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Thanks. Maybe now... I will finally USE the Mantis tiller I bought a year ago! It's time, and I have the perfect place to try it since my early 'crops' are finished in my tiny vegetable garden.
Mine, btw, is the gas with the Honda 4 cycle engine.
After seeing how hard it was for me to get my raised beds weeded and ready for the planting season, my husband went out and purchased a Mantis gas mini tiller for me. At first I was annoyed because we really couldn't afford it but after using it for a few days, I fell in love with it!
We have 27 acres of hard clay soil and I do have a larger tiller, which is probably 50 years old and very hard for me to start and use (plus it blows blue smoke after I used the wrong gas in it), but this little guy has been able to cut through the builders clay with no problem! I've used it to break up the soil so I couild make a water garden to handle rain runoff in my front yard - the mud puddles are no more, LOL! It eventually digs through the clay, after running it back and forth a few times.
The hardest thing to do was to get the Mantis muscles- my arms were so sore those first few times, I could hardly pick up anything with heft to it, like my grandbaby!
Now, I just take it along with me on my rounds and use it to get in between shrubs and break new ground at the drop of a hat! DH has gas canisters all ready to go and stored in the garage, nicely labelled - he also labelled each of the tools with their mix requirements using paint markers, another great innovation. Now there is no chance I can mix up the gas, which means no smoke problems.
I can honestly say my Mantis has been worth every penny!
Terri
That's a great endorsement! Maybe I've been selling it short on breaking new ground... or maybe our clay is just tougher, LOL. I did use it on some previously untilled areas at the back of the yard, but that was a little strip where I don't think the builder had disturbed the original soil, so it wasn't bad.
My ground is hardpan from DH running his tractor over it and all the other cranes and such from house construction. It seems that only the top few inches are dry, so once it gets hold into the damp clay, it can really get going. I do move ti around a lot because it will just dig ridges if yoiu run ti straight back and forth but eventually its nice and loose.
I hear you about the ridges... I drag it slowly back, and if it starts making ridges after a couple of passes, I just go across diagonally to break them up.
Critter, thanks so much for the article! I've been 'ruminating' on a tiny tiller for me, and your article confirms that it needs to be a Mantis. I also believe I would enjoy the electric one, because I'm not good at pulling cords to get things started, or draining stuff at the end of the season.
And Dragonfly, you put a bee in my bonnet for a water feature... I can do my own! You two have got me in some deep water... bad trouble!!! LOL
I told myself the tiller would be a good retirement gift for me, so I'm gonna start checking it out for sure. Do you know if they have a time of the year when they are on sale? Like in the fall?? Just wondering! I still think spending my money on plants, seeds, etc., is the MOST fun.
thanks to both of you for the "push", and I'll think of both of you when I start tilling! :)
I don't think they are ever on sale, they just change the "free gifts" from time to time if you order online. Sears sells both the Mantis and their own, so check the sales papers to see if they have a percent off sale around Labor Day or sooner.
Terri
Check the price on Amazon, too... I think that's the other place I was looking & comparing prices. I think I'll get around to using my free edge eventually, but I don't know if I'll ever get around to putting on the kickstand... simply laying it down on the ground seems to work just fine. :-)
re: going on sale etc., keep an eye on the papers, Craig's list, and similar places. We got ours from Craig's list and paid $ 150.for it, SO IT CAN BE DONE!!! Great deal and very happy with ours. It's dug us a big rose garden in about three days.
