mantis and 'digging' holes for small/trees shrubs (5 - 7 gallon or less)..
here is my method.....
with regular tiller tines, set mantis where u want hole.
let it start busting sod, then begin rotating/walking the mantis over the area ...in effect, the mantis is remaining over the hole, you are walking a small circle around the hole (kinda like a tetherball effect)
once it starts digging deeper i continue rotating and pull back on handles to start enlarging the hole and avoid/decrease the bouncing
let the mantis dig as far as the guard allows
presto->nice hole with fine dirt to place back around new tree/shrub.
granted, u will have to experiment in order to learn the 'feel' for this, as in tilt handles up, down, pull back, etc.....mainly to avoid the bouncing effect of the little mantis.
but believe me, after a few holes you will learn the feel.
the mantis tills the dirt up so fine that i dont use a shovel to clean the dirt out of the hole, quicker removing by hand. and i fill the dirt back around the same way, rake it in by hand. found that using a shovel takes much longer!
in essence, practice a little and you should find the method that works best for you.
remember, i only use it for 5-7 gallon trees or smaller, but i guess it could start the holes for bigger sizes and then dig out by shovel/post hole diggers.
i also rake mulch beds with the mantis (freshen them up), just dont go full throttle!
another use i have for the mantis is creating new edges for beds in yards->remove 1 side of tines (looks like half a tiller),attach the edger wheel, and pull it backwards. works like a charm
i also started using the mantis to edge concrete driveways/walks, using the edger kit (which was included with my purchase). probably not as good as a stick edger, but most of my accounts only need edged 2 - 3times /season...so i use the weed whacker to maintain the edge.
and if you are a gardener, i discovered the the mantis is just right for weeding between rows, sure beats a hoe!
im gonna go by the dealer today and order the kickstand for twenty bucks, to keep it upright for fueling.
this mantis is lightweight, tuff as nails, and well worth the money.
yep, my income is not the greatest, but i love my work, and try to research tools/equipment that are versatile yet get the job done.
hope this helps
