Over the years, I have used a lot of different tools and methods to shovel leaves from my garden. From my childhood, given to me by my parents for work, to now when I have to clean my own lawn, I’ve tried a number of tools and gadgets to see which ones make the chore a little easier. Here is a quick summary of everything I used to rake, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
No matter what you’re using, I also recommend choosing a pair of the best gardening gloves to save your hands from some wear and tear.
For more gardening tips and tricks, check out our guide on how to shovel leaves the easy way, how to use a leaf blower, and five ways to use fallen leaves in your garden.
shovel
Positives:
The least expensive option
just chill
Negatives:
It takes the longest time to clean
Ah, the humble rake. I’ve spent countless hours using plastic, metal, and bamboo rakes to pile the papers into piles before being taken to the curb for our town to pick up. There’s a meditative quality to shoveling, but it’s a real pain to carry a rag full of foliage around the yard, especially if you have a large lawn. But rakes are the least expensive — and quietest — for leaf picking. Fiskars 65 inch metal leaf rake ($45, Amazon (Opens in a new tab)) seems a good and inexpensive option.
leaf blower/mulch
Positives:
Light but strong
thalamus leaves
Negatives:
Sticks can be attached
A little tricky to switch from blower to vacuum cleaner
Nothing says autumn like the gentle tones of leaf blowers drifting away in the suburbs. Personally, I’ve found handheld leaf blowers to be marginally more effective than plucking, but they are useful for getting papers out of hard-to-reach places. What I love about my Black & Decker leaf blower – and it costs $73 at Amazon (Opens in a new tab) – is that you can turn it into vacuum / mulch.
Like the Megamaid of Spaceballs, it can go from blow to suck, crushing leaves and small sticks, which are collected in a bag. It’s great if you have your own compost pile. The only dilemmas are that it can be difficult to turn parts from blowing papers to vacuuming, and sticks can sometimes get stuck in the tube, blocking airflow. This electric model also requires it to be plugged in, so you’ll need an extension cord – although battery-powered options are available.
grass broom
Positives:
Quiet as freckles
Easily pick up papers
Negatives:
No mulch leaves
We had one of these when I was a kid, and it was a game-changer—it cut the time to clean the yard in half. Basically, this one has four sets of plastic bristles that spin as you push the odd tool around the yard. Sweep the leaves into a large hopper. And because the person pushing the sweeper provides all the power, it’s as quiet as using a rake, so you won’t ignore your neighbors. The only downside is that the sheets aren’t covered, so you’ll have to get rid of them yourself. If you are looking for an efficient, human-powered way to pick up leaves, a lawn broom might be your best option.
garden vacuum
Positives:
Cleans everything in one go
Also works as a cutter for small branches
Negatives:
Aloud
expensive
You were talented literal garden vacuum (Opens in a new tab) A couple of years ago by my brother-in-law, this made it a very easy task. Instead of shoveling leaves into a heap, I simply walk the grass vacuum across the yard — like a lawn mower — and suck up everything in its path, washing the leaves and putting them in a bag. They are so strong that they will pick up the acorns covering my garden thanks to the massive oak. It also has an opening where you can throw small branches, which will break.
However, this is a gas powered device, so it is the highest method I have used. And at $800, it’s also the most expensive. If my kind brother-in-law hadn’t gotten rid of it, it’s doubtful I would have bought one on my own.
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