Tilling tips & techniques – Troy-Bilt TUFFY 630C User Manual

Page 14

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TILLING TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Tilling Depths

WARNING:

Before

tilling, contact your

telephone or utilities
company and inquire if

underground equipment or

lines are used on your ::
property. Donottili near

buried eiectric cables,

telephone lines, pipes or

hoses.

• Avoid pushing 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

helping to hold the tiiier back, the tines wiil attempt to propel the tiller - often causing the tiiier

to skip rapidiy across the ground. (Sometimes, siight downward pressure on the handlebars
wiil heip get through a particuiarly tough section of sod or unbroken ground, but in most cases

this won’t be necessary.) ■

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• Avoid trying to dig too deeply too quickly, especially when busting sod or when tiliing soi
that hasn’t been tiiied for some time. Use shallow depth regulator settings (only an inch or two
deep) for the first passes through the soil. With each succeeding pass, dig another inch or two
deeper. (Watering the area a few days prior to tilling will make tilling easier, as wiil letting the

newly worked soil set for a day or two before making a final, deep tilling pass.) : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

• 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 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 gnly eliminates weeds, it also loosens and aerates the soil
for better moisture absorption and faster plant growth.) .................................................................................................................................

Choosing Correct Wheel & Tine Speeds : with experience, you will find the “just right” tilling depth and tilling speed combination

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■ ■ ■ : : : : :that,is best for your garden.,

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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...at least
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. ...............................................................................................................................................

Let the Tiller Do the Work

While tilling, relax and let the wheels pull the
tiller along while the tines do the digging.
Walk on the side that is not yet finished (to
avoid making footprints in the freshly tilled

soil) and lightly, but securely grip the han
dlebar with just one hand. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Avoid Making Footprints

Whenever possible, walk on the untilled

side of the unit to avoid making footprints in
your freshly tiiied or cultivated soil. Foot
prints cause soil compaction that can ham
per root penetration and contribute to soil
erosion. They can also “plant” unwanted
weed seeds back into the freshly tilled
ground. .........................................................

Avoid Tiding Soggy, Wet Sod

Tilling wet soil often results in large, hard

clumps of soil that can interfere with plant

ing. if time permits, wait a day or two after
heavy rains to allow the soil to dry before

tilling. Test soil by squeezing it into a bail. If

it compresses too easily, it is too wet to till.

Preparing Seedbeds

• When preparing a seedbed, go over the same path twice in the first row, then
overlap one-half the tiller width on the rest of the passes (see Fig. 6). When fin

ished in one direction, make a second pass at a right angle, as shown in Fig. 4-7.

Overlap each pass for best results (in very hard ground, it may take three or four

passes to thoroughly pulverize the soil.) j j : :

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Fig. 4-6

Fig. 4-7

• If the garden size will not permit lengthwise and then crosswise tilling, then over-

lapthefirstpassesbyone-halfatiller

..... :

width, followed by successive passes
at one-quarter width (see Fig. 4-8).

Fig. 4-8

Cultivating

With planning, you can
allow enough room

between rows to cultivate

(see Fig. 4-9). Leave room [

for the hood width,

_ ,

plus enough extra
room for future plant : : : : : :

pjg

growth.

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