LEAVES!!!

[Mighty Dodge]

I used to vacuum all mine (2 acres worth). This year I made a mulching plate and have been running over the yard about once a week. Works great and no more hauling, dumping and should amend the soil.

 

[Gizmo2]

Just curious, why mess with the leaves? I could see raking a few in a front manicured suburb type yard, but your place looks rural, at least in the photo.

Chainsaw would be the ultimate way to solve them "defective" trees

I agree. Life is not long enough to worry about leaves every year and eventually you won't, may as well start now. Besides I think it looks good the way it is. just sayin!

 

[om21braz]

Well I must admit, there isn't much lawn under most of the leaves. It's semi wooded, but not wild. I want to keep it somewhat manicured or at least not overgrown. I think I will just take it a little at a time, blow away what I can and mow what's left. Would burning piles of leaves be a bad idea?

I'd say let them be. I can tell you from experience - if you go disturbing the ground in there and remove the leaves, there will be all kinds of stuff growing up in there. Unless the canopy above it is far denser than I would think. Over time, the leaves will not get but so deep - not so for the brush/vines/weeds/etc. that could be growing in there.
On the other hand, if you are desiring a lawn among the trees - it's going to take a special shade-tolerant type turf and plenty of water.

 

[jpaeye]

Not trying to tell you how to spend your money, but I have 8.5 acres surrounded by 265 acres of woods. Fall is probably my least favorite season with the amount of leaves that get dropped on our property.

I take care of them with a couple of backpack blowers strapped to my son and I, getting the leaves away from the buildings and beds. I then hit them with a New Holland TC33D with attached Goossen PTO blower. Makes short work of them and sounds like a small aircraft taking off--hearing protection a must.

Bottom line is the PTO blower works really well, throws the leaves a good 30-40 feet.

 

[TNTractor1]

There's a lot of good sense made from you guys. I think you're right. It would be a huge battle each year for me to try and manage these leaves... not worth it. Around the house is no problem, but out in the trees away from the house would be just too much time and effort to justify the results. I think I'll just spend minimal time blowing and mowing and not sweat it. Thanks.

 

[jpaeye]

I have 8.5 acres surrounded by 265 acres of woods. Fall is probably my least favorite season with the amount of leaves that get dropped on our property.

I take care of them with a couple of backpack blowers strapped to my son and I, getting the leaves away from the buildings and beds. I then hit them with a New Holland TC33D with attached Goossen PTO blower, blowing them back into the woods. Makes short work of them and sounds like a small aircraft taking off--hearing protection a must.

Bottom line is the PTO blower works really well, throws the leaves a good 30-40 feet.

 

[IndyIan]

There's a lot of good sense made from you guys. I think you're right. It would be a huge battle each year for me to try and manage these leaves... not worth it. Around the house is no problem, but out in the trees away from the house would be just too much time and effort to justify the results. I think I'll just spend minimal time blowing and mowing and not sweat it. Thanks.

Maybe if you leave it alone you might end up with something nice?

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Wow - Leaves indeed!

I'd buy one of those Garden Vac contraptions

A cyclone rake!

 

[Taylortractornut]

If you garden or have a garden spot Id rake or vac them onto a tarp and drag it over and pile them up on the spot. Then till it in, makes a great garden.

 

[woodchuckie]

I basically have wooded area all around my yard which is in centipede plus whatever will grow. I keep the leaves off the lawn by raising the blade a little more than usual so as not to damage the grass and go around blowing the leaves to the outside edge of my lawn with my lawn mower. They are so cut up by that time that you don't notice they don't belong there and I like the look of the leaves among the trees. This also keeps my lawn mower limbered up some during the winter. I also like to run the water sprinkler overnight on the front yard some nights so the kids can slide down the hill on the ice. This works better without the leaves.