Speed Gear Lever to SLOW position. 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, keep the uphill wheel in the soft, newly tilled soil. Each succeeding terraced area is started by walking below the terrace you are preparing. See Fig. 4-16.

•Begin by composting crop residues such 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 easier to till under. Use the deepest depth regulator setting possible without causing the engine to labor or the tiller to jump ahead.

•Standing cornstalks of reasonable height can be power composted. See Fig. 4-17. Pushing over (but not uprooting) cornstalks will often make it easier for your tiller to chop up the stalks. Keep the tines clear of excessive tangling by “fishtailing” or frequently using reverse. Make several passes, then return a few days later to finish off any remaining stubble.

Figure 4-16

Power Composting

Power composting means tilling 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 non-growing season and add important natural nutrients to the soil.

warning! When power composting, do not keep the Depth Regulator Lever at a deep setting if the tiller jumps or bucks. If jumping or bucking occurs, move the Depth Regulator Lever down to one of the shallower settings and then slowly increase the tilling depth on later passes. Failure to comply could result in loss of tiller control, property damage or personal injury.

Figure 4-17

•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 and add 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 off- season. Grow a crop of clover, alfalfa, buckwheat, peas, beans, rye grass, grain, or kale and then till it into the soil prior to the planting season.

Wide-Row Planting

The wide-row planting technique is spreading seeds anywhere from 10 inches to 2 feet wide or more. As a result, you can grow anywhere from 3 to 4 times (or more) produce in the same space that is normally set aside for an area that has narrow, single rows.

Wide-row planting automatically shades the ground which keeps weed growth down and also holds moisture in the soil. And of course, harvesting is much easier — everything is right at hand to be picked. Preparing wide rows is easy — after you prepare the seedbed and mark off the rows with string, hand-broadcast the seeds as if seeding a lawn — not quite as much as lawn seed). Cover with soil and tamp the area firmly with a hoe.

Section 5 — Operation

 

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