Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Sparkly on April 05, 2008, 13:43:52
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We are considering buying one of these. Anyone have experience of using one? They are expensive, so does anyone know of a good source? They are £339 direct http://mantis-uk.co.uk/home.asp
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I am looking to get one for next season. If you get it, let me know how you get on. Same product £20 cheaper here:
http://www.classic-lawns.co.uk/acatalog/tillers.html?gclid=CLuA__qX-5ECFQ0RuwodjjSHpg
See one in action here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2bn5LsPozI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-P5ispuv28
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They are quieter than the two stroke version that is the good point with them, It all depends on the type of soil you have they make a nice tilth in sandy soil but I would think they are a bit underpowered if you are on clay, I used an ALKO cultivator more machine for less money and still not to heavy to handle.
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I used an ALKO cultivator more machine for less money and still not to heavy to handle.
Do you have any links to compare? Not heard of the Alko before. Everyone usually only mentions Mantis - all good points so far.
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http://www.mower-magic.co.uk/acatalog/ALKO.html
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Yep ALKO 4 blade is great on heavier soils or compacted ones. But now that I have rotavated mine over few years and my soil is getting much better my ALKO is getting a bit of heavy to handle...it is digging itself easily too deep and it is b..dy heavy to keep lifting it up. I have looked into to buying Mantis too..but have to wait until I have enough pocket money saved.
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Having used both a large rotivator and a mantis I find that tend to use the large one for bigger areas where I am wanting to go deeper and the mantis for smaller areas that have been dug or rotivated a few months before but need to be prepared for seed sowing ie. fine tilth. The mantis will jump if it comes to an area of compacted soil, therfore is not good to use on soil that has not been dug within the last few months.
On lighter soil it may well be possible to use it at any time. I am on clay - although it has had a lot of manure added over the last 5 years and is a very workable soil.
The mantis is good from the respect of being much lighter, smaller and thus easier to use than large rotivator, but will not go that deep.
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The mantis is good from the respect of being much lighter, smaller and thus easier to use than large rotivator, but will not go that deep.
It is advertised everywhere to go as deep as 9-10 inches. Is this not so ???
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The mantis will easily dig to 10" in previously loosened soil, and will dig deeper still if you buy a set of trenching tines. I have the 4 stroke, which is a bit heavier, but as someone said it will not dig into compacted soil, especially clay
I have a rotavator with which I knock-down the plots that have been rough-dug over the winter, then use the mantis to produce the degree of finer tilth
needed for each section.
As anyone who has used a mantis will know, you would not want to use them to dig over large areas! They need a push-pull action to dig down, and pulling against the rotating tines is quite an effort - do it for too long and you will be able to tie your laces without bending down!
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Hhhhmmmm. I was looking to get one to save time digging. If I have to dig before the using it to get tilth then is it still worth buying.
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If you can keep your soil from compacting over the winter, the mantis will dig into it. But like any light machine, it will just bounce around on hard "pan", especially clay.
Even my 3.5hp rotavator wont dig into compacted soil until its broken up a bit.
If you want to cultivate big areas at a time the mantis is not the answer, it needs too much pulling - see previous answer!
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Have a look at the Mantis and attachments on this site....seems quite cheap ?
www.thegreenreaper.co.uk
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check your local tip or ebay and you may find a second hand one or a 'doer uper' then its a bargain, thats what we did. 10 pound for ours 5 in parts and away we go!!.
good luck