Make lighter work of raking leaves with these simple tips.
But dealing with fallen leaves doesn’t have to be a pain (sometimes literally).
Use these leaf-raking tips to make quick work of your fall cleanup.
Credit: maxbelchenko/Adobe Stock
Do youreallyneed to rake?
Leaves contain nutrients that can be recycled into your soil.
The problem arises when they’re piled too thick, which can smother your lawn and smaller garden plants.
But how many is too many?
University researchers developed guidelines to make it easy to know if it’s crucial that you rake or not.
More than 50% leaf coverage?
Time to get out the rake!
Run your lawn mower.
Simply run your mower over the leaves.
Small leaf pieces will settle between grass blades, where they’ll decompose over time.
If your mower has a bagging attachment, you might use it to easily collect the leaves instead.
Wait for all the leaves to fall.
But remember, afew leaves on the lawnaren’t going to hurt anything.
Then break up the work into segments by raking one section of the lawn at a time.
Pick the right raking tools.
Comfort and ease of use is top of the list when choosing a leaf rake.
The handle should be long enough for you to stand upright while raking.
Rakes with durable steel tines are often preferred over rakes with plastic tines.
And apair of gloveswill help protect your hands from blisters as you work.
While raking may seem simple, it can be physically stressful, even for healthy people.
Stretching before raking can help stave off aches and pains after the chore is complete.
Make small movements and take breaks.
Taking big, sweeping swipes with your rake will tire you out fast.
Instead, use short strokes, making sure to keep your back straight.
And every once in a while, put down your rake and take a break.
Catch your breath, get a drink of water, and enjoy the brisk autumn weather.
Use wind power to your advantage.
Wrangling leaves when there’s a strong breeze can be comedic and maddening.
Of course,calm weather is bestfor raking, but Mother Nature might not always cooperate withyour weekend plans.
When you could’t avoid raking on a blustery day, instead of fighting the wind, try harnessing it.
If the wind is pushing leaves to the south, you and your rake do the same.
Shorter rake strokes and small piles are most efficient on windy days.
Don’t rake wet leaves.
If it just rained or there’s dew on fallen leaves, hold off on raking if you might.
The moisture causes the leaves to stick together and resist being raked up.
Leaf vacuums work by using suction power to collect leaves into a bag for easy disposal.
you could use either a hand-held leaf vacuum or one you push from behind.
Just rake the leaves onto the tarp, then gather the edges of the tarp to collect the leaves.
Work in Sections
Like with any task, raking without a plan can feel daunting and overwhelming.
Instead, make a plan to divide your yard into sections to make the task more manageable.
Continue this process until your yard is completely raked, taking breaks as needed.
