User guide

Part No 350324 Form No F090407A
10
PR & OS Owner’s Manual
RAKING/SLICING TIPS
Before beginning, it is best to evaluate the condition of the la wn b y cutting o ne or more core
samples from area to be treated. A core can be cut using a piece of pvc, or metal pipe.
Hammer the pipe into the ground, remove it, push the cor e out of the pipe and inspect it to
determine the depth of thatch in your yard.
THATCH: Thatch is a dense layer of dead gr ass, clippings, and roots that builds up over time
at the base of of the lawn preventing air, water, and fertilize r from reachin g the soil. This can
cause shallow root development and mak e a lawn more susceptible to drought and diseas e.
Thatch also provides an ideal environment for insects to hide and multiply. Periodic removal of
thatch will keep your lawn in good he alth.
HEAVY THATCH: Lawns with an excessive amount of thatch will require multiple treatments
for effective removal. Trying to remove excessive thatch (greater than 3/4"[19 mm] deep) in
one treatment will damage or destroy the living part of the l awn. It is best to remove heavy
thatch in seasonal treatments (i.e. spring, and fall).
SLOPES: Rake slopes across not up and do wn. This is much easier and safer for the
operator and is better for the la wn. Raking across will help to reduce runoff during watering
and allow the sloped gro un d to hold more seed, fertilizer, and water. The units maxim um
operating slope is 35% or 19° .
DEPTH: The wide range of depth adjustm ent on your unit is provided to allow for blade wear.
Setting the reel deeper will not produc e better, or quicker results. The flail reel is i ntended to
be set so it just touches the surface on flat ground. The slicing reel sho uld be set even with the
ground for verti-slicing work, and set to a maximum 1/2" de pth for overseeding jobs. Setting
the reel deeper than this will only result in premature wear on the unit (i.e. failed be lt). If you
desire to work the ground deeper than the ab ove gu idelines allo w, it should be done gradu all y
in multiple passes..
SLICING / OVERSEEDING: Mow the lawn to shorter than the normal cut height before
starting (i.e. approximately 2" tall for fescue g rass). For the best result, Slice/Overseed in criss-
cross pattern (See Fig. 1 and See Fig 2).
RAKING OPERATION-FL AIL REEL
NOTE: Must have the flail reel assembly (350112) for t his operation.
MOW: Mow the lawn to it's normal cut height.
DRY: Be sure grass is dry. Wet conditions can cause i ncreased damage to health y gr ass.
SET DEPTH: With engine off, set the raking depth so that the blades just touch on a flat
surface (i.e. driveway, or sidewalk).
START ENGINE: See page 9 for further instruction.
ENGAGE BLADES: Pull back on the bail on the oper ators handle. NOTE: When engaging the
blades in heavy load cond itio ns (i.e. heavy thatch, or very uneven turf), push down on the
operators handle lifting the front wheels slig htly. Engage the blades. Slowly lower the unit into
the turf.
RAKE: Rake a small test area and examine the results. Thatch should be remove d an d
deposited on top of the healthy grass. If excessive damage occurs to healthy grass, ad just the
blade depth to decrease damage. Continue raking the yard , working in one direction (i.e.
north-south, or east-west). NOTE: If a large drop in engine RPM occurs, or the unit pulls you
forward and bounces during operati on the blade depth is set too low.
REMOVE THATCH: After raking, a layer of thatch will be deposited over the top of the lawn.
This thatch must be removed prior to any fert ilizing, seeding, or watering of the la wn. We
suggest the use of a lawn vacuum or wheeled blower for collection and removal of the thatch.