How to deal with fallen leaves

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How to deal with Fallen Leaves - Home Guide Expert
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How to deal with fallen leaves

Our guide on how to deal with fallen leaves will leave your garden looking beautiful during the Autumn months and show you how you can get rid of fallen leaves.  So, how to deal with fallen leaves?

Fallen leaves block sunlight to your lawn and prevent your lawn from growing properly in the autumn and winter months if leaves are not removed.  In effect, don’t leave it too long to clear or you may find your lawn a little sparse in places.

Composting fallen leaves:

Larger leaves have a slower decomposition if you are looking to Compost them.

300 litre Compost bin

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A garden composter converts organic household and garden waste into valuable fertiliser for all plants within about 6 months.  The rich compost can be used in flower gardens or kitchen gardens for fertilising your vegetables, strawberries and so on. Make your own compost rather than buying it.  It is really simple to set up the biological composter Kompo within a very short time.  You don’t need any tools because of the easy click system.  Dimensions: 32.68 x 24.02 x 24.02 inches (height x width x depth).  The item comes flat packed.

Downsize the pile:

You may need to downsize the pile to be taken away by your council refuse service or taken to your local garden waste refuse centre.  You should leave the pile in a dry place. After a few days, you will find that the leaves will dry out and naturally downsize which will make them easier to dispose of.

You have a few options on how to deal with fallen leaves:

Rake

This is a good idea if you have the stamina, time and patience.

Rake the leaves to a spot in the garden (you could rake them onto a tarpaulin).  Using gardening gloves, pick up the leaves and place them into a reusable garden waste bag and take to your local refuse centre or leave them in the garden waste bin to be collected by your council refuse service.

Combi system garden rake

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An incredibly robust lawn rake: with a working width of 43cm to provide easy and convenient raking up of leaves, grass clippings and other garden debris.  Gentle on the lawn its high-quality plastic tines makes your work especially lawn-sparing.  The reliable combisystem technology ensures reliable, wobble-free work, just unscrew the soft plastic screw in the grip and mount the new handle.  The Lawn Rake is suitable for all GARDENA combisystem handles whereby GARDENA recommends a handle length of 130 cm depending on body height.

Mow

This is an easier option but you must mow the lawn before it rains or once the lawn is completely dry after a rainfall.  This can be tricky in Autumn because of the unpredictable weather.  Wet leaves don’t work very well with a mower, they can clog it which is why most people never mow a wet lawn.
When you mow the lawn, the mower will chop the leaves into smaller pieces which will speed up decomposition if you plan to compost the leaves.  Of course, this method should only leave very small leaf pieces (if any) on your lawn.  If you mow over the leaves a few times to get smaller pieces, following decomposition, this could actually leave you with a much healthier lawn.

If you don’t like the idea of this you can always mow the lawn, then use a vacuum with a shredder feature to chop and collect the leaves.

4-Wheel Self Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower
4-Wheel Self Propelled Petrol Lawn Mower

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We bought one of these in 2012 and it is still mowing our lawn beautifully. The Honda HRG466SK is an upgraded version of the HRG 465 SD and embodies Honda’s acute attention to detail when it comes to design and craftsmanship, offering convenience and ease of use without sacrificing top-quality performance. This model is self-propelled, making it much easier to use than a push propelled mower, and ideal for maintaining medium to large gardens with uneven, undulating or sloping lawns. The HRG 466 SK has also been built to last and boasts a robust steel cutting deck offering a wide cutting width of 46cm, specially treated to resist corrosion, rust and UV abrasion for longer service life. Honda’s intelligent blade design, meanwhile, will save you money and reduce maintenance requirements; if the blade hits an obstacle, it will twist rather than break, making the HRG 466 SK more reliable and easier to service.

Blow

Using a blower will only work if the leaves and your lawn is dry.

Blow the leaves onto a tarpaulin or a spot in the garden in the same direction that the wind is blowing. You may not get every single leaf so don’t drive yourself mad in the process, just get as much as possible.  Using the blower on a mild day where the wind is still is perfect.  Test the leaves by directing the blower on a mild day at the base of a pile of leaves.  If they don’t move very much, try again later on in the day or on another day.  Once you have collated all the leaves into one spot, using gardening gloves, pick up the leaves and place them into a garden waste bag and take them to your local refuse centre or leave them in the gardening waste bin to be collected by your council refuse service.  If you have blown them onto a tarpaulin, simply lift and dispose of them.  If you are looking to compost the leaves, just lift the tarpaulin and drop it into your compost bin.
Remember to always wear safety goggles and ear defenders when using this kind of equipment.  Prolonged use without either of these can be detrimental to your health, particularly if sticks and other debris is blown into your face whilst working.  Ear protection is a must because your hearing can be damaged after prolonged exposure.

Petrol lawn blower

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Ideal for demanding tasks the GB 355 BP is a 46cc petrol powered blower that has a power output of 1.5kW and is capable of blow speeds up to 355km/h.  Equipped with a backpack harness to provide the user with the utmost comfort during prolonged use.  Features variable speed to control the speed and hold it with cruise control, reducing the strain on your hand over long periods of time.  Weighing only 9.2kg, this petrol blower also features variable blow speeds, adjustable handle position and easy to attach tubes.

Vacuum

Use a vacuum with a shredder feature to chop leaves.  Vacuum your lawn as you would vacuum inside your house.  Vacuums can get easily blocked so ensure that the leaves are dry before using.  To maintain it, you should empty the bag regularly and if you can, give it a clean or a rinse after each use then hang it up to dry somewhere warm before putting it in the shed or garage.  Ensure you only vacuum dry leaves.  If the area is quite earthy or stony, use a blower instead of a vacuum or pick it up by hand.

Electric leaf blower/vacuum

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This Amazon bestseller electric blower/vacuum has incredible reviews and has been purchased by over 7,000 people.  With a powerful 3000w motor, compact and lightweight, it includes a handy shoulder strap and wheels allowing you to work in comfort for prolonged periods, a 10m power cable, as well as a thermal cut-out safety feature.  With a 35 litre capacity, this compact leaf blower with a shredding ratio of 10:1 means less time emptying the bag.

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