How Does a Cultivator Work?
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Power and Design
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Use a rear-motor cultivator for light gardening and cultivating between crops. This type of cultivator is easiest to keep from flying all over the place when you turn it on. Tougher soils, however, require a heavier cultivator. Use a top-motor cultivator for heavy cultivating work and for fields that have been unused for many years. The added weight of the motor seated on top of the fixture pushes the tines deeper into the ground. Cultivators mostly run on gasoline. Use an electric cultivator only if you need to cultivate a small garden close to the home. Gas-powered cultivators, however, are best for deep field work and places where an electrical outlet is not available. Both types of cultivators work by digging metal tines into the dirt and rotating the dirt. This refreshes the soil for new seeding or planting of crops.
Motor Start-Up
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Start using the cultivator by adjusting the throttle to about 1/2 inch or so away from the off position. (The throttle is a small lever located on the right handlebar.) Turn the power switch to the on position (located on the side of the motor). Pull the starter cord. Move the throttle lever to the lowest position. This should result in the engine turning gently. If the engine is not turning gently, or if it shuts off, adjust the throttle screw as needed (clockwise to increase the engine throttle or counterclockwise to reduce throttle). With electric power cultivators, simply turn on the power button to get the motor running. In either kind of cultivator, allow the motor to run for a minute or two to warm up before using.
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Working With Rigid Land
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Reduce the speed by turning the throttle close to the start position (A high-speed setting will cause the cultivator to run off straight ahead of you, slip out of your control sideways or throw debris up into your eyes). Ordinary rocks become lethal weapons when the cultivator is working at high speed (even at low speeds, the tines make flying rocks or other buried debris dangerous). For this reason, wear safety glasses, rubber boots (no laced boots), a hard hat and a tough apron made of leather or rubber. Hold the handles securely and walk forward with the cultivator (don't push). Turn the throttle lever to a reduced speed when making turns. Set the throttle to high speed only for digging deep in softer soil.
Maintenance and Seasonal Storage
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Clean the cultivating tines after each use. Remove the dirt with a brush, and then wipe the tines down with a cloth. If you plan on storing your gas or electric cultivator in a dry garage over the fall season, then ensure that you have thoroughly cleaned the tines. Wipe the entire machine down with a cloth.
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