The first step in learning how to get rid of leaves is to have the right tools on hand. The most popular rakes are beloved just for their size—a big rake makes the job smaller. Most home centers carry rakes up to 30 in. wide.

“No-clog” rakes are an option as the tines don’t skewer leaves, so you don’t have to stop and unclog the rake. Many manufacturers make them, also in widths up to 30 inches.

Blower/Vacuum Operating Tips

Twigs, garden mulch and landscape rocks can damage the impeller, so scout your yard and remove those objects before using the vacuum feature. Wear a dust respirator when shredding dry leaves and emptying the shoulder bag—shredding kicks up a lot of dust.

Some people have BIG yards and lots of trees. So I bag the leaves with my mower. It does a nice job of shredding the leaves, so they’re ready to become compost or mulch. When you throw away fallen leaves, you are also tossing out vital nutrients that your garden, lawn and plants can use. Here are a few tips below.

Mulch

Leaves are among the materials that can be used to create mulch. In order to create leaf mulch, you should first shred your leaves. Simply remove your lawn mower bag and mow over them and then rake up the pieces. You can also use a leaf shredder to do this.

Mulching your gardens with leaves can aid in:

• Warmth: Leaf mulch can help trap the warmth in the soil. Fall is a great time to mulch because the leaves act as an insulator to keep the soil and roots below warm during the approaching winter months.

• Moisture: Shredded leaves allow for moisture and water to travel easily down to the dirt. Over time, nutrients from the leaves make their way into the earth below. During the summer, your plants continuously soak up the minerals from the ground, so fall is a great time to give those nutrients back.

• Weed control: Leaf mulch, like other types of mulch, is used as a type of physical weed barrier. The mulch blocks the sun out while still allowing the plant roots to get the nutrients they need. Adding a 2- to 3-inch thick coat of mulch also acts as as an energy blocker for weeds. Weeds don’t have the energy to push through the layers of mulch to sprout.

THE BAD

If the homeowner has many trees, the mulched leaves may create a layer that is too thick and covers the lawn, smothering and preventing light and air to reach the grass and soil.

Weather is a factor. Mulching too many wet leaves can create a layer that actually smothers the grass, and could lead to turf grass and lawn problems. Disposal can be difficult. If a homeowner’s municipality doesn’t provide curbside leaf collection, the leaves may need transporting for proper disposal.

Raking can be time-consuming, especially depending on the amount of trees one has. Mulching also doesn’t work well with pine needles, which would render your mulching efforts meaningless. However, in Kansas we don't have many pine trees.

Fall cleanups are important when headed into the winter. You want to make sure you keep a jump on the leaves on a normal basis instead of trying to knock the job out all at once. Maintenance in key here! We service the Junction City Kansas, Abilene, and surrounding area!