Clearing the 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 become tangled. Follow these procedures to help avoid tangling and to clean the tines, if necessary.

•To reduce tangling, set the depth regulator deep enough to get maximum “chopping” action as the tines chop the material against the ground. Also, try to till under crop residues or cover crops while they are green, moist and tender.

•While tilling, try swaying the handlebars from 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 reverse for a few feet. This reversing action should unwind a good deal of debris.

warning! 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 electric start models. Failure to follow this warning could result in personal injury.

Tilling Tips & Techniques

Tilling Depth

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 is a CRT (counter-rotating tine) tiller. As the wheels pull forward, the tines rotate backward. This creates an “uppercut” tine action which digs deeply, uprooting soil and weeds. Don’t overload the engine, but dig as deeply as possible on each pass. On later passes, the wheels may tend to spin in the soft dirt. Help them along by lifting up slightly on the handlebar (one hand, palm up, works most easily).

•Avoid the temptation to push down on the handlebars 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.

•When cultivating (breaking up surface soil around plants to destroy weeds, see Fig. 4-9), adjust the tines to dig only 1” to 2” deep. Using shallow tilling depths helps prevent injury to the plants whose roots often grow close to the surface. If needed, lift up on the handlebars 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.

Figure 5-4

Choosing Correct Wheel & Tine Speeds

With experience, you will find the tilling depth and tilling speed combination that is best for your garden. Set the engine throttle lever at a speed to give the engine adequate power and yet allow it to operate at the slowest possible speed until you have achieved the maximum tilling depth you desire. Faster engine speeds may be desirable when making final passes through the seedbed or when cultivating. Selection of the correct engine speed, in relation to the tilling depth, will ensure a sufficient power level to do the job without causing the engine to labor.

Section 5 — Operation

 

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