How to Use a Mantis Electric Tiller for Aerating Dethatching

Aerator

• 1

  Swap the Mantis tiller’s tilling tines for the aerator attachment by removing the cotter pin and pulling the tines off of each side of the axle. Replace them with the aerator blades, which feature straight tines, then replace the pins. Mount the blades so the flat side of the tines faces upward for shallow aeration. Mount the blades so the flat side of the tines faces the ground for deep aeration.

• 2

  Plug the tiller into an extension cord of the appropriate length, start the tiller, and squeeze the trigger on the handle to engage the blades and operate the throttle. Walk backwards, drawing the Mantis tiller toward you to aerate a section of lawn. Work in several directions over the same patch of ground to better break up the soil. The aerator cuts a 9-inch path with each pass.

• 3

  Aerate your lawn annually or more often if you have heavy clay, poorly drained or compacted soil. Aerate warm-season grasses from mid-spring to summer, after you mow for the first time; aerate cool-season grasses in the spring and/or fall. Aerate when spot-seeding or over-seeding your lawn and in conjunction with fertilizing. Do not aerate while your grass is dormant, as this gives weeds the opportunity to take hold in your lawn.

Dethatcher

• 4

  Exchange the Mantis tiller’s tilling tines for the dethatching attachment by removing the cotter pins and removing the tines from each side. Mount the dethatching attachment, springs pointing toward the front of the machine, before replacing the pins. The dethatcher’s wheels are marked “Left” and “Right” for correct orientation. Attach the hood extenders to the fender guard.

• 5

  Plug the tiller into an extension cord of the appropriate length, start the tiller, squeeze the trigger on the handle to engage the blades and operate the throttle, and walk backwards, drawing the Mantis tiller toward you to dethatch a section of lawn. The dethatcher covers a 15-inch path with each pass, using 60 spring-steel picks to comb thatch to the surface of the grass for removal.

• 6

  Dethatch in spring or fall. Fall is preferable because weeds are less of a threat, but you must time the chore to leave at least six weeks before the first expected soil freeze; in spring, dethatch two weeks or more before excessive summer heat is expected in order to allow time for the grass to recover, warns the University of Minnesota Extension. Dethatch before you fertilize your lawn or when thatch exceeds 1/2- to 1/4-inch thick.