Lawn Sweepers

[nrc]

Continuing my series of "Lawn Care for the Lazy" posts...

Has anyone used a one of these towed lawn sweepers? Are they worthwhile?
http://www.agri-fab.com/assets/productslarge/45_0331.jpg

My standard fall procedure has always been just mulching leaves with the mower. With so many trees here that still leaves quite a bit of debris on the lawn over the winter.

I had considered a bagger but I don't want to bag all summer and I don't want to hassle with installing and removing the bagger each fall (see "lazy" above).

[Insomniac]

Pay some kids to rake your leaves! It even fits in with lazy. ;)

[Spicoli]

They really only work when the leaves are all very dry and so is the ground. But if that is the environment, they usually just blow into neighbor Bill's yard anyway, so F it.:D

I took down 2 of my 3 pear trees - those things SUCKED for leaves - big heavy never dry leaves that the pull behind would never pick up.

I am a fan of muching and letting the wind do its bidness. Or hire some kids/mexicans/whatever...

you could also burn them. but i am pretty sure that is illegal.:p

[Sean Malone]

I don't need one down here in FL, but I just bought a new Husq and was looking at the attachments. The sweeper was big. I wondered if it was just as much work emptying that thing vs other old fashioned methods.

[nrc]

you could also burn them. but i am pretty sure that is illegal.:p

Yes, but even if it were legal I think it would be prudent to gather them up first.

[Methanolandbrats]

I use the WGAF method of lawn care. By mid-november all the leaves are down and 75% have blown into other peoples lawns. Right before the first big blizzard I rake the remaining leaves into several big piles where they mulch. In the spring I use them for compost on flower and vegetable beds. I'm considering planting the entire yard with ferns, sumac, small trees, honeysuckle and forest floor wildflowers thereby turning the whole damn yard into my own personal forest. Guess how much raking I'll do in that sucker :D

[Andrew Longman]

Leaves make fantastic compost.

Children are for raking. Builds character (varified be Calvin and Hobbes)

Buy the contraption if you must but make a kid drive the tractor. He'll thank you for the faux go kart experience.

[nrc]

I don't need one down here in FL, but I just bought a new Husq and was looking at the attachments. The sweeper was big. I wondered if it was just as much work emptying that thing vs other old fashioned methods.

You're supposed to be able to dump it by pulling that rope. It's all very scientific, but if I'm putting it together the rope may just pull the whole thing apart. :)

[Brickman]

I had the push type. Always worked great... dry leaves here in So Cal.

http://www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/sweeper/index.html

They have been making those for John Deere mowers since at least 1973.

[KLang]

I'm using the mow and forget about them method. But our Pecan trees have prettty small leaves.

If you want to use this as an excuse to buy more power equipment there is always this:
http://www.drpower.com/EmailProdImages/Action-0022_250.jpg

Or his bigger brother:
http://www.drpower.com/EmailProdImages/L0121_250.jpg

[Warlock!]

Continuing my series of "Lawn Care for the Lazy" posts...

Has anyone used a one of these towed lawn sweepers? Are they worthwhile?
http://www.agri-fab.com/assets/productslarge/45_0331.jpg
My dad used to have one of those back in the 70's before the days of the PTO-driven vacuum/fan attachments for picking up the grass. He'd mow, then he'd yell for me to take it across the ravine, thru the vacant lot, and down to the clearing by the creek and dump it at the base of his enormous compost pile. The thing would always fill up 8-10 times/cutting, so it musta worked pretty well.

[emjaya]

Get one of these things.

Australian Brush-turkey (http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/brush_turkey.htm)
34

They wander around your yard and pile up all the leaves into a huge mound. Then they'll go into your garden beds and rack out the mulch on to the mound as well along with any plants that come loose.

I've got one in my back yard at the moment, let me know your adress and I'll send it over. :gomer:

[eiregosod]

nothing a little ole box of matches wont fix

http://www.mythic-beasts.com/~dct25/photos/cooks-matches.jpg

[nrc]

I did end up getting one of these. I dragged it around the yard last weekend and it worked pretty well. Running the blades on the mower mulches the leaves down fine enough that they won't blow around and then I just dump them over a hill where they can compost. It did take quite a few trips back to dump, but it beat raking or blowing and then having to bag it all up.