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Garden Gate:  Calling on Mantis Tiller Owners  |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 2:48:55 PM
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To make a really, really long story short, I need a tiller. My husband has less than zero interst in gardening (other than the eating part) and I can't get him to get mine started. I have plans for a raised bed garden, but I need the existing space leveled. I have pretty heavy clay soil in my garden spot (hense the raised beds.) I need something to break up what grass roots I have (not many) and break up the soil so I can level it and build my beds. I also want to do some work in my yard - planting beds around my house and doing some landscaping work out in my yard - like border hedges, etc. Will a mantis be big enough to do this for me? I don't want to invest in it and then tear it up in the first 30 minutes of use. However, I need something I can handle by myself.
I do plan to kill (you didn't see that) all the grass I can and make it as easy on my equipment as possible. It's just more than I can do with a shovel. Thoughts, advice, opinions, good-bought-experience?
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 3:14:04 PM
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I have a mantis that I use in my kitchen gardens, which are raised beds, and just love it, would not trade it for any other ever, that being said, my big garden, almost an acre, i use a john deere tiller, and would not trade it for any other ever, and with that being said, small garden = small tiller, large garden = large tiller...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 7:37:59 PM
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I have raised beds and to make them and keep up with them my Mantis tiller is the best! The first few boxes I did by hand and the next few I did with the Mantis. Needless to say after the first few boxes I could not move for a few days and after the next few boxes I went swimming. I love, love my Mantis!!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2011 : 10:56:11 PM
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I have a mantis and I can't keep my Hubby off it. I don't know if it's easy to use or not! He's never let me use it. If I head out to the garden he comes runnin and wants to till for me.
Get one and see if it works for you that way. Guys just seem to love power tools!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 07:23:03 AM
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I love my mantis for touch-up weeding, but to establish a bed for the first time, I use a full-size Troy-Bilt. I don't think a mantis is strong enough to cut through packed clay and thatch. I would check out the feed store bulletin boards, ads in the paper, etc and see if you can find someone to come out and break it once, then use the mantis after that for maintenance. I've seen ads on Craigslist in the Farm and Garden section for people who will do this for a reasonable price.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
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mydakota
True Blue Farmgirl
152 Posts
kristi
redmond
oregon
USA
152 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2011 : 07:46:57 AM
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I spaded all mine by hand, but my mother has a mantis and loves it. She works it pretty hard too, and it seems to hold up.
HearthCricket Farm. Where the door is always open, and the coffee is always on. |
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Garden Gate: Calling on Mantis Tiller Owners |
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Calling on Mantis Tiller Owners
