Section 5 — operation 13
Tilling Tips & Techniques
Tilling Depth
WARNING!
utilities company and inquire if underground equipment/
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
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 the surface soil around the
plants to destroy weeds, see Fig. 5-4), adjust the tines to
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.
Suggested Tilling Patterns
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. 5-5.
Figure 5-5
When finished in one direction, make a second pass at a
best results (in very hard ground, it may take three or four
passes to thoroughly pulverize the soil.)
Figure 5-6
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