Strategies To Let Leaves Blow Off The Lawn

[wildbears]

There are two ways I've used to reduce the amount of leaves piling up on the lawn. Both require an open area susceptible to wind.
1. Tall grass. Wind gets under the leaves and moves them.
2. Short grass with a tight, compact turf. Leaves are blown along the surface without sticking.

[955i]

Umh? So an intermediate strategy is the worse/

[wildbears]

In our lawn, grass that's 3-6 inches tends to catch the leaves and cause them to pile up. Using one of the options in the OP prevents this accumulation. We live on a ridge top, so wind is fairly common and will move the bulk of the leaves off of the lawn and down the hill and into the woods.
The lawn is cut twice a week and this mulches whatever leaves remain. Further, the smaller leaf pieces are more easily blown off the lawn by the wind.
At the end of the season, I do use a leaf blower to dislodge any compacted leaves stuck to the lawn to prevent "snow fungus". This is done again in the spring as is a pre-emergent weed control treatment.

[cabnfvr]

3. Leaf Blower

[wildbears]

Most around here use option 3.

[wildbears]

Recently I saw someone in the neighborhood using two handheld leaf blowers at the same time. He said it was more efficient than one of the large backpack versions and gave him more control over where the leaves go. Also helps to keep your weight balanced with one in each hand.

[wildbears]

I have a small battery powered blower to clean leaves out of the gutters. Biggest danger when using a powerful leaf blower on the roof, handheld or backpack, is gyroscopic precision tumbling you off the roof.

[802Mike]

2 and 3.... The last couple of mowings are lower than normal so I can more easily blow the leaves off.

My weapons of choice are two Stihl backpack gas blowers and a John Deere Zero Turn with mulching
chute blocker. If I can get some help we can gang up on them and by creating a "V" to push them to
where the wind will do the rest.

[955i]

" . . . push them to where the wind will do the rest." I'm sure my neighbors will appreciate this! LOL

[Lee]

My previous John Deere with a full time mulching deck did a good job on grass but not on leaves.

[wildbears]

Some of the newer push mowers have dual blades and are "super mulchers". I have an old Craftsman that mulches well if the grass is low enough. If high, the side shoot is bungeed open to spread out the bigger clippings. Eye and leg protection are needed with the latter.

[wildbears]

Leaf Dunes
Making linear piles of leaves produces a dune like effect. Leaves in the wind are dropped on the leeward and windward sides.
I've used these in the past along the edge of the woods next to the lawn. ​ ​ ​
These can help keep "your" leaves from blowing into the neighbor's yard. And theirs into yours.
OTOH, one neighbor uses orange webbing fencing to create a barrier in the fall along his property line. More effective but can upset people.

[Lee]

Why would the temporary fence upset people?
I see it used a lot in the winter.

[wildbears]

One woman in the neighborhood blows leaves from her yard "back" into her next door neighbor's yard because "the leaves come from his trees". I guess there's some logic to that but not usually considered the norm.

[wildbears]

The guy across the street has a riding mower and uses a backpack leaf blower while moving!

[Lee]

How does he hold his beer

[Paughco]

We tend to get mostly brown cedar fronds, all over the front lawn. This happens each year after the first autumn wind storm. Yesterday I leaf-blew the cedar fronds off the driveway. I'm waiting for a few days of non-rain so I can do the final lawn mowing of the year. This will mulch the cedar fronds and the little pschedelic mushrooms in the front yard. Strange thing: The grass is gradually taking over from the moss in my front yard. Also, the grass is gradually taking over from the dandelions in the back yard. I think that's because of the bunnies that nibble the dandelions. Classic. We also have Douglass Squirrels in the backyard. They're small, but really fast. Think M1000R to the Grey Squirrel's R1250GS. They actually chase the Greys away from the leavings around the bird feeder. My wife throws peanuts off the rear deck to the squirrels sometimes.

How 'bout those airheads? (that's what somebody says when the discussion wanders from motorcycling, or when it starts to get political.)

Seeya
ATB

[Doctor350]

A mate of mine visited me one day with his three boys and he said to them "see that boys, that's the lawn of a man with a motorcycle"

[wildbears]

Gutter Cleaning
I use a Black and Decker, cordless, "smooth floor sweeper" for blowing leaves out of the gutters. Lightweight and without detectable precession. I've had technical rock climbing training and have done up to 300 feet vertical climbs in the Rockies.
Here's my technique for blowing leaves out of our gutters from a gently sloped roof:
1. Use an adjustable hiking stick with a rubber tip as a third leg.
2. Move only one contact point at a time (one foot or the hiking stick).
3. Keep knees bent and feet wide apart.
4. Move slowly.
5. Slowly bob your body up and down with your legs to aid balance.
6. Look down but not at your feet. At least several feet away.
Practice on level ground.
Not recommended if the roof is higher than one story.
Our roof has new asphalt shingles that provide sure footing.
Or better yet, add gutter protection to prevent leaves from accumulating. Although these still need to cleaned out annually.

[802Mike]

Go to HD and buy some cheap PVC central vac pipe and two elbows. Fix the pipe to the end of your leaf blower and two elbows to that.

[wildbears]

The fellow across the street uses that set up.

[802Mike]

Can get kinda messy though.

[Lee]

Or better yet, add gutter protection to prevent leaves from accumulating.

Had this added 4 years ago and it works good.

[Lee]

No brand name. After seeing it installed, it looked like something I could have done. You can probable find it in large home improvement stores. Comes in 4 foot sections.

[wildbears]

Thanks....

[Capnrip]

I've got this, some leaves still collect there, but you don't have to dig them out. But I do live in the woods so lots of leaves. I usually go on the roof with a leaf blower occasionally.

[wildbears]

Our Backyard.....

[Lee]

I would like that for a back yard.

[Lee]

I guess we're doing something right with our yard.
We received this letter in the mail yesterday.

[cabnfvr]

Congrats! You can let the leaves fall now.

[955i]

Well, Lee, that would be very considerate of you.

[802Mike]

If you had GSs you and Deb could ride them down to Starbucks and celebrate with a Mocha Grande !.

[wildbears]

Our front yard by a stand of Hemlock Trees.....Few leaves under the evergreens.

[wildbears]

Hard rain and wind yesterday.....bare trees now. Looking north this AM from our driveway.