Leaf Collector Suggestions

dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 07:48
Last edited 26/10/2017 - 08:45 by 1 other user

My backyard is slopey and uneven, the grass doesn't even grow that long and we have a couple of beautiful scribbly gums but wow do they make a mess. Twigs, larger branches and a steady flow of leaves dropping all year round. I'm sick of getting the lawnmower out for what is really a 'vacuum' of leaves and debris. To do my front and back takes over 2hrs and it's not left looking good for too long, sometimes 24-48hrs later it looks the same!
I don't want to take the trees down, but there must be a way to keep my yard cleaner and not to mention safer all year round? Outdoor leaf vacuums, are they any good? I'm guessing the twigs will remain tho..,
Perhaps I need shade sails or netting of somekind over the entire yard to collect the falling crap?

Basically open to any comments regarding this ongoing issue.

Ta,

Dunker

Home & Garden

Comments

  • iforgotmysocks on 26/10/2017 - 08:09

    The area that gets sucked up isn't much bigger than the outlet of the leaf blower.

    Works ok I guess but it would still take ages.

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 08:13

      Yeh thought so, would take ages. Perhaps one of those drag leaf collecting things, but that might not work too well on some uneven sections. I've tried manually raking but that takes ages also.

      • iforgotmysocks on 26/10/2017 - 08:21

        The leafblower bit will blow over a much wider area, if you used it to blow all the debris to one end of the yard and then pick up from there that would be relatively quick

        • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 09:26

          I fear a leafblower would not be too successful when trying to blow leaves when they are scribbly gum leaves that love to be stubborn and difficult to remove from short (but still) grass blades. Some of the leaf blowers I see seem pretty meh when even trying to clear a driveway let alone actual grass areas.
          It also doesn't tackle the small twigs of which there are plenty.

  • Ryanek on 26/10/2017 - 08:37
    +2

    This is exactly our kids are for.

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 09:27

      Ha! Mine are too young and daft for that job just yet.

  • Nugs on 26/10/2017 - 08:48

    mulch the area instead of grass = less work but not as useable

    if staying with grass, then even it out with topsoil dressing and rake the debris down the slope to a garden bed? (or establish a bed) - "I've tried manually raking but that takes ages also" define ages, what is square metreage?

    maybe a photo would help

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 09:28

      Mulching presents a massive bushfire risk (I reside in the Blue Mountains), so that's not an option :(

  • Euphemistic on 26/10/2017 - 09:24

    Have trees, get leaves. Learn to live with it. If you don't like leaves all over your yard, move to somewhere without trees.

    End of the day your mower is probably the best vacuum as it will grab all the sticks too.

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 09:38
      +1

      This is kinda the conclusion I'm coming to, Trees 1 - Dunker 0.
      I've been here for 6-7yrs, lovely spot it's just the damn level of work to maintain the yard is slowly killing me (I have a physical job too which doesn't help).

      That's why I mow, to grab the twigs as well, but I just wondered of there was another contraption out there that might do the job of collecting quicker, as its really not a mow the grass needs.

      I wonder if anyone has tried these sorta things; http://www.innovations.com.au/p/outdoor/tools-equipment/lawn…

      I have spent half my life in the UK and there is a big difference between the kinda lawns you get over there and the type of leaves that fall in Autumn. I can imagine this might work well over there, but for scribbly gum leaves and twigs… I have my doubts.

      And my total yard is about 700sqm, on a slope with uneven ground in parts and tree stumps to navigate etc.

  • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 09:47

    Here's a pic of my yard before and after, a small slither of the yard that is;

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/95230640@N04/11358933436/in/da…

    Gives u an idea of what I have to work with. It just gets worse when the scribbly gums bark begins to peel off, and u do get entire large sections of branches falling off.

    Cockatoos are apparently the main culprit for small twigs, then snap them off with their beaks.

    I can literally clean the yard like that pic shows, and then 48hrs later it looks like the left side of the pic again… :|

    The mountains recently got a 'Green' bin for garden waste. I'm starting to wonder if perhaps erecting a shade sail system would be wise, maybe 2-3 large ones spanning the rear yard (as that's where it is worst) and then bash the sail lightly with a broom and design it in such a manner that the sail forms a 'gutter' and I can funnel it down to the bin lol.

    Am I mad?

    I wonder tho, what the health of the ground/grass would be in if it is in constant shade, but tbh, areas where the house shades the grass is softer and nicer than the grassy areas that get direct sunlight on it…

    • HL2 on 02/01/2018 - 14:17

      High five mate. I have the same issue. My current solution is to mow and mulch the droppings every week. Weekly exercise the way I see it. Looking to get a leaf blower to blow it to a pile and mulch the suckers.

      • dunker56 on 03/01/2018 - 15:01

        My issue is my job is already physical, and I do actual weight resistance work/exercise as well, I'm pooped! I don't want my home to be a place of added work as well, I want it to be a place to recover from the week :(

  • 17833 on 26/10/2017 - 10:05
    +1

    What you need is a larger outside version of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum. It could scoot around automatically happily picking up leaves. Don't think this exists though :( I did find this in a quick search but have no idea how effective it would be https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Brand-NEW-MGS-Brand-21-Lawn-Leaf…

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 10:08

      $120… not the worst amount of money I have ever spent trying to problem solve an issue lol. I've never seen these things in bunnings etc, hence i was a bit skeptical to their efficiency.

      • 17833 on 26/10/2017 - 10:10

        They do look gimmicky.

  • Nugs on 26/10/2017 - 11:02
    +1

    how much money do you have to throw at it?

    http://www.mowerpower.com.au/vacuum/71-billy-goat-mv650h-29-…

    blurb includes "Picks up cans, bottles, grass clippings, litter and other debris with ease"

    .

    • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 11:10

      Hmmm now yer talking lol. I'd have to see one in action to believe in it's effectiveness. Probably tho it might take the same length of time to collect that way as to mow the lawn… maybe.. maybe not, hard to say.

      I would honestly consider $1-1.5k as 'budgetable' solution, if I shade sailed a lot of the area that cost would get up towards that figure easily. It just might do a better job and I don't have to dig out that contraption above… I can mow the lawn fortnightly for the real purpose, to collect grass!

      https://www.bunnings.com.au/coolaroo-5-4-x-5-4m-slate-square…

      I'd prolly need a system of 3-4 of these to adequately cover a sizeable yard area that would give us a break from being hit by falling shit.

      • Nugs on 26/10/2017 - 11:12

        so then you will need to collect the debris from the sails? or have them steep enough that they fall in a pile?

        • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 11:16

          Yeh, design the install in such a way to have a slight sag or gutter point, something where i can gently bash leaves (or use a leaf blower), twigs and branches that aren't in the 'gutter' towards that point and funnel them down into the green bin. Or even use a hose or gurney gently…

      • Euphemistic on 26/10/2017 - 11:18

        I can't see shade sails as being a suitable solution. Sure, the leaves wont get to the grass, but they'll still collect somewhere and possibly require more work to maintain and also prevent your lawn from growing properly.

        • dunker56 on 26/10/2017 - 11:59

          Well this is the million dollar question.

          My house roof collects leaves, 2-3x/year I go up on the roof and clear out the gutters.

          Stuffs gonna fall, regardless, if it sits ontop of the shade sails, no biggy, better there than on the garden floor. Or if nature does its thing and wind and what not blows the leaves and twigs to a point that I am happier to collect the debris from, the better. If the leaves and twigs fall off the shade sails and get blown back underneath the sails… then yeh huge waste of time and effort :'(
          I'm sure that scenario would occur from time to time, but where we live its usually pretty quiet (wind wise).
          It's all about taking away the constant 2x/week tidying up of the yard, kids just wanna run barefoot from the house to the trampoline without stubbing their feel on twigs and sharp leaves! Not to mention perhaps the shade sail will catch a heavy branch and perhaps lesson the impact should it land on someone!

          And like i said, at the sides of the house where the sunlight reaches the least, I think the grass there is actually of a softer and nicer quality than the 'straw' i have in the main back yard :S

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