Troy-Bilt GARDEN WAY Pro line 12183 Owner's Manual page 14

TILLING TIPS & TECHNIQUES (cont.)
Power composting simply means tilling under and burying in the soil all manner of
organic matter such as crop residues, leaves,grass clippings and cover crops. This
materialwill decomposeduring the non-growingseasonand add importantnatural nutri-
ents to the soil.
The first placeto begin is with crop residuessuch as leftovervines, stalks, stems and
roots. Powercompost these crop residuesas soon as they finish bearing. The sooner
this is done, the better, as tender green matter is easierto till under. Use the deepest
depth regulatorsetting possiblewithout causing the engineto labor or the tiller to jump
ahead.
Standingcornstalks of reasonableheight can be power composted. Pushingover (but
not uprooting) cornstalkswill often make it easierto chop up the stalks. Keepthe tines
clear of excessivetangling by "fishtailing" or frequently using reverse. Make several
passes,then return a few days laterto finish off any remainingstubble.
After tilling under crop residues,add more organic matter such as leaves,grass clip-
pings and evenkitchen scraps. Whentilled into the soil, this organic matterwill decom-
poseand add evenmore important nutrientsto the soil.
After power composting,you may want to plant a "green manure"cover crop to protect
the soil during the off-season. You simply 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.
When power composting, do not keep
the Depth Regulator Lever at a deep
setting if the tiller jumps or bucks.
Ifjumping or buckingoccurs, movethe
Depth Regulator Lever down to a
shallow setting and then slowly
increase the tilling depth on later
passes.
Failure to follow this warning could
result in personal injury,
Read the following recommendationsbeforetilling on slopes:
If you must garden on a moderate slope, please follow two very important
guidelines:
I. Till only on moderate slopes, never on steep ground where footing is difficult
(reviewsafety rules in SectionI: Safetyof this manual).
2. We recommendtilling up and down slopes rather than terracing. Tilling vertically
on a slopeallows maximum plantingarea and also leavesroom for cultivating.
IMPORTANT:When tilling on slopes, be sure the correct oil level is maintainedin
the engine (check every one-half hour of operation). The incline of the slope will
causethe oil to slant awayfrom its normal level and this can starveengine parts of
required lubrication. Keepthe motor oil levelat the full point at all times!
Tilling Up and DownSlopes (VerticalTilling)
• To keepsoil erosionto a minimum, be sure to add enough organic matter to the
soil so that it has good moisture-holdingtextureand try to avoid leavingfootprints
or wheelmarks.
• When tilling vertically, try to make the first pass uphill as the tiller digs more
deeplygoing uphill than it does downhill. In soft soil or weeds,you may haveto
lift the handlebarsslightly while going uphill. When going downhill, overlap the
first pass by aboutone-halfthe width of the tiller.
Do not operate the tiller on a slope too
steep for safety. When on slopes, slow
down and make sure you have good
footing. Never permit the tiller to free-
wheel downslopes.
Failure to follow this warning could
result in personalinjury.
Tilling AcrossSlopesWithout UsingTer-
races (HorizontalTilling)
• If vertical or terrace gardeningaren't practi-
cal for you, then you can till laterallyacross
a slope. We don't recommendthis method
as it can create unsure footing and invites
soil erosion.
• As in terrace gardening,start at the top of
the slope and overlapthe first pass by half
the width of the tiller. For added stability of
the tiller, alwayskeepthe uphill wheelin the
soft, newly tilled soil.
Terrace Gardening
• When a slope is too steep or too short for vertical tilling, it may
be necessaryto till across the slope and create terraced rows.
Terracesare rows that are cut into the side of a slope, creating a
narrow, but flat areaon which to plant.
• On a long slope, you can make severalterraces, one below the
other.
• Terracesshould be only 240-3 feet wide. Diggingtoo far into the
side of the slope will expose poor subsoil that is unproductive
for plants.