I have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This time of year the
great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their shade, a
stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather, the fallen
leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?

"davout" wrote in message
...
I have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This time of year the
great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their shade, a
stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather, the fallen
leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?


Depends on your ground.
If it mainly lawn - forget blowers/vacs - just mow and compost.
Pete.(with 2+acres, stream and many more trees)
www.thecanalshop.com

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"davout" wrote in message
...
I have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This time of year
the great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their
shade, a stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather,
the fallen leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?


Depends on your ground.
If it mainly lawn - forget blowers/vacs - just mow and compost.
Pete.(with 2+acres, stream and many more trees)
www.thecanalshop.com

Like Pete says pick up with the lawn mower and dont start the leaf clearing
until all the leaves have fallen otherwise its a never ending job.
Peter with over 100 acres and many more trees and a lake with a stream.

Doesn't leaving all the leaves on the lawn for an extended period damage the
grass?

Our lawn is sloped and the bottom half gets quite soggy in the winter


"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"davout" wrote in message
...
I have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This time of year
the great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their
shade, a stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather,
the fallen leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?


Depends on your ground.
If it mainly lawn - forget blowers/vacs - just mow and compost.
Pete.(with 2+acres, stream and many more trees)
www.thecanalshop.com

"davout" wrote in message
news
Doesn't leaving all the leaves on the lawn for an extended period damage
the grass?

Our lawn is sloped and the bottom half gets quite soggy in the winter




Perhaps - but the idea is to get round with the mower every week till the
fall is over .
If you use it on a high setting, it will leave the lawn at a suitable
winter height.

Pete (Sorry -no lake, just pond !)
www.thecanalshop.com

Peter Stockdale wrote:
"davout" wrote in message
news
Doesn't leaving all the leaves on the lawn for an extended period
damage the grass?

Our lawn is sloped and the bottom half gets quite soggy in the
winter




Perhaps - but the idea is to get round with the mower every week
till the fall is over .
If you use it on a high setting, it will leave the lawn at a
suitable
winter height.

Sound counsel. But I do recognise the sogginess-by-the-stream
problem. For me, it could get too soggy to support the wheeled mower
properly. There, a sucker might have helped, though I don't know how
well they deal with wet leaves. The solution is probably a hover
mower with a grass box: two birds, and probably less hassle. (I also
think I'd feel a bit silly vacuum-cleaning a lawn! "My missis, y'know
my missis, well I won't say she's 'ouseproud, but she made me buy
extension lead so she could 'oover 't lawn!")

--
Mike.

davout wrote:

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

I've always thought leaf blowers were pretty pointless, the wind will
just blow the stuff back again. Usually seen being used to blow debris
out of a garden onto the road. I suppose they haven't got a rug to lift
& sweep it under.

I found a broken milk bottle in some fallen leaves at a council sports
centre a couple of days ago, when a bit of glass went through my shoe
and into my foot.

"Dear me!" I said.

A vac would have it's uses, I suppose.

"davout" wroteI have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This
time of year the
great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their shade, a
stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather, the
fallen leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?

I've just bought a Flymo petrol blower/vac £99.99 and found it does the job
although I mainly wanted it for clearing leaves etc from around pots and
other obstructions on hard standing, not grass.
It's quite quiet, and the blower is quite powerful such that if the leaves
are dry you daren't use full power unless you want them in the next county,
on my fist attempt I blew them all into my neighbours front garden! :-(
Once blown into a suitable corner then you convert to vac and suck/chop them
all up for the compost bin. Like all power tools it takes some practice to
use effectively. :-)
A lot quicker and more effective than a brush.
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"davout" wroteI have a large garden (1 acre+) with a lot of trees. This
time of year the
great leaf clearing operation starts. Because of the trees, their shade,
a stream that runs thru the garden, and the generally wet weather, the
fallen leaves get wet and sticky pretty quickly.

In this context do these leaf blowers/vacs really work?

If so, any product recommendations?

I've just bought a Flymo petrol blower/vac £99.99 and found it does the
job although I mainly wanted it for clearing leaves etc from around pots
and other obstructions on hard standing, not grass.
It's quite quiet, and the blower is quite powerful such that if the leaves
are dry you daren't use full power unless you want them in the next
county, on my fist attempt I blew them all into my neighbours front
garden! :-(
Once blown into a suitable corner then you convert to vac and suck/chop
them all up for the compost bin. Like all power tools it takes some
practice to use effectively. :-)
A lot quicker and more effective than a brush.
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Like Bob says. I recently bought an electric 2500W Flymo one. I went to get
the petrol one, couldn't find one so bought the electric for £50 and
figured I'd take it back if it didn't work. I've got a half acre garden, but
i've also already got an 80m extension cord, so I figured I could deal with
that since I'd only use the thing a few times per year.

Anyway - it works really well, but if you go to try and vacuum the lawn,
you'll drive yourself crazy. You need to blow all the leaves into a corner
(it even lifts and flings damp gacky ones) then flip to vac and mulch them
all up. Works pretty well so far.

Soggy grass and mowers in autumn just do not go together...

Forget the mower and buy a stihl blower.
Although expensive, they last forever are comfortable to use (have done weeks of 4 hour stints and with no bad back) and keep you a lot warmer than sitting/pushing a mower in November.

Have tried a combination blower and sucker machine in the past and gave up almost immediately with trying to collect them - you are better off with a rake and wheelbarrow.(financially and time).

I look after a large garden (50acres) with many trees. Yes a mower is useful to a point, but once the leaves start falling thick and fast, the mower just doesn't do a good enough job.

And you are quite right in wondering if the leaves damage the lawn if left too long, yes - it will start to yellow, the covering of leaves will encourage disease and the worms will start to drag them down, and nothing will hoover/collect/blow the away then!

go and get a stihl catalogue now! (and a bank loan)

linette
http://www.applegategardens.co.uk