My Mantis tiller is, after my shop tools, my favorite power tool! For a little guy, it chugs and churns some dirt.
I saw the ads in my gardening magazines. I figured there should be an infomercial, but I couldn't find one. Of course, I'm not one to seek out infomercials. I ordered the information kit, which included a video, and Presto! My infomercial, complete with tiny slip-of-a-thing lovelies (fully-clothed, certainly, or my wonderful wife would have skilleted me) easily operating the machine. As with other infomercials, there were plenty of testimonials. I'm not over swayed by the positivity. It looks like it should work as described, watching the action in the video. It carries a warranty (your money back if not satisfied, no questions asked). So, I took the plunge and ordered the gadget.
I keep a garden of about 140' x 160'. Not a farm, but not too small a garden, either. More like a truck patch, for those of similar age, when families subsisted from their truck patches during the mighty Depression.
This tiller is more than a gadget, I can assure you. It starts on only one or two pulls, after a quick press on the priming button. My large garden succumbed without protest to it's churning tines. I suppose the hardest part of using this little tiller is keeping it in front of you, it loves its work so much. The Mantis would love to just run away and finish the job without the operator. It breaks up wintered over clods of dirt like they were marshmallows. It slings rocks out of the way without complaint. My much-loved missus can operate it with ease. She's just like the video lovelies, except she cooks. Well, too! (See sweetheart, I tell everyone how good you are to me. Just put the skillet away.)
Our garden was previously overcome with weeds by the end of July, since it gets so hot in the St. Louis area at that time of year that we don't wish to go on weeding parties. The Mantis takes care of that handily. Just run the daring tines up the rows, and gone go the weeds. I admit, you must retrieve the weeds lest they root where the Mantis left them, but they are so loose, that's all you must do.
Having said all that, you must still weed between plants, but I don't know of a product that will do that for you. When Mrs. JimmyFizz is canning, JimmyFizz weeds. A little. I only pray that my Mantis holds out as long as I do!
There are a number of accessory options available at additional cost, although there are usually some special offers in effect to get some of them free. There are edger, aerator, dethatcher, and other attachments. They all work, although none as well on my large yard as those for my lawn tractor. I use the aerator when repairing mole holes to "scuff" the dirt for grass seed.
Maintenance is simple: just keep a proper 2-cycle mixture of oil and gas for the tank, which holds enough for a good day's work. Keep the tines clean between using, or the dirt that sticks will be hard to remove. I have bent only one tine, running into a large rock at my in-laws' home, where my beautiful wife and I were installing a much-desired garden for her folks, who are getting on in years and not so well able to break up their Ozark ground (laden with mountain stones). Replacement parts are easily obtainable, either from the manufacturer, or a local lawn-mower dealer or repairman. The belt must be made of some flexible iron or some such - I can't believe I've not had to replace it.
I'd recommend a Mantis for anyone with a small to moderate sized garden. It's fast, lightweight, not too expensive, and it works!
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