Srgnt Billko wrote:
"I Love Lucy" wrote in message
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"Srgnt Billko" wrote in message
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"I Love Lucy" wrote in message
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"Danny" wrote in message
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Any reccomendations on Leaf shreaders for home owners?

My new Toro self-propelled lawn mower mulches them. I love it. The
only thing I have to worry about is a wind vortex makes a large pile in
one spot, but we just bag those up.

I love mulching the grass, too, doesn't leave a mess and don't have to
bother with a bagger.

If and when I get into composting, there's plenty of other stuff I can
throw in that.

The grass is good to include in the compost pile because it adds nitrogen
that helps the pile cook.

I'm sure you're right about that. But I have nasty memories of when my
son was a teenager and started cutting the grass for me (bless him for
that). He dumped it in the back and I had a huge mess I finally cleaned
up. We didn't know about composting then.

Composting has its benefits but is just more work and I have plenty as it
is. I was going to give it a try in a nice wide plastic bucket type thing
I found with ropes for handles. I notice it has a crack in the bottom
which would let the water drain out. Maybe it would work anyway or I
could put duct tape on it. But it will have to be satisfied with
crabgrass and weeds and if I ever get rid of that, I don't know what I'll
put in there.

I used to build bins and turn compost over like they all recommend but now I
just make very big piles and let is sit for over a year without doing much
to it. I do add garbage for a few months and pull out the largest weeds
that grow in it - otherwise it's pretty much on it's own. But it sounds
like you are a lot neater than I am so you might not be content with stuff
that doesn't bother me.

I also put the leaves and bagged grass clippings (grass is rarely
bagged) in piles -- no fancy bins and such. But I turn the piles
whenever I finish mowing the lawn (only takes 5 minutes). I find that
if I don't turn the piles at least once for a long while, many large
leaves simply won't decompose and stay there in layer (even after 6
months sitting there), and block water from reaching the bottom layer.
I guess this may have something to do with the fact that the tree
leaves are large and my garden vacuum doesn't do a good job shredding
the large leaves.

After the leaves and grass clippings staying in piles for one year,
they are done and I can use the finish products in my vegetable garden
or top dressing the lawn. After a couple years doing this, my
vegetable garden has turned from sandy to rich soil.

I am currently using a garden vacuum (look like a mower) to suck up the
leaves on the lawn and shred the leaves in pieces (not always in small
pieces). I would like it better if I had bought the self-propelled
model. I would only recommend people to use garden vacuum if they are
into composing. If people are not into composing, they are better off
using a gas-powered leaf blower or a rake.

Jay Chan