Troy-Bilt 12087 - Manual (Page 34)

TILLING IN THE GARDEN
Here are tips and suggestions to
help you get the most satisfaction
and performance from your tiller.
Tilling Depths
When you begin tilling in the
garden, please go slowly and easily
at first. It’s very important that
you not try to dig too deeply too
quickly. Soil that hasn’t been tilled
for some time must be tilled up
gradually— it’s almost impossible
to dig down 4"-to-5" on the first
pass with the tiller in compact soil.
IMPORTANT — Start tilling at
a very shallow depth regulator
setting, only 1" or 2" deep the
first time through the garden
area.
With each succeeding pass, you
can adjust the depth regulator lever
upward so the tines will dig an­
other inch or two deeper.
Hint -
water your garden area a few days
before tilling to make the job much
easier. If it is difficult to dig down
really deep, let the newly-worked
soil “rest” for a day or two. It will
then be easier to till.
Don’t till when the soil is too
wet. Wet soil will leave large
clumps after tilling - and will only
harden later.
Hint - test the soil by
squeezing it — if it compresses too
easily it’s too wet to till.
Seedbed Preparation
In a well-prepared seedbed, the
soil will be loose and fine-textured.
Try to till the first time a few
weeks before the planting date; till
the second time a few days later;
then till the third time on the day
of planting. This will make the
seedbed as loose and well-aerated
as possible.
When preparing the soil, go
down the same path twice in the
first row, then overlap each suc­
ceeding row by one-half the tiller’s
width. See Figure 4-18. Next,
make a second pass through the
seedbed at a right-angle to your
earlier rows (refer to Figure 4-19).
Again, overlap each row by one-
half the width of the tiller. (In very
hard ground, several passes over
the seedbed may be needed.)
If there is not enough room to
make a second pass at a right-angle,
go back and repeat the first pass,
overlapping the rows by one-quar­
ter the width of the tiller.
Plan to expand your garden the
following year? Bust up the sod in
the Fall - the ground will be com­
pletely broken down when Spring
arrives. You can also plant a cover
crop in the Fall in that newly tilled
area - the cover crop will keep the
soil intact and enrichen it.
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, be
aware that the filler can unexpect­
edly bounce up or jump ahead and
be propelled away trom you if the
tines strike hard or frozen ground,
or buried obstacles like large
stones, roots or stumps. Always
use the following precautions to
help maintain control of the tiller;
• Walk behind and to the side of the
tiller. Use one hand on the han­
dlebars, relaxing your arm but with
a secure hand grip.
• Use shallow depth regulator set­
tings. Till gradually deeper.
• Use slower wheel, tine and en­
gine speeds.
• Clear the tilling area of all large
stones, roots and other debris.
• Do not put downward pressure
on the handlebars. If needed,
apply slight upward handlebar
pressure to keep the tines from
digging too deeply.
• Avoid contacting hard soil or sod
at the end of a row - reduce engine
speed and lift handlebars to raise
tines out of the soil.
• In An Emergency, stop tines and
wheels by moving Wheels/Tines/
pro Drive Lever to NEUTRAL. If
you cannot reach the lever or have
lost control. Let Go Of The Han­
dlebars and All Controls.
Photo 4-17: Use shallow depth reg­
ulator settings when tilling at first. Figure 4-18: With each new row,
overlap half of the previous row. Figure 4-19: Till entire garden in
one direction. Then at a 90° angle.
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