I did it!

[Southern Gardener]

I ordered a Mantis tiller and it will ship on Friday! I just can't handle my Craftsman tiller anymore - after I tilled under the garden in August my arms and shoulders hurt for weeks after that - my hands and arms go numb and horrible pain. Finally I made an appointment with the doctor and he suspects nerve damage. I have an appointment with the neurologist next week.

Anyway, the soil in my garden has gotten so much better and I don't need such a monster tiller anymore. The Mantis I ordered is the Deluxe 4-cycle. I can't wait til it comes in!

 

[digitS']

Now settle down, Joan.

You don't want to hurt yourself with this one.

I used to be assigned the task of beating the egg whites and whipped cream when I was a kid. We used one of those hand-operated eggbeaters that you are too young to remember. I was always hurting myself with that thing!!

About the most absurd tilling device I have is an attachment for my weedeater. I've refused to use it on soil that hasn't already been tilled. The thing spends more time airborne than in the dirt! Those 31cc engines have quite a bit of life to 'em .

Try using the Mantis walking backwards and pulling it with you. You can maintain steady resistance on the critter fairly easily that way. There's a chance of you falling over something, so watch out for that. The tiller will just take off like it's trying to get away from you so, at least, you don't have to worry about being run over. But, be careful . . . I'm sure that it's more dangerous than an eggbeater.

Steve, better left with hand tools but owner of a 31cc Honda tiller (& a rear-tine Craftsman)

 

[Southern Gardener]

Thanks for the advice Steve. And I do remember the hand eggbeaters thank you very much. My mom had two of them, although I don't ever remember hurting myself with one. This tiller is much smaller than the monster I have - the monster is a front tine that's half way down the garden dragging you behind. :/

 

[lesa]

Congrats! I will be interested to hear how you like it- they always look tempting! Steve, we use the "weed eater" tiller for getting our rows built up. It works fine on good dirt- forget it for new ground!

 

[hoodat]

The Mantis is a great little tiller. When I had one my Troybilt sat unused most of the year. You'll be surprised how much tilling you can do with the little guys. My suburban garde is so small I have no need for a tiller any more. A shovel does fine; or even an eye hoe if I've kept the spot weeded.

 

[gardentoad]

Cool hope you like it, I just sold mine today..it just wouldn't work in my containers..and I am long past those big monsters.
And steve I too have been injured with those old beaters, from licking the cake mix off of them..sometimes I still speak with forked tounge. LOL


Don

 

[momofdrew]

I would love a Mantis.... I hand till my whole garden with a garden fork...the garden is only 20 X 40 so it really isnt all that much work...at my age it just takes a little long then it used to...


and I remember hand held egg beaters I still have mine and still use it on occation...

 

[andy guo]

this one? wow

 

[Bonnie's Bloomers]

I have been using a mantis for eighteen years and love it. when hubby was working, seemed to always rain just before his day off. be too wet for the big tiller. i would use the little one in the middle of the week. Since he has retired he uses the big tiller for the big garden. i have two ladies that have raised beds and they hire me to till their gardens. I also used my mantis to help dig the ditch for the water line that goes to my greenhouse.

 

[Southern Gardener]

This is the tiller I bought. 4-cycle deluxe and I love it!!!

I used it in between the garden rows to weed. It's only 27 pounds so I can easily pick it up to store.