Leaf blowing. Tell me it gets better

[craigster59]

I have a cordless Ryobi 18v blower to round up the leaves and just bought a corded Black and Decker leaf vacuum from Amazon that sucks up and mulches the leaves. Did the front yard yesterday and will do the back today. It seems to be a decent combo.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by vash

I went lawn-less. Just plant/flowers beds covered with mulch. (Smallish wood Chips).

Which exasperates the situation

Cliff, you might be just fine with something like an Echo 58v or similar. I actually cleared my back yard of modest leaf cover with my dad's before I gave it to him. It has a turbo button which blows well, but drains the juice. Home Depot has a 30 day return policy...go pick one up, try it and see...return if you don't scratch it up, etc. and it doesn't get 'r done. Nothing wrong with that...

[Nickshu]

We have alot of mulch in beds below our trees. I probably bag as much mulch as I do leaves in the fall. Then get it redone in the spring. Sucks but it's the way it is.

[Por_sha911]

Or you can use this option to make life simple.

Personally I love the 50-60 foot oak trees all over my home but at this time of year I start to wonder...

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by vash

I went lawn-less. Just plant/flowers beds covered with mulch. (Smallish wood Chips).

Which exasperates the situation

Worst part is, a backpack blower like the one I have will send your wood chips flying with the leaves, that's part of the reason I went to river rock in the flower beds.

[mepstein]

I have a 16hp walk behind billy goat leaf blower. The kind the commercial guys use. Blows everything into to woods. The wind blows it back but at least the yard looks good for a day or 2.

[RKDinOKC]

Just blow the leafs out off the patio sidewalks, beds, etc. onto the grass before mowin. The just mulch or bagem depending on how long I've let em pile up. Have a large cottonwood (they shed) so get leafs year round.

Have to rake the front yard anyway because it has a sweet gum tree. &#@!! spiny balls.

[willtel]

I bought a Stihl BR700 which is the biggest backpack blower they make. It will move knee deep piles of leaves if they are dry.

The next step is one of these if I can find a good used one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO3ymqfPrxA

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

I went lawn-less. Just plant/flowers beds covered with mulch. (Smallish wood Chips).

Which exasperates the situation

Noooooo. First rain, they will float out and you will have to go get em'. That and DG. I have seen so many of those wood chips all over the streets after the first rain. maybe you are in the flats and water isn't hauling ass down a hill taking everything with it when it rains

[Por_sha911]

Putting wood chips around the house is like putting out bait for termites.

[cstreit]

I mulch.

...and mulch and mulch and mulch and mulch. Theory is that the nutrients pulled from the soil by the trees to build leaves goes back into the soil.

..other theory is that I'm lazy, don't like chemical fertilizers, and we have no leaf pickup.

...but seriously - unless you run a golf course - why bag and deal with all those leaves. Chop 'em up.

[KFC911]

^^^^ I don't bag grass for that very reason...
My Z-turn Skag puts that back where it came from, but leaves...just way, way too many...I blow most into the woods behind my house or on my other properties, and probably mulch 20% or so back into the soil. On one property, a John Deere tractor pulling a 6' Woods finsh mower is no match for the leaves....hence a Cyclone rake....can't wait!

Blowing sucks

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by willtel

I bought a Stihl BR700 which is the biggest backpack blower they make. It will move knee deep piles of leaves if they are dry.

^^^

Don't think that model was available when I bought my last Stihl backpack but mine works too . At least when I purchased, I noticed an interesting thing...on the top 2 (might have been 3), The engine specs were the same, but the air flow/nozzle design was behind the incremental increased ratings. I love Husqvarna stuff too, but no one seems to carry them around here...I've asked why at two commercial dealer types, and they both said parts/support.....maybe Stihl bribes them....I dunno

[ckelly78z]

Being surrounded by farm fields, and not much else, I have never lifted a rake, or leaf blower in 22 years of living here. I do mow one last time after the leaves have all fallen, which the Winter winds blow into the next county. By January, there is not a single leaf to be found.

[ramonesfreak]

I got a stihl br350 backpack blower. Now blowing leaves is fun and easy. Highly recommended. I actually look for reasons to use it because it's fun. If you get one, be aware that the spark arrestor clogs up fast causing loss of power. I discovered this last week and cut mine off with a hack saw. Anyway, awesome blower.


Of course at some point you still have to bend over and pick up leaves to bag them but my wife likes doing that 😍 So that's when I take a break

[cabmandone]

Extra benefit of a good backpack blower is blowing the car dry after you wash it.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Extra benefit of a good backpack blower is blowing the car dry after you wash it.

blowers are great for clearing a few inches of dry snow off of the decks and truck!

[racer]

Don't overlook the use of cheap child labor.. just tell them their phone is "somewhere" under all those leaves!

[livi]

Originally Posted by dafischer

from experience, blowing leaves is much like herding cats.

:d

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

That looks great. Is cutting the leaves with the other stuff important? I'm no gardener, but thought they are too acidic alone (or is it base?).

chicken poop is good stuff. I use "turf food" fertilizer use on my lawn - I think its straight chicken poop. smells awful but surely greens the grass up

The green stuff helps, especially the nitrogen in the grass and chicken poop. They have a lot of water in them too. in the summer I bag grass clippings and add to the pile if it looks too dry. I just leave them on the lawn otherwise. The Ph is about right. Most garden plants want a soil Ph of 6.5 to 7.