Whats your method for clearing leaves from your yard?

[Pat Barry]

I did not vote - my method was not represented.

I have only owned my home for a little over a year.

Last year I scored a great deal on a 5hp chipper shredder, cost $100 plus time to clean and rebuild carb. Since then I have not put any wood or leaves to the curb.

Rake
Shred
Shred again
Shred again again (now leaves are a very fine mulch with some near powder consistency)
Spread mulched leaves on flower beds to decompose. They will be tilled into the soil in the spring.

I have a pile of mulch out back equivalent to 3 or 4 50 gallon garbage cans - about 70% leaves and 30% cutoffs from shrubs, trees, etc.

Next year I will build a three stage composting bin.

Since this is a neanderthal thread I should mention I use two push reel mowers - a 20" 5 blade craftsmen if it is a bit long or my 7 blade 16" scotts to keep it neat and tidy.

I will put you down for the hand raking method since it sounds like you need to do that to get the leaves to the chipper / shredder anyway.

[Adam Cruea]

Nature's been dealing with it for several million years.

Why should I put a kink in the process?

[Tom Vanzant]

My FIL waited for the wind to blow the Sycamore leaves against the fence, then ran over them a few times with his riding mower. That side of the yard was always greener than the rest.

[ray hampton]

There is a method that was not mention , rake the leaves up, put them in a trash can , use a wed eater to cut them up while they are in the can, a can that are packed full of leaves will be reduce to a very SMALL pile of dust after you chop them with a weed eater

[Pat Barry]

There is a method that was not mention , rake the leaves up, put them in a trash can , use a wed eater to cut them up while they are in the can, a can that are packed full of leaves will be reduce to a very SMALL pile of dust after you chop them with a weed eater

I'd like to see the video of that process Ray

[Daniel Rode]

When I was a kid, I'd go to my grandparents home to help clean up leaves. My grandfather had a lawn sweeper. It was push powered and had wheels in the front connected to a large spinning brush (like a vacuum) that would sweep the leaves into the open canvass bag behind. It was about 3 foot wide and it was hard to get moving but much faster than raking.

After collecting the leaves, he burned them in a metal container that looked like a garbage can with holes.

[Zach Dillinger]

I must say I'm a little disappointed that no one has said "flamethrower". C'mon, what namby-pamby, sissy-mary type of dudes do we have around these here parts these days???

/do not do this
// sorry if I offend the namby-pamby

[ray hampton]

I'd like to see the video of that process Ray

Yes, I would like to see your video of this process too

[Adam Cruea]

I must say I'm a little disappointed that no one has said "flamethrower". C'mon, what namby-pamby, sissy-mary type of dudes do we have around these here parts these days???

/do not do this
// sorry if I offend the namby-pamby

It's more a case of discharging firearms within city limits for me. Just a *tiny* bit illegal. While my neighbors may think it's awesome, the police probably not so much.

[Zach Dillinger]

It's more a case of discharging firearms within city limits for me. Just a *tiny* bit illegal. While my neighbors may think it's awesome, the police probably not so much.

Ha! Of course. I don't think any sane person would use a flamethrower for leaves. It would be awesome though!

[Derek Cohen]

I leave it to my wife.

Good grief guys, get your priorities right! Leaves or Shop time ... leaves or shop time ... leaves or shop time ...!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Gary Howorka]

Went out yesterday and did my fall duties hand raking up 12 55gal trash bags full of maple leaves. Meanwhile my neighbors had their leaf blowers going all over the place. A couple were using the lawn mower and bagging method. I'm pretty sure some won't do anything. So what method do you use, rake, leaf blower, lawn mower / mulch, lawn mower/bag, hire someone, nothing?

Watching my yard guy do it! LOL

They use blowers, on top of large tarps, dragged into street, city comes by 5 times a year and collects them.

[Leon Jester]

I used to rake them to the curb, but the city is now requiring their paper bags at a buck some each. Now I use the weed-eater and then the mower. The stuff out of the gutters goes onto the raised beds and is turned under in the spring; makes the worms happy and keeps the beds warmer so I get a bit of a head-start.

Years ago I used the kid method. Now the kid is twenty-six and is training the grandkid to rake; by the time he's trained up I'll have two decent-sized elms in the front yard. He can do mine and his dad's while we're in the shop. As my daughter-in-law is of the opinion that idle small hands are the Devil's workshop, I suspect he'll be doing the other set of grandparents leaves also.

[Dan Carroll]

I did not vote - my method was not represented.

I have only owned my home for a little over a year.

Last year I scored a great deal on a 5hp chipper shredder, cost $100 plus time to clean and rebuild carb. Since then I have not put any wood or leaves to the curb.

Rake
Shred
Shred again
Shred again again (now leaves are a very fine mulch with some near powder consistency)
Spread mulched leaves on flower beds to decompose. They will be tilled into the soil in the spring.

I have a pile of mulch out back equivalent to 3 or 4 50 gallon garbage cans - about 70% leaves and 30% cutoffs from shrubs, trees, etc.

Next year I will build a three stage composting bin.

Since this is a neanderthal thread I should mention I use two push reel mowers - a 20" 5 blade craftsmen if it is a bit long or my 7 blade 16" scotts to keep it neat and tidy.

You have to be a bit careful with the dried leaves. They can be very acidic and cause issues in beds if they have not completely composted. On the three stage bin -- don't bother unless you want to turn the material and work it all the time. Just get four pallets and some steel fence posts from the farm supply store, set the pallets on end, drive the posts in between the pallet sides, and keep dumping material in it you feel like starting another pile. Then sift once and spread it in the garden. I have been doing this way for years and it saves a lot of back pain.

[ray hampton]

You have to be a bit careful with the dried leaves. They can be very acidic and cause issues in beds if they have not completely composted. On the three stage bin -- don't bother unless you want to turn the material and work it all the time. Just get four pallets and some steel fence posts from the farm supply store, set the pallets on end, drive the posts in between the pallet sides, and keep dumping material in it you feel like starting another pile. Then sift once and spread it in the garden. I have been doing this way for years and it saves a lot of back pain.

Do you keep the pile dry or wet ?