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Tilling on slopes
If you must garden on a moderate slope, please follow two very
important guidelines:
Till only on moderate slopes, never on steep ground where
footing is difficult. Review the safety rules in the Safe
Operation Practices Section.
Tilling up and down slopes is recommended over terracing.
Tilling vertically on a slope allows maximum planting area
and also leaves room for cultivating.
NOTE: When tilling on slopes, be sure the correct oil level
is maintained in the engine (check every one-half hour
of operation). The incline of the slope will cause the oil to
slant away from its normal level and this can starve engine
parts of the required lubrication. Keep the engine oil level
at the full point at all times.
Tilling up and down slopes:
To keep soil erosion to a minimum, be sure to add
enough organic matter to the soil so that it has good
moistureholding texture and try to avoid leaving footprints
or wheel marks.
When tilling vertically, try to make the first pass uphill
as the tiller digs more deeply going uphill than it does
downhill. In soft soil or weeds, you may have to lift the
handlebars slightly while going uphill. When going
downhill, overlap the first pass by about one-half the width
of the tiller.
Terrace Gardening:
When a slope is too steep or too short for vertical tilling,
it may be necessary to till across the slope and create
terraced rows. Terraces are rows that are cut into the side of
a slope, creating a narrow, but flat area on which to plant.
On a long slope, you can make several terraces, one below
the other.
Terraces should be only 2-to-3 feet wide. Digging too far
into the side of the slope will expose poor subsoil that is
unproductive for plants.
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2.
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To create a terrace, start at the top of the slope and work
down. Go back and forth across the first row as shown in
Fig. 5-9.
Each succeeding lower terrace is started by walking below
the terrace you’re preparing. For added stability of the
tiller, always keep the uphill wheel in the soft, newly tilled
soil. Do not till the last 12” or more of the downhill outside
edge of each terrace. This untilled strip helps prevents the
terraces from breaking apart and washing downhill. It also
provides a walking path between rows.
Tilling across slopes without using terraces:
If vertical or terracing gardening aren’t practical for you,
then you can till laterally across a slope. This method is not
recommended as it can create unsure footing and invites
soil erosion.
As in terrace gardening, start at the top of the slope and
overlap the first pass by half the width of the tiller. For the
added stability of the tiller, always keep the uphill wheel in
the soft, newly tilled soil.
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1
2
3
12" UNTILLED
1
REPEAT
DOWNHILL
UPHILL
Figure 5-9
15sectiOn 5 — OperatiOn