Mantis CULTIVATOR 401764 XP - Manual (Page 12)

Tilling
WARNING • DANGER
IF YOUR TINES GET JAMMED OR ENTANGLED, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AT ONCE.
REMOVE THE OBSTRUCTION WHILE THE ENGINE IS OFF.
NEVER TRY TO REMOVE AN OBSTRUCTION WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.
SERIOUS INJURY CAN RESULT.
! !
12
Tilling
Now You’re Ready to
Use Your MANTIS
® XP
Tiller.
If you’ve seen other tillers, your
MANTIS Tiller may surprise you.
It tills best when you pull it
backward! You see, when you pull
your MANTIS Tiller backward,
you give extra resistance to the
tines, so they dig deeper. (Picture 1)
What’s more when you go backward, you
erase your footprints. So your soil stays
light and fluffy. With other tillers, by
contrast, you walk right over the soil
you’ve just tilled, packing it down, so it’s
less plantable.
Run Your MANTIS XP Tiller
like a Vacuum Cleaner.
Place your Tiller at the head of the row
or area you want to till. Start it up. Then
use an easy rocking motion. First, pull
your Tiller backward. Then use an easy
rocking motion. Again, pull your Tiller
backward. Then, let it move forward just a
little bit. Then pull it backward again.
This will help you till deeper.
Keep repeating these steps until you’ve
tilled an entire row. Start again on the
next row. It’s much like running a
vacuum cleaner! (Picture 2)
You Can Even
Control Depth.
For Deeper Tilling:
Move your Tiller slowly back and forth,
as you would a vacuum cleaner. Work the
same area over and over until you’ve dug
to your desired depth. (Picture 3)
For Shallow Tilling:
Switch the tines to the cultivating
position. (See page 13 to learn how.) Then
move your Tiller quickly over your soil
surface.
For Big Weeds or Tough Roots:
Let your Tiller rock back and forth over
the tough spot, until the tines slice
through the weed or root.
Your MANTIS XP Tiller
Handles Special Tilling Projects.
Want to turn part of your lawn into a
colorful flower border? Your MANTIS XP
Tiller makes it easy! Just run your Tiller
back and forth until the sod begins to
break up. Then continue tilling. Your
Tiller will chop the clumps of sod until
they’re fine. Then, it will work them into
the soil. Pretty soon, you’ll have a soft,
fresh planting bed.
WARNING • DANGER
THE OPERATOR OF THIS TILLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
ACCIDENTS OR HAZARDS OCCURRING TO HIMSELF, OTHER PEOPLE
OR THEIR PROPERTY.
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
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401764 XP Tiller-Cultivator_manual 5/18/10 10:51 AM Page 12