Topic: rotavators

[KMARKSnr]

Hi all,
      I`m wanting to buy a rotavator suitable for a bog standard allotments needs.I`m told a Mantis 4 stroke is ideal,- could you kind people offer some advice, and opinions please,(more the merrier).

                   Many Thanks,
                           Mark.

[gardentg44]

I have a mountfield manor 3.5hp

a very good all rounder ,and not too heavy

[Mr Smith]

Mark,
         For what it is worth I have a two stroke 'Mantis' and also a 5hp Mountefield which I use for heavy work, the 'Mantis is a good little machine and can either be used as a tiller or a cultivator when the tines are set to cultivate they will lift out any weeds that are down about three inches, when they are set for tilling they will do a good job on breaking the lotty down but are a bit light for heavy work, I bought mine of e-bay brand new delivered the next day, hope this helps :)

[growmore]

I too have a mantis and also a bigger machine Husqvana 5hp .I find the mantis very handy for weeding and getting a bed to a fine tilth for seed sowing .
I think the mantis is a great little tool but for a machine to handle a full allotment as in winter digging, preparing for potatoes etc etc, I think you would be better with something a bit bigger .
For one it will cover more ground faster than your mantis and two it will leave soil less finer than the mantis ,also you have less chance of panning your groundl  with a bigger slower turning machine...   

[little pud]

Hi mark, I have a ardisam badger, 6.5hp front tine rotovator. had it 3 years without any probs, excellent machine, goes through anything even if the plots havnt been dug b4, just done my two plots last friday.bit pricey but well worth it..             mowers-online.co.uk

[Buster54]

I had the same dilemma,I was offered a fellow allotment holders Rotavator last year after I had dug it all over with a spade took me approx 30 - 40 mins wrestling with it(and I'm a big girl) but did it.was offered a different one last week seemed to take me longer to do half of what I did last year so I've  bit the bullet and ordered a Mantis 4 stroke which just arrived this morning,There are about six on our site(2 strokes)and all come highly recommended,so basically if you get something bigger it will get it done faster with some wrestling  or use something smaller you can dance with that will take you longer(I'm learning to dance) :-* :-*

[raisedbedted]

Mantis everytime for me - since I got mine I havent powered up my rotavator prefering instead to fork over soil pre winter then till in spring.

[tomatoada]

It suggests in the mantis ad. that it  is best to hire a large rotavator to first go over your plot if it is compacted and covered with weeds.  This it says will be a one off.  After that your Mantis will cope.  Lucky for the man on the next plot to me did mine with his large machine and I am hoping to use my new 4stroke mantis shortly when the weather improves.

[Cuke]

I got this one at Christmas time (http://www.mowermagic.co.uk/acatalog/DORI_MD40T_Garden_Cultivator.html) and used it for the first time a week or so ago with great success.... :)

It was £70 cheaper when I bought it tho, no idea why it's gone up so much....

[little pud]

yeah, the mantis are ok for light weeding work, but not for proper cultivation ::)

[gardentg44]

[yeah, the mantis are ok for light weeding work, but not for proper cultivation ::)

]

i agree Pud the mantis (Window box rotavator) ;D ;D

[daileg]

i would love to have a mantiss as i have shallow borders all round my beds and couldnt use a large on would not be versatil enough one of those 2 stroke or four stroke mantiss lokk brill for turning the soil into a fine tilth as i prefer to dig out all my weeds rather than mash them all up

[kt.]

I have used my new mantis four times this month.  It cultivated my spud trench to an excellent tilth deep enough for the spuds to go in.  I have direct sown my peas in the tilth it has created as opposed to pre-planting.  That is how much confidence I have in it. 

I used it yesterday in an area of my home garden that was not pre-dug and weeded an area.  It broke and weeded ok but would of been better if I had loosened the soil first. 

I am certainly pleased with my Mantis 4 stroke purchase.  Wish I had got one sooner. 8) 8)

[chriscross1966]

If anyone offers to sell (or lend) you one that they refer to as a Howard Gem then take it..... monstrous machines capable of turning concrete carparks into seedbeds.... They're getting on a bit (there are spares specialists though) but my earliest garden powertool memory is aged 8 with the bars set over so I could see round the imposing lump in front of me as a massive single-cylinder JAP sidevalve engine dragged me around the heavy clay at my folks first house churning it into  vegetable plot.....you might need to extend the shed a bit though, Gem's aren't small and there's a lot of extra attachments to collect, the potato ridger is very useful, as are the assorted different tine sets, but the best has to be the ride-on trailer, though if you're  going to ride it to the allotment from your house (a la Good Life) you'll want the high-speed gearing kit and you'll have to get it registered for road use.........

[Robert_Brenchley]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Howard-Gem-Rotavator_W0QQitemZ320350524302QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_GardenPowerTools_CA?hash=item320350524302&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1686%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I think that qualifies as a tractor!

[diamondgirl]

My Mantis 4 stroke arrived a few days ago - it's brilliant for me.  Light enough for me to carry to the allotment, easy to start and so far doing a great job.  Whatever you choose, good luck and look forward to hearing how you get on.  This is my first year on the allotment and it's both exciting and scary  :-\  Lots of good advice here and from the other plot holders on site. 

[GodfreyRob]

Just be aware that rotovators break up the soil ok but also chop up weed roots. This can be a huge problem with tough rots like couch and dock as you are simply creating great conditions for double the crop of weeds.

Its worth going over rotovated land and raking out as many of the roots as you can - a pain but it will save you hours of weeding later.