Best Way to Pick Up Leaves in Your Yard
The fall is in full swing and falling leaves into your yard have already started. Of course, nobody enjoys the mess that happens from falling leaves in your yard.
So, In this article, I will talk about the ways how you can pick up leaves from your yard easily.
Basically, there are six well-known methods which are considered as the best methods following which you can easily pick up leaves from your yard. I am going to talk about all of them in detail.
Also Read: Best value mulching mowers list
6 Ways to Pick Up Leaves in Your Yard
1. Mulching the leaves using the lawnmower
Well, mulching the leaves using your lawnmower will be the easiest method for you to pick up leaves from your yard if you hold the distraction of leaves on your lawn and it is not covered completely.
In this method, you need to put in the mulch plug and then closing the side port. In general, the side port is used for discharging the grass clippings. As a result, the lawnmower blade will cut your yard leaves into small pieces once you will push the lawnmower. After that, for microorganisms to break down, those small pieces of leaves will fall to the ground.
This method for picking up leaves will ask you the least amount of effort and time and also add nutrients to your lawn.
However, if you use this method when your lawn is covered completely with leaves, then you are going to find some problems. You are expected to end up with a messy and thick layer of chopped leaves. These chopped leaves will create problems by clumping together. It will be a challenge for you.
2. Mowing and Bagging
Well, this method is a bit the same as the previously mentioned one. There is a slight difference. In the previously mentioned one, you had to put in the mulch plug. On the other hand, in the mow and bag method, you have to attach the lawnmower bag.
In this method, the lawnmower blades will chop the leaves into small pieces once you will push the lawnmower rather than mulching the leaves back onto the lawn. In the mowing and bagging method, the chopped leaves are gathered into the attached bag. As a result, you will be able to pour and dump the chopped leaves into the bags.
However, there are some things that you need to keep in mind while following this method. You have to adjust the setting of your mower. You need to adjust its maximum setting for avoiding picking up grass. If you do not follow this, you will find that your bag is filling up quickly. As a result, you have to make the bag empty more often.
To be honest, this method also takes less effort the same as the previously mentioned one. Without it, the benefit of this method is that you can follow this method in both situations when you have a few leaves or your yard is covered completely with leaves.
There are some pitfalls to this method too. By following this method, you will need to make the bag empty more frequently if your yard is covered with leaves. As a result, you need to stop the mower many times.
Without it, the transferring mechanism of the chopped leaves from the lawnmower bag to the leaf bag is a bit hard. You have to ensure that the leaf bag is always open, even in the wind situation.
Whatever, you can avoid the hassle of this method if you have a compost pile or wooden area. In this case, you will need to walk back and forth from the place from where you stopped the mower to your leaves dumping spot.
3. Blowing the leaves into a pile and bag
If your yard gets covered fully with leaves, then you are recommended to get a high-quality leaf blower. It may ask you to spend a good amount of money. But, it will pay the value through services.
Using a leaf blower, you must go ahead following a semi-circle shape instead of a straight-line shape. As a result, you will find that the leaves are going unto one point.
On the other hand, if you hold a pile, then it will be much easier for picking up using a rake.
In this case, you do not have to make the throttle at its highest power all the time. As you will use both high and low throttle power, it will offer you more control over the leaves. These short air-bursts are effective too.
However, while using the piling method, pay attention that you are not blowing in opposition to the wind. You should blow in the same direction as the wind is blowing. Otherwise, the leaves will come back in its place. Without it, it’s better to make a moderate-sized pile. Better do not go for the bigger pile. It will ask you lots of time.
Whatever there is a contradiction that why you should use a lawnmower instead of a leaf vacuum as it does the same job. Well, holding a machine into your hand is not a piece of cake. Longer use can generate muscle pain. Without it, the lawnmower has powerful engines, larger blades for picking up leaves. Pushing the lawnmower is much easier than holding a machine using a hand.
4. Raking and bagging
Well, the most used way for picking up leaves is to rake the leaves into piles and picking up or dumbing somewhere.
This method is recommended for you if you own a small yard. Going for a leaf blower will not wise for your small yard. However, if you own a large yard, then you must go for the previously mention anyone of three.
Raking may take a few hours if your yard is larger than one-third of an acre. After the ending, you will get a sore back.
Also Read: Steps to level a large yard
5. Join methods
Well, till now I was talking about individual methods or ways. But, in some cases, you may need to go for combined methods. The combined method means using more than one method at a time.
It may happen that you are not being able to pick up all the leaves by using all the three-leaf blower and raking methods. In this case, a small scattering is the best scope for using the mulching with the mower over the left leaves.
Moreover, there is another familiar way that is combined method is using your leaf blower for pushing the fallen leaves to gather them into an area and then raking them into more defined piles.
6. Hiring professionals
The last one. This one is a bit different. It may happen that you may have to remain busy with other work and don’t have much time to do it by yourself or you are not willing to do it by yourself. In this case, you have the option of asking for help from someone. But, for this, you have to spend a good amount of money.
You may ask help from a professional to help you out in picking up leaves from your yard. They will do it for you. You have to pay for them. In general, cleaning up the yard will ask you to spend between $200 to $600 depending on the size of your yards. The larger yard you own, the more money you will have to spend.
This was all about picking up leaves from your yard. You may go for any one of them. However, You may go for any kind of combined methods too if it makes you feel better.
