Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On Nov 11, 2:52*pm, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraphhttp://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

A big barrow and a pair of plywood boards with door handles on the
back. Just gather the leaves in armfuls with this device where they've
blown into drifts. Don't waste time gathering leaves while they're
thinly spread everywhere - they're going to blow into corners sooner
or later.
That will save you quite a lot of work, some disappointment and some
money.

Rod

On Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:52:34 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

Janet

I'll agree with you that the average electric blower vac isn't much
use if you've got more than one fairly small tree (I only really use
mine for the pick up the bits job round the edges and I only have it
at all because it came as a freebie with a petrol tool). I use a
petrol powered leaf blower which isn't too heavy and easily blows
everything into a heap where it's easy to bag up for transfer to the
leaf pile.

I've never used one of those push things (though they seem very
expensive for what they are) but I can see two possible problems.
Firstly, the leaf drop season usually corresponds with the lawn being
very wet and I'd want to avoid walking back and forth across it as if
I was cutting it - with the blower I don't have to walk anywhere near
half as much over the grass. Secondly, I'd guess that the open
container type that these leaf sweepers seem to have would be
susceptible to anything more than a miniscule breeze and the leaves
would be blowing out a fair bit as you collected them.

Going a bit OT, with some recent experience, I'd say a blower is much
better than a vac from a wildlife perspective. Whilst blowing around
the other day I uncovered a collection of frogs nestling under the
cover of leaves. I dread to think what might have happened to them had
I been using the vac (which is quite powerful and has sucked up
heavier things than frogs in the past).

Cheers, Jake
==========================================
Proud to be a member of the Taffy Trio
along with Dave and Bill, especially as
the East End, where I'm at, is the drier one

In article
, Rod
writes
A big barrow and a pair of plywood boards with door handles on the
back. Just gather the leaves in armfuls with this device where they've
blown into drifts. Don't waste time gathering leaves while they're
thinly spread everywhere - they're going to blow into corners sooner
or later.
That will save you quite a lot of work, some disappointment and some
money.


Actually on large lawns Rod and with this damp weather it is often
better to get them up as fast as possible as either they will blow onto
the beds and then need taking off of the Plants or they will glue
themselves to the lawn where they will remain impervious to a lawnmower!
I take your point when there is a smallish lawn and a big pile of leaves
but for a 200 = 300 foot lawn surrounded by tress it would be easier to
get the main lot off without bending up and down for about 2 hours then
mow o high setting
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Jake
writes
I use a
petrol powered leaf blower which isn't too heavy


Which one Jake? I see amateur gardener reviewed them in last weeks issue
but I had never heard of the winner.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:11:30 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Jake
writes
I use a
petrol powered leaf blower which isn't too heavy


Which one Jake? I see amateur gardener reviewed them in last weeks issue
but I had never heard of the winner.

Do you mean the Bosch cordless one they reviewed as an extra to the
chainsaws? That'll give you up to 10 minutes of blow per charge.

Mine is actually an attachment for a multi-tool (you know the type -
one motor unit and attachments to cut hedges, strim and brushcut plus
the equivalent of a chainsaw). I added a leafblower attachment for
£40. Scroll to the bottom of the page at http://tinyurl.com/ccwpu3e.
FWIW, these attachments are universal fit so can be used not only with
Ryobi kit but also McCulloch, Handy, Mowerland and others. Because the
jet can be right down at ground level, it's great for clearing out
under hedges and the long pole makes it easy to poke into shrubbery.

You can pick up decent "dedicated" petrol blowers for around £140 or
even less which isn't bad value compared to the price of a "manual"
leaf sweeper at about £100. Compared to one of these, though, the
attachment I've got is easier to use as you're holding between the
motor at one end of "the pole" and the blower at the other so you have
balance (plus a shoulder strap if you want). The dedicated blowers are
held at one end and tire my wrist a lot more quickly.

Cheers, Jake
==========================================
Proud to be a member of the Taffy Trio
along with Dave and Bill, especially as
the East End, where I'm at, is the drier one

On 11/11/2011 14:52, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

Janet
I've just collected all the ones on my lawn and paths with a rotary
mower. It does fill the bag rather quickly, and three bags fill the
barrow (must make an extender..).
Hopefully just a couple more rounds before all the leaves are down
They all go (ready chopped up) squashed down and wet into one of those
'big' 1m cube bags.
Before next autumn they'll have broken down enough to act as mulch.
I do suffer with leaves as there are Sycamores in both neighbouring gardens

Jim

"Jim Chisholm" wrote in message
...
On 11/11/2011 14:52, Janet Tweedy wrote:
Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

Janet
I've just collected all the ones on my lawn and paths with a rotary mower.
It does fill the bag rather quickly, and three bags fill the barrow (must
make an extender..).
Hopefully just a couple more rounds before all the leaves are down
They all go (ready chopped up) squashed down and wet into one of those
'big' 1m cube bags.
Before next autumn they'll have broken down enough to act as mulch.
I do suffer with leaves as there are Sycamores in both neighbouring
gardens

Jim


If I am looking after my daughter and son in law's house at me his time of
the year, I gather the leaves into a pile, scoop them up with some special
scoops designed for the job, and put them into a wheelie bin I trundle
around behind me. The advantage being you can really press them down and get
a lot in, whereas you are limited with a wheelbarrow.

That is off the drive and paths. Those on the lawns are mowed to a mulch
with a sit on mower.

Mike

--

....................................

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

....................................

In article , Jake
writes
Do you mean the Bosch cordless one they reviewed as an extra to the
chainsaws? That'll give you up to 10 minutes of blow per charge.


Oh no it was a petrol driven larger one but with a good balanced weight
so easier to handle but mnaufacueres name didn't ring a bell. I'll see
if I can find the article again
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers but
those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger containers.

Briefly? No!
I had one once and it was more trouble than it was worth. They work well in
the adverts and only in theory!
Graham

On Sat, 12 Nov 2011 18:55:05 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

In article , Jake
writes
Do you mean the Bosch cordless one they reviewed as an extra to the
chainsaws? That'll give you up to 10 minutes of blow per charge.


Oh no it was a petrol driven larger one but with a good balanced weight
so easier to handle but mnaufacueres name didn't ring a bell. I'll see
if I can find the article again

I think you've got the wrong magazine. I've checked back through AG as
far as April and there's no "tried and tested" on leaf blowers.

Cheers, Jake
==========================================
Proud to be a member of the Taffy Trio
along with Dave and Bill, especially as
the East End, where I'm at, is the drier one

On Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:52:34 +0000, Janet Tweedy
wrote:

Anyone got any views on push leaf sweepers. Not the blower sucker kind
which don't ever seem to stand up to the claims by their manufacturers
but those ones that you just push along. They seem to have larger
containers.

My view is that the inexpensive wheeled leaf collectors are not really
worth it and unless you have a huge area which warrants a 'Billy Goat'
machine you are probably better off using a rotary mower and a decent
electric or petrol blower/vac.

We have used an earlier version of this mains electric unit for
several years
http://www.stihl.co.uk/STIHL-Product...26/SHE-71.aspx
We use it as a blower on the planted areas and blower and vac on the
paved areas. The blower is good and the vac reduces the bulk of the
leaves quite noticeably.

I do suggest that you have a look at whatever you narrow your choice
down to to see if the weight and ergonomics suit you.

rbel