Cultivators/tillers
Steve Osterhaus
such as the Mantis. Do they work as well as advertised? Are the "cheaper"
brands sold at home centers as good?
Any input will be welcomed. We have 7 raised gardens totalling about 700 sq
ft.
Thanks'
Steve Osterhaus
Steamboat
I've had a Mantis for about 3 years and am satisfied with it. My garden soil
is naturally sandy, so the Mantis is in its best environment. I've had the
machine bounce when hitting compacted areas, however, so I would imagine
clay soils may be an adventure. Of course, with your raised beds, this won't
be a problem.
Steve
Manteca, California
Ralph D.
Steamboat wrote in message ...
>
>I've had a Mantis for about 3 years and am satisfied with it. My
garden soil
>is naturally sandy, so the Mantis is in its best environment. I've
had the
>machine bounce when hitting compacted areas, however, so I would
imagine
>clay soils may be an adventure. Of course, with your raised beds,
this won't
>be a problem.
>
An adventure to say the least! I've got semi rocky clay that I do my
veggies in and ammend each year. It is imperative in this kind of soil
that I constantly be cultivating it through the year. I use the Ryobi
version and have hit extra hard spots and little rocks that have
bounced that sonuvagun 8 maybe 12 inches and hacked tomato and pepper
plants.
It gets easier each year as I plow in the straw at autumn... but is
still something to be very careful with.
That said... it still is one heck of a lot easier than going out there
and beating my brains out with a mattock hoe in a garden as large as
mine. The first years after I moved from the old garden to this one it
was like busting up concrete or something. One very large PIA.
The Ryobi is not a cure all... it is it's own version of work... just
a bit more productive.
ralph
post or lose an 'n' to reply
"Life'll Kill Ya"
Warren Zevon
Ralph D.
various activities and clicked reply to all instead of group.
sorry
ralph
Ralph D. wrote in message ...
Mike Sawyers
into my own garden.) I'm in TN, so clay soils are a reality I deal with
daily. I've found it very reliable, easily transportable. It will bounce on
hard clay soils and rocks. I've broken one tooth on a rock, and that tiller
part was immediately replaced by Mantis.
It's not as satisfying as working the soil with a spading fork, IMO, but
much quicker. I even use it to dig planting holes for trees, as the
pulverized soil it yields is much easier to pack around the roots than the
clumps I'd dig out with a spade. Also very good for mixing in compost or
pine fines for improving the soil.
I also like the straight tiller blades ("aerator") for overseeding the
lawns. Doesn't do the deep core drilling of the heavy duty aerators, but
seems to do enough to get bare patches - even large ones - going.
My father has a small tiller my brother gave him, and it's much less
effective than the Mantis, but was about $100 less than mine. If the
difference is affordable to you, I'd go with the Mantis.
"Steve Osterhaus" <ste...@dcwis.com> wrote in message
news:G9oI4.929$5b3.2...@homer.alpha.net...
> I am interested in anyone's experience with the lightweight garden tillers
> such as the Mantis. Do they work as well as advertised? Are the
"cheaper"
Michele Mauro
10% from Home Depot), and while it probably can't handle heavy clay
soils like a Mantis does, we're in Florida, where it's mostly sand and
it works pretty good.
I've used it quite a bit in the last few weeks - dug a bed for my new
rose bushes, turned over an old garden bed that had seen better days,
and now I'm using it to level off the side yard where the dog (now gone,
along with my sister to a new home), had dug big holes which left some
big hills. <grin>
Next we'll use it to re-grade the back yard which has a hump in the
middle and causes rain to drain towards the house.
One of the best home tools I ever bought!
HTH, Michele
--
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"Mike Sawyers" <ms10...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
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