Mantis 410733 Manuals

Mantis® XP Lawn Aerator • mantis.com HOW TO MOUNT Mount the aerator tines so the angled face of the blade impacts with the earth (Figure 1). This position gives you aeration 1 to 2 inches deep. If you mount the tines so the straight face impacts with the earth, you’ll work deeper (Figure 2). Roughly 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches deep. This is all right, but when learning how to use the aerator blades, it is best to work shallow, not deep, which is why we suggest to first use the angle face setting. You will notice that if you let the machine run forward it will tear out dome sized patches of lawn and soil. While this does give you some aeration, you get the best results by walking backwards and pulling the machine as you go. OPERATING SUGGESTIONS Before doing your lawn, a brief review of Basic Lawn Management is in order. You aerate to give your grass roots a chance to breathe … You also aerate to allow irrigation to seep below the soil’s hard crust so your roots get proper hydration … Many people aerate without reseeding or fertilizing … This is perfectly acceptable with a good healthy lawn; however, reseeding and fertilizing after aerating does give you healthy new growth which is essential to the maintenance of a good lawn. Regardless of the method you use … Please be aware that aerating with any machine will make your lawn somewhat unsightly for about 10 days … The improvements that you’ll realize in terms of lawn vigor and color make regular aeration more than worth it. Remember, however, that aeration is a radical procedure and your lawn will look unattractive for a few days … Most of the unsightly aspects of aeration can be eliminated immediately by raking off your loose surface earth and irrigating immediately after raking. The aerator cuts 8 hairline slits roughly 2-1/2 inches apart and 1-1/2 inches deep. You will get some loose earth between the slits. If your lawn needs radical restoration, aerate north to south and then aerate east to west, giving you a checker board pattern of slits. Leave the earth where it is until you’ve sown fresh grass seed and fertilizer along the slits then rake off the loose earth and you’ll get fresh bands of healthy green grass which in 3 to 5 weeks will spread over your entire lawn, giving you a rich carpet of healthy green growth. We recommend that you aerate three times a year, early spring, mid-summer and early fall only … Aeration should always follow a thorough program of dethatching. Used this way, you will have a lawn that will turn your neighbors green with envy. Eight gangs of tempered steel “knives.” These knives cut into the soil beneath your lawn to let water and nutrients penetrate easily, and to encourage deep drought-resistant root growth. XP Lawn Aerator Figure 1 Figure 2 p/n 400334 p/n 418-1 p/n 400335 p/n 400337 p/n 400338 Rotation Rotation