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Old 01-10-2010, 01:54 PM posted to rec.gardens
FarmI FarmI is offline
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Default Coring v Spike lawn aerators + How effective is Mantis an aerator?

"Brooklyn1" Gravesend1 wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:17:57 -0500, Newbie wrote:

In article , Brooklyn1
wrote:

: Mantis has a aerating/dethatching attachment that I'd seriously
: consider for a smallish lawn... every gardener needs a Mantis, best
: gardening investment ever... it tills my 50' X 50' vegetable garden
: more than 8" deep with as much effort as walking a small dog.

I am seriously considering Mantis. At $500 for the tiller, dethatching,
and aerator package, it is cheaper than other powered options, and
would be a lot more convenient than any manual options. (Our lawn is
small, but bodies too are not what they used to be a few decades ago!)

However, my one doubt about aeration is that Mantis attachment appears
to be "spike" variety, not "coring". IOW it just punches holes rather
than remove cores. I keep reading that coring aeration is much better.

If you have used both kinds, I would appreciate a comparison, if one is
really better. Or, we know Mantis would be convenient, but how
effective it is as an aerator?


If all you have to garden is that small postage stamp sized lawn I
still strongly recommend you contract a lawn service, you will never
amortize the price of a Mantis, a lawn mower, an edger, a blower or
any power lawn tools... won't even pay for you to fuel those... all
you need is a leaf rake (if you have any trees nearby) and a garden
hose (short). If you really want to do it yourself buy a bow rake and
a reel type push mower. I'm serious... a 1,000 sq ft lawn is like a
dozen passes with a manual push mower, less work than vacuuming your
living room, 10 minutes tops... you can mow every day. Geeze, you're
really milking this... fantacizing about your Ponderosa.


LOL. I'm beginning to enjoy the absurdity of this lawn obssession.