Is a tiller a good investment??

pepperwolfe

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The problem with the two tillers is they're not mine to begin with so they were already beat up. And knowing my uncle and my dad they were probably at least 20+ years old.
The electric soil blender is also about 30+ years old (notice no one ever gets rid anything in my family) It has two rotating tines with thick blades sticking out in front of it. It also has a small body with two wheels that I can push with a handle. It came from the Detroit Garden Maid Co or something like that. It's hard to describe but I found it shoved in one of the sheds. Its small enough I can pick it up and put it where I want. I'm 5'2" and about 135lbs so even if the tillers worked I would have hard time with them trying to till the garden and keep them in the dirt and not bouncing around.
 

fasbendera

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I know it is a late reply but we bought our own tiller 5-6 years ago and I have not regretted it for a second. We had rented or borrowed it before then and I can not tell you how nice it is to have our own. Our garden gets tilled two or three times in the fall to mix in the leaves and chicken manure. In the spring we till it a couple of time. If it rains or the first time it is clumpy you can wait a day or two and till it again. Renting was around $50 a time so it is paid for in a year or two. One of the best things I ever bought.
 

setter4

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My beds are all raised beds so it's not like I'm trying to break up sod or anything. We just got the neatest thing...It's a Stihl (sp) and it has all kinds of attachments to it. It has a sweeper for cleaning up gravel and stuff of the driveways, a weed eater, a pole saw and a tiller. The tiller is about like a Manitis and I think it will work fine for what I need.
 

Purple Strawberry

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farmerlor said:
We have one of those little mantis tillers which I use when the husband isn't around to get some weeding done and prepare the odd bed or two. We use a BIG tiller for getting the garden ready and working in compost. I mulch for weed control too but I do that because my soil is in pretty crappy shape and I need the added organic material.
I was wondering if the Mantis tiller was any good...I just wonder how much it cost?

I got a 1 year trail card but it didn't have a price on it.
 

setter4

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agirly4chicks said:
farmerlor said:
We have one of those little mantis tillers which I use when the husband isn't around to get some weeding done and prepare the odd bed or two. We use a BIG tiller for getting the garden ready and working in compost. I mulch for weed control too but I do that because my soil is in pretty crappy shape and I need the added organic material.
I was wondering if the Mantis tiller was any good...I just wonder how much it cost?

I got a 1 year trail card but it didn't have a price on it.
I think about $350.00
 

Grow 4 Food

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Look on Craigslist.com There were about 10 tillers in my area in the last couple days alone, yours might be too.
 

Reinbeau

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agirly4chicks said:
farmerlor said:
We have one of those little mantis tillers which I use when the husband isn't around to get some weeding done and prepare the odd bed or two. We use a BIG tiller for getting the garden ready and working in compost. I mulch for weed control too but I do that because my soil is in pretty crappy shape and I need the added organic material.
I was wondering if the Mantis tiller was any good...I just wonder how much it cost?

I got a 1 year trail card but it didn't have a price on it.
It's a great little tiller (I have the four stroke) . It has gone up considerably in price since I bought mine, that's for sure, I paid $299.
 

dickiebird

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I just bought a tiller for my tractor. Has a 3 point hook up and tills more than 4 ft. on each pass. Does a great job but will not be good for weed control.
I put an ad on St Louis craigslist last evening for plowing and tilling for hire, and it looks as though I'll be able to pay for the thing before spring is over.
THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!
 

jonesgirl

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agirly4chicks said:
farmerlor said:
We have one of those little mantis tillers which I use when the husband isn't around to get some weeding done and prepare the odd bed or two. We use a BIG tiller for getting the garden ready and working in compost. I mulch for weed control too but I do that because my soil is in pretty crappy shape and I need the added organic material.
I was wondering if the Mantis tiller was any good...I just wonder how much it cost?

I got a 1 year trail card but it didn't have a price on it.
My mantis cost me $299 also and It was the wors $299 I ever spent.

They say it breaks up tough clay.. YEah right.. lol
I gues when you see in the commercial them tilling through nice brown soil that looks like they just poured it out of a bag, that should have been my first guess...

It came with extra blades for edging, which I have never used because I can't pry the regular blades off, because the soil bent them...

Every spring it takes me at least a week to break the soil back up... , but I don't cover it over the winter...

I am going to get a big one, and for the price I paid for the matis, I could have.. DUH...

It really depends on what you are needing it for I guess :}
 
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