"Oren" wrote in message ...
On Wed, 6 Aug 2014 22:56:01 -0800, "Guv Bob"
wrote:

snipped

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6zl9duO1o0

[...]

Are you sure that video shows an aerator attachment? Good try but stupid idea.

It is aerating, just a different approach. The Mantis is cutting slits
in the ground (3 inches deep ?), instead of pulling core plugs out. It
achieves basically the same thing. Breaks up the compacted soil,
allows oxygen and micro nutrients, and water to penetrate deeper.

I'd not use the Mantis on large lot, but would for a small area to
break up compacted clay. For a large lot, I'd use a real coring
machine. Both will remove some thatch.

Slitting is not good for this situation. It would do does a lot more damage to the roots and generally makes a muddy mess. Slits close up quickly. Holes from plugs give water somewhere to drain and filter. Same for fertilizer & grass seed. Slitting is always a stupid idea.