What most of us think of as one in the fallbeautiful colorsSeeing it means a lot of work for the gardeners. Every year the leaves begin to fall and it just doesn't seem to end. Just today you picked up all the leaves and tomorrow everything will start all over again. Why can't you just save yourself the annoying work? Do you really have to rake the leaves or can you just leave them there? We reveal the answers to these questions as well as some useful tips for raking leaves in the article!
Raking leaves – yes or no?
Why do I actually have to rake if my work won't be visible the next day? Many hobby gardeners ask themselves this. However, if the autumn leaves are not raked up regularly, they quickly become overwhelming, which can have many negative consequences for the garden.
That speaks for raking leaves
On the one hand, the leaves are harmful to the lawn. The autumn leaves on the green area not only look unsightly, but also prevent sunlight and air circulation, which affects the growth of the lawn. As a result, yellow, dried-out spots form on the lawn, which can often only be corrected by reseeding. Therefore, the leaves must never be left on lawns.
On the other hand, the leaves can leave brown stains on your patio stones if they are not removed regularly. Especially during rain and floods, the leaves left behind lead to organic discoloration of the terrace tilesdifficult to clean. In addition, leaves on walkways in the garden pose a potential slipping hazard, especially in rainy weather.
That speaks against it
However, autumn leaves in the garden do not always have to be a disadvantage. Leaving leaves lying around can do your beds a lot of good. On the one hand, the fallen autumn leaves offer good winter protection for plants. On the other hand, it produces high-quality fertilizer.In this articleYou will find further useful tips and applications for the fallen autumn leaves.
Many small animals use piles of leaves as winter quarters. Useful animals such as hedgehogs and insects find shelter under the accumulated autumn leaves and can spend the cold months there. It is important to keep this in mind when raking leaves so as not to injure small animals with the rake or leaf vacuum.
Who is responsible for clearing autumn leaves?
Typically, the home or property owner is responsible for removing leaves if they are on the sidewalk. If the house is rented, the obligation to vacate can be regulated by a rental agreement.
Rake leaves like a pro: Four variants
Would you like to master the autumn leaves? Here are your options at a glance:
Rake leaves from the lawn with a rake
The rake, also known as the rake and fork, is the tried and tested method for raking. The leaf rake is part of every hobby gardener's basic equipment and is essential for scraping up leaves, branches and the like. Although this method is really tedious and demanding, it makes it easy to distribute and organize the leaves. Compared to the other options for raking leaves, the old rake is also the cheapest.
Did you know that gardening burns a lot of calories? Raking the leaves can actually burn an average of 280 calories per hour, which is the equivalent of 30 minutes of jogging. A really good workout, isn't it?
Vacuum the leaves
If you want to clear your garden of leaves quickly, choose the right option with a leaf vacuum. This garden tool sucks up the leaves directly and leaves the lawn nice and tidy. Just like a vacuum cleaner, leaf blowers can reach hard-to-reach places and clear leaves from areas such as rock gardens and pebble paths. The collected onesAutumn leaves can then be compostedor use for mulching, for example.
Despite all the advantages, leaf vacuums are not the best thing for your garden. They create a piercing noise that can be annoying not only to your neighbors but also to you. Depending on the model, these devices can produce over 110 decibels, making them louder than tools like air hammers and circular saws. Because of the noise, leaf vacuums can only be used on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Vacuuming leaves is not permitted on Sundays and public holidays. They also use a lot of electricity or gasoline and are therefore considered harmful to the environment.
Use a leaf blower to collect leaves
The leaf blower is becoming increasingly popular among hobby gardeners. In comparison to the leaf vacuum, it does not collect the leaves directly, but rather brings them effortlessly to the desired places. Whether directing it directly onto the beds or bringing it together into a pile of leaves - with the leaf blower the annoying garden work can be done quickly. Like any other method, this one also has disadvantages. Similar to the leaf vacuum, a leaf blower produces a lot of noise and can only be used at certain times. Furthermore, leaf blowers are usually really expensive and run on gasoline, which can be harmful to both the budget and the environment.
*Important: Leaf blowers and leaf vacuums pose a great danger to animal garden inhabitants. Even the Federal Environment Agency recommends against their use because they can injure or even kill small animals that hide in the leaves. Out of consideration for animals, you should avoid using such devices if possible.
And how about the lawnmower?
As already mentioned, you have to keep the lawn free of leaves anyway, otherwise bare spots can form in the green area. Then why not just use the lawnmower? The lawn mower actually offers itself as a good alternative to other leaf removers. The leaves are not only collected, but also chopped and mixed with the lawn clippings, which provides a good basis for your composter. However, this method of collecting leaves is only suitable for flat lawns.
Raking leaves: This is what you need to pay attention to
If you want to remove the foliage, you should divide the garden into zones. For example, there are areas such as green areas and terraces where leaves are undesirable. However, in other places in the garden, such as flower borders and under bushes, the fallen leaves are definitely welcome. You can have yoursProtect plants from winter frostand enrich the soil with important nutrients. If the garden is properly divided into zones, then the leaves can be removed from one zone and distributed over the other.
Furthermore, leaves are not only available in autumn. The garden also needs cleaning in spring, but you should proceed with caution at this time of year. Signs of spring such as crocuses and snowdrops sprout on green spaces as early as March and should not be raked from the ground. In spring it is better to use a leaf broom instead of a rake.
Raking leaves made easy with the right tools
If your garden is small, then it's simply not worth investing in expensive equipment for raking leaves. The classic leaf rake is wonderful for lawns and small front gardens. It protects the lawn, lasts for many years and is suitable for both dry and wet leaves.
*Tip: To save yourself back pain, you can pick up the swept leaves with your foot instead of bending over. Prepare a suitable container and place it within walking distance. Then simply clamp the rake with the leaves under the foot and push the pile into the container.
Which rake is the right one?
Leaf rakes are available in different versions. But which one is best for collecting leaves? Basically, rakes made of plastic, aluminum and steel are offered, with each material having its advantages and disadvantages. The weight of the tool also plays an important role in the selection. To avoid sweeping up leaves, you should use a lightweight rake. Plastic models are recommended for this.
Compared to rake brooms, leaf brooms have a larger distance between the individual tines and are therefore also suitable for collecting leaves in spring. There are also adjustable models where you can regulate the working width as needed.
If you primarily rake lawns, rakes with spring-loaded tines are recommended. Hard tines, on the other hand, are better suited for sidewalks and paved areas. When choosing, make sure that the rake fits comfortably in your hand and is not too heavy.
How often should you calculate?
If the lawn is covered with too many leaves, then it's time to rake again. Otherwise the soil won't get enough oxygen. Depending on the weather, you may even have to rake the leaves several times a day in the fall.
Throw away autumn leaves or leave them lying around?
The leaves are collected. But what to do with the dry leaves? If it is a large garden where a lot of leaves are collected, then there are even legal regulations that you have to take into account. To properly dispose of your fall leaves, you can choose one of the following options.
- Fill leaves into organic garbage bags and dispose of them in the organic waste bin
- Have leaf litter picked up
- Add collected leaves to the composter
However, in a small garden, the leaf litter is not large enough to need to be picked up. Before you dispose of the leaves, you can also try one of the following reuse options.
Leave piles of leaves for animals
The foliage provides good insulation and creates good living conditions for small animals and insects in the cold winter months. Simply rake the leaves into a corner of the garden and pile them into a leaf pile to create a cozy winter home for various creatures.
Frost protection for potted plants
Sensitive garden plants, shrubs and potted plants can be protected from winter frost with a few layers of leaves.
Craft with autumn leaves
The foliage is suitablewonderful as a craft material. You can use this to make door wreaths, garlands, picture frames and much more and decorate your home beautifully in autumn.
Also read:“LEAVE AUTUMN LEAVES ON THE LAWN OR REMOVE THEM? HOW TO USE AUTUMN LEAVES IN THE GARDEN!”
