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Home > Archive > Austin Gardening > November 2005 > mini tiller
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| Hi Everyone - Not many posts lately....everybody must be outside working in
the garden!
I've been thinking of buying a mini tiller - like the Mantis, but I don't
want to spend that much money  ($300)
I used to have one in a previous life that I really liked because it did the
job I expected, but it was SO incredibly loud - like one of those kid's
minibikes that go screaming down the street. It also smoked like crazy even
though I mixed the fuel according to directions.
Does anyone else have a mini tiller that they like? I don't want/need a
large one so let's not go there
Thanks!
Teri
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| TLR wrote:
> Hi Everyone - Not many posts lately....everybody must be outside
> working in the garden!
>
> I've been thinking of buying a mini tiller - like the Mantis, but I
> don't want to spend that much money ($300)
>
> I used to have one in a previous life that I really liked because it
> did the job I expected, but it was SO incredibly loud - like one of
> those kid's minibikes that go screaming down the street. It also
> smoked like crazy even though I mixed the fuel according to
> directions.
Teri, I have a used Mantis I'd sell you....
I'm in Spring, on the northern outskirts of Houston.
Cindy
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| Joe Doe 2005-10-30, 8:21 pm |
| In article <hP89f.6114$D13.514@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com>,
"TLR" <TLR_AustinTX@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Everyone - Not many posts lately....everybody must be outside working in
> the garden!
>
> I've been thinking of buying a mini tiller - like the Mantis, but I don't
> want to spend that much money ($300)
>
> I used to have one in a previous life that I really liked because it did the
> job I expected, but it was SO incredibly loud - like one of those kid's
> minibikes that go screaming down the street. It also smoked like crazy even
> though I mixed the fuel according to directions.
>
> Does anyone else have a mini tiller that they like? I don't want/need a
> large one so let's not go there
>
> Thanks!
> Teri
I do not have one but you might want to look into the electric versions
of the Mantis - they would be less noisy and polluting than the gas
versions. I think most peoples prejudice is that electric tools are
underpowered relative to the gas version. I own an electric mower and
am very happy with it. I think the Mantis has a money back guarantee so
you could try it on their dime to see if it has enough oomph to get the
job done.
Roland
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| Bourne Identity 2005-10-31, 9:21 am |
| If you only need a small one to cultivate soil Ryobi makes a nice
multi-task unit. I have it and along with the base I bought the
cultivator, blower, edger and it came with the string trimmer.
It won't till fresh soil which hasn't been worked, but it does a great
job at cultivation of soil which has already been ammended. It is
strong enough to rip down virgin areas of soil, but it's not intended
to do that. I have mine for about 8 years and it is still working.
It's also electric so no need to struggle with gas/oil mixtures or
pull starting.
On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:04:45 GMT, "TLR" <TLR_AustinTX@hotmail.com>
wrote:
>Hi Everyone - Not many posts lately....everybody must be outside working in
>the garden!
>
>I've been thinking of buying a mini tiller - like the Mantis, but I don't
>want to spend that much money ($300)
>
>I used to have one in a previous life that I really liked because it did the
>job I expected, but it was SO incredibly loud - like one of those kid's
>minibikes that go screaming down the street. It also smoked like crazy even
>though I mixed the fuel according to directions.
>
>Does anyone else have a mini tiller that they like? I don't want/need a
>large one so let's not go there
>
>Thanks!
>Teri
>
| |
|
| Bourne Identity wrote:
>Ryobi..... It won't till fresh soil which hasn't been worked, but it does a
>great
> job at cultivation of soil which has already been ammended. It is
> strong enough to rip down virgin areas of soil, but it's not intended
> to do that. I have mine for about 8 years and it is still working.
> It's also electric so no need to struggle with gas/oil mixtures or
> pull starting.
Same for the Mantis. I also lived in an area with very rocky soil, from
small to large gravel. The rocks got caught in the tines and stopped them.
I got tired of having to sift all the rocks out of my soil to use the
tiller, so it's been sitting for years. I haven't even tried it on the
lovely clay here.
Cindy
| |
| Bourne Identity 2005-10-31, 6:21 pm |
| On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:04:06 GMT, "Cindy" <cinshep@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Bourne Identity wrote:
>
>Same for the Mantis. I also lived in an area with very rocky soil, from
>small to large gravel. The rocks got caught in the tines and stopped them.
>I got tired of having to sift all the rocks out of my soil to use the
>tiller, so it's been sitting for years. I haven't even tried it on the
>lovely clay here.
>
>Cindy
>
Actually, if you have clay and it's got the right amount of moisture,
it does do a pretty good job, but you can't just jam it into the soil
and expect it to activate six inches at once. With patience, the
Ryobi does work well for a small garden. At least in my experience.
Fortunately I don't have any rocks to speak of.
| |
|
| > Actually, if you have clay and it's got the right amount of moisture,
> it does do a pretty good job, but you can't just jam it into the soil
> and expect it to activate six inches at once. With patience, the
> Ryobi does work well for a small garden. At least in my experience.
> Fortunately I don't have any rocks to speak of.
I don't anymore. I went from gravelly soil, more rocks than dirt, to this
ugly red clay. The clay is better than the gravel, though. At least plants
grow.
| |
| Borg hater 2005-11-01, 11:21 pm |
| "Cindy" <cinshep@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MOw9f.7209$BZ5.3896@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
>
> I don't anymore. I went from gravelly soil, more rocks than dirt, to this
> ugly red clay. The clay is better than the gravel, though. At least
plants
> grow.
>
>
Am having a big problem geting the St. Augustine to grow in some red
clay/sand mix they put on my leech field and in front of the house. The
Bermuda grass loves it though.
--
Lil' Dave
Beware the rule quoters, the corp mindset, the Borg
Else you will be absorbed
| |
|
| Borg hater wrote:
> "Cindy" <cinshep@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:MOw9f.7209$BZ5.3896@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com...
>
>
> plants
>
>
>
> Am having a big problem geting the St. Augustine to grow in some red
> clay/sand mix they put on my leech field and in front of the house. The
> Bermuda grass loves it though.
>
Are you cutting it high? Short cuts on mixed Bermuda and St. Augustine
often ends up with the Bermuda the winner.
| |
| OmManiPadmeOmelet 2005-11-02, 1:21 am |
| In article <8bX9f.8825$7h7.5951@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>,
jOhN <us271934SPAMNYET@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Borg hater wrote:
> Are you cutting it high? Short cuts on mixed Bermuda and St. Augustine
> often ends up with the Bermuda the winner.
So if I plant St. Augustine in with my resident Bermuda and cut it tall,
will the SA take over???
That would be awesome! I'm regretting putting in the Bermuda and am
beginning to wonder why that ratty looking grass is so damned expensive
to buy the seeds...
Thanks!
--
Om.
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-XXXXX." -Jack Nicholson
| |
|
| OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article <8bX9f.8825$7h7.5951@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>,
> jOhN <us271934SPAMNYET@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> So if I plant St. Augustine in with my resident Bermuda and cut it tall,
> will the SA take over???
>
> That would be awesome! I'm regretting putting in the Bermuda and am
> beginning to wonder why that ratty looking grass is so damned expensive
> to buy the seeds...
>
> Thanks!
With adequate water, nutrients, and sun the St. Augustine will usually
prevail when cut high. My mower is usually set to the highest position.
The bermuda is still there and will take back over if you don't water
adequately regardless of the mower height. I've got a couple of places
that catch the afternoon sun next to the sidewalk that need extra
watering in the summer.
Remember that St. Augustine is mostly on the surface so the long
standing up leaves provide shade for the runners. IMHO the shade helps
deter the bermuda with its full sun requirements. 20 years with a
bermuda and St. Augustine mixed yard had some hard lessons in it. I'm
almost entirely St. Auggie now and with it's dense growth patterns I
don't have many weeds. In parts of my front yard there haven't been
weeds for 10 years. No herbicides and a mulching mower (avoid thatch)
with fertilizer a couple times a year - woohoo! The bermuda had weeds
year round.
| |
| Borg hater 2005-11-02, 8:21 am |
| "jOhN" <us271934SPAMNYET@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:8bX9f.8825$7h7.5951@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
> Borg hater wrote:
this[color=darkred]
> Are you cutting it high? Short cuts on mixed Bermuda and St. Augustine
> often ends up with the Bermuda the winner.
Mower setting is medium high, not sure of actual height in inches. Height
was more due to heat concerns and moisture loss.
Couldn't afford complete sod coverage with St. Augustine. Dropped Bermuda
grass seed in barren areas remaining.
Have used zero fertilizer. Will probably succumb and do so early next
March.
--
Lil' Dave
Beware the rule quoters, the corp mindset, the Borg
Else you will be absorbed
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