Within 24 hours, our yard went from being relatively clean and leaf-free to having our oak tree upchuck all its leaves 3 inches deep. Weird.
Lloyd took care of them this time, mowing slowly to really mulch them up – then he mowed over everything else. Disregarding rocks, sticks or stepping stones, now the hostas are gone, as well as the peonies and seedums. Oh, and we’re going to need a new mower blade.
Along those lines, we can’t imagine why people rake. Mowing is so much easier, and (presumably) better for your yard since the little bits break down and enrich the soil. Plus – no sweating, no blisters, no bagging. With a self-propelled mower, the only way it could be easier would be if you could sleepwalk while doing it.
So, pick your side: Mower or raker?
MOW!! Mulch mow first, then drop the deck and mow again with the bag attached. Why? So I don’t track as many tiny leaf clippings into the house where I’ll only have to sweep them up.
Rakes are for sweeping gumballs into the gutter in the spring where the rain will wash them into the storm drain.
Alternately, just don’t have any trees in your yard. That’s what I do. Actually, I have some, but they’re really small. I’ll be dead before they’re as big as your oak.
If I did have big trees, I would go with “do nothing”. Is that an option?
Pressure wash leaves to street, mow mulch them to bits, snow shovel into yard waste containers. Raking is for hired help.
Can you mulch them when they are wet from power washing?
That’s the best time. There’s no blow away if they’re wet. Power washers make quick time of “flower beds” and stuff that tends to catch leaves. It also removes acorns at up to 900 mph.
Clearly I’m (we’re, because I’ll speak for Harold, too) in the minority here. We *gasp* RAKE!
Partly because the kids like playing in the piles. And partly because raking makes the yard look so much prettier. And if I haven’t mentioned before, I do lots of things purely for aesthetic purposes.
That, and I married a worker-bee.
My choice is German. He can do whatever he wants. (I don’t even own a lawn mower.)
We’re with Beth (and Harold). One leaf pile this past Saturday = 3 hours of fun for the kids (and Tony…not sure who enjoyed it more).
Did I mention that was the 4th time “we” raked this month?
Rakers.
But I actually love the look of the colored leaves on the ground…I have a Japanese Maple or something on my front lawn…and the leaves have fallen in a perfect circle around it…it’s like a beautiful red round carpet.
But eventually, usually, most of the time, the men in the family will rake them up.
We mow as much as we can, and then rake. Also, I planted tulip bulbs this weekend.
Rake and burn, baby. Rake and burn.
Will rake for food.