Sweeping Leaves: 5 Tips for Every Season of the Year

February 21, 2019

In the fall, most trees and bushes lose their colorful leaves. When should leaves be removed from sidewalks, drives, lawns and in the garden? Especially sweeping leaves with rakes and brooms is often very labor-intensive when treating larger areas. With these tips, gardeners can clear leaves from various areas quickly and effectively.

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Tip 1: When and where should you clean leaves?

Why do you have to sweep away leaves in all seasons? In certain areas around the house, many areas need to be cleaned, and leaves are removed similar to snow and ice removal. You should clear leaves regularly to ensure that passersby cannot slip and fall. Leaves can also be cleaned from the bearings in the fall for the same reason, so that braking distance is not affected.

On the contrary, you do not necessarily need to clean up leaves in the garden under trees and fences. Here, you can wait until spring to protect smaller animals like hedgehogs and insects. Additionally, the leaves can act as frost protection and a natural fertilizer for garden plants. However, leaves should not be placed too thickly on the bed so that air can seep into the ground. Anyone who fears that autumn storms will blow away the leaves can add in tree branches, for example, with softwood to cover them. In spring, you can remove the mulch and leaves from March/April.

The exceptions in a garden are lawn areas. Anyone who appreciates a well-maintained lawn should remove leaves, as otherwise yellow spots will form where the grass does not receive any sunlight. Theoretically, you could do this with a lawn mower - depending on the thickness of the leaf layer. But clearing leaves with a lawnmower isn't particularly animal-friendly. A rake would be more suitable, or if you want to save energy, use a leaf blower or air blower.

Tip 2: Clean leaves with a leaf blower

Sweeping leaves with a rake or broom takes a lot of effort and time. Anyone who wants to remove leaves from sidewalks, drives and lawns faster and easier should turn to a leaf blower. The device's powerful airflow can sweep leaves on its own, while also helping to remove leaves in hard-to-reach places and on flowerbeds or bark mulch.

With Kärcher cordless leaf blowers, leaves can be swept in a targeted manner into a pile. An additional scraper edge also helps loosen wet leaves or compacted dirt. LBL 4-leaf blower has two speed levels. In this way, leaves can be carefully removed from the gravel and you can start on sidewalks and lawns with greater strength. Thanks to the removable blower, the Karcher leaf blower can be stowed to save space.

Smart combination: Leaf blower and blower

Anyone who wants to remove leaves from larger areas and wants to actively help clean up their yard and garden should ideally be equipped with a Kärcher leaf blower and cordless dust blower. With its suction function and high collection bag volume, it also helps collect leaves. If necessary, detachable accessory parts ensure a reduced weight, for example with the BLV 36-240 Battery blower and fan. The speed in blowing and suction mode can be continuously adjusted, for example to carefully remove leaves from gravel or from a rock garden. The removable guide roller is useful in larger areas, and you can cut leaves with the cutting wheel if needed.

Read more: How Many MPH Leaf Blowers Do I Need?

Tip 3: Scan leaves in larger areas with a scanner

Sweeping leaves with brooms and rakes means they also have to be picked up afterwards. But meanwhile, the autumn wind crept into the leaves and blew them away again. Therefore, ideally you should do both in one operation, i.e. sweep and collect leaves with one device, one scanner.

The sweeper is especially suitable for paved areas such as sidewalks, drives or streets, removing leaves and dirt without having to bend down thanks to the height-adjustable push handle and simply move it device. The waste container has plenty of space and can be emptied in just a few steps. Depending on the model, one or two side brushes can be installed without tools. This allows edges, crevices and corners to be cleaned as well. With the 2-in-1 S 4 Twin manual sweeper, even wet leaves are no problem. The side broom is equipped with stiffer bristles, so sweeping is not difficult even in wet areas.

Sweeping is used all year round - sweeping leaves, removing grit in winter, sweeping pollen and flowers together. And after the job is done? Simply push the foldable lever forward and stack the sweeper upright in a shed, garage or basement to save space.

Tip 4: Remove leaves from gutters and pipes

Anyone who has trees near their home knows that leaves, small branches and dirt collect in gutters and downspouts, especially in the fall. Here, you should also regularly remove dirt and leaves to allow rainwater to drain in the desired way and avoid water damage. If dirt has accumulated in the first place, removing it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive matter. In many cases, the work is done on a ladder that must be moved frequently to reach the full length of the gutter. Roof gutters and downspouts can be easily cleaned with the Kärcher Roof Gutter and Pipe Cleaning Kit, suitable for Kärcher high pressure washers.

The kit's roof gutter cleaning nozzle is moved on a carriage through the roof gutter almost on its own, thanks to high pressure from the cleaning device. Two high-pressure nozzles are attached to the underside of the cleaning barrel to allow water to flow back. The recoil effect will push the carriage forward, lifting dirt and washing it backwards. With a hose length of 20 meters, you can go far without having to stand on ladders in the vicinity. After a short retrofit, downspouts and wastewater pipes can also be cleared of blockages with this accessory. Here, a high-pressure hose without a duct is used. Instead, a special pipe cleaning nozzle is used, which uses the recoil of a reverse stream of water to penetrate blockages from leaves and other dirt, and rinse the down pipe again. . Tip: The pipe cleaner tube has a red safety mark. The tube should always be inserted into the tube at least until this mark is made and the cleaning process should stop as soon as the mark can be seen again when the tube is pulled out. This way, you are protected from backspray, as well as from the potential dangers of high-pressure hoses spinning around.

Read next: Leaf Blower Gutter Cleaning Tips

Tip 5: So where should you dump the leaves?

Thanks to leaf blowers, vacuums and sweepers, sweeping and picking up leaves is easy. But where do they go if you don't have your own compost pile? You can throw away small amounts of leaves and green waste in your organic waste bin, but they will quickly fill up in the fall on lots with lots of trees. In some areas, municipalities provide special sacks or baskets that are placed on the side of the road when full and then disposed of. Otherwise, you will need to go to the garden cuttings collection point of your nearest recycling centre.

Sweeping leaves for an autumn campfire? Burning leaves and cuttings in the garden is prohibited in many cities or is greatly restricted by time of year. Precisely because even withered leaves still contain enough water that smoke and unpleasant odors can develop when they are burned. May also emit fine dust. So remove leaves from household waste? Just don't leave it in trash and recycling bins - these bins may not be emptied if they are filled incorrectly. So - foil bags, recycling or compost centers. Anyone with enough space in their garden can create a leaf pile as a winter home for hedgehogs etc.

See more: https://www.facebook.com/leafblowersblackfriday

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