“Rake to a fine tilth”

[cacran]

What is a Mantis cultivator? Should I be saving up for one???

[cacran]

[froglets]

Round our plots, fine tilth is something that comes out of a bag from the graden centre.  I have been known to slam the back of the spade against he clods several times to apporoximate a vague tilth of some sort.

[johnf]

I have a Mantis. It's just about the cheapest cultivator you can get. It's different from others in that you use it like a vacuum cleaner - it cultivates as you pul it back.
I'm really pleased with mine, though I know someone else who couldn't get on with it.
It does produce a really fine crumbly aerated soil, but it won't cut into heavy, compacted or couch infested soil (as I had when I took over my allotment. I found I had to dig it over first and get rid of the couch. For established beds though, it's great.

[Common_Clay]

I have to agree with johnf, it's not made for the really tough stuff. I use it on beds that were cultivated the previous season, etc. On ground that is compacted (and I'm on very clay soil) but doesn't have a network of couch grass roots or similar, I shove a fork in and lever the soil every foot or so giving the Mantis something to 'bite', and then it works its wonders. Pricey, but the company offer a year trial so you can send it back if you don't like it. I bet hardly anyone returns it, the engine starts every time, very sweet sounding too.