TBN Poll - Best Leave Removal Method

[beenthere]

Ted
That is what I use too. I have a hydraulic ram (seems local to the area through my dealer) that operates from the tractor, so dumping is quick and easy out of the 519 cart. I wouldn't trade this setup (stores easily compared to some of the bigger vac systems) for the rake and bedsheets, or hand-held blowers that I used to use. Sometimes the wind will help me out, but it isn't reliable so now use the MC519 cart.

 

[JackIL]

I just upgraded my vacuum system to a 2700 cubic foot per minute Trac Vac turbine powered by a 13 hp Vanguard engine. The turbine and housing and 8 inch hoses are standard Trac-Vac components used on their truck loader and another system for Dixie Chopper style mowers with 72 inch decks. They send them out the door with 11 hp engines, but I decided to upgrade to 13 since the external dimensions were the same and the cost was only $50 more.

This system is an excellent match for the 31 hp Ventrac 4200 and 72 inch deck. Previously I had an 8 hp unit with 7 inch hoses and the vacuum capacity often limited my travel speed. Now I can operate at significantly faster ground speeds. I works great.

The hydraulic dump trailer holds 42 bushels. I dump into a large compost pile on my property.

Jack

 

[TimSullivan]

I have five foot racks on a 6 X 10 trailer. Then I throw a tarp in the trailer and that keeps the leafs from falling between the slats. Load it up and once at the compost area just pull the tarp out of the trialer with the tractor and dump the leaves. Pile them with the FEL and on to the next load.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Hmm.....sounds like what the neighbor did last spring.....trying to toast fresh cut grass!!!!!!! Used about two gallons of gas/oil mix.....There was a VERY loud explosion!

 

[pennwalk]

At the farm we use a JD 525 front mower with the powerflow vacume that goes to a Jrco dump cart(pretty much the same as the MC 519). The system works pretty well but the cart swings wide so I keep bumping stuff. I wish the blower chiped the leaves up so I wouldn't have to take as many trips to the compost heap. At the house I use a Troybuilt chipper vac. It has a snout that you rake the leaves into. It will reduce a good sized pile to a bag I can lug to the compost pile. It's suposed to reduce leaves 10 to 1 but I have my doubts. Much easier to move and they take up much less space and rot down much faster.The Troybuilt doesn't like really wet leaves but I got the job done after cleaning mud out of the fan housing 3 times.Good thing I got it done cause it's raining again and they are calling for wet snow. One year I didn't get them up and it killed the grass in a couple of places. I have a buddy who rakes them into a pile and loads them into a refrigerator box and hauls the box up to the street. The town vacumes them up and takes them to a multi-million dollar composting site paid for by a government grant (thank you all very much).

Chris

 

[Rockyroad]

Interesting question that I have been pondering. I am getting ready to build a light-weight replacement bucket for my JD750. The Kelley bucket comes off the front with 3 pins, so I am building a light-weight leaf budket 5x4x4, with the sides sloped down from 4' at the rear to nothing at the front edge. The frame is steel tubing, with heavy angle iron along the bottom rails. The rest is expanded. By my calculations, I should be able to get 40 cu. ft. of leaves in the thing. Then I will just dump them in my garden and till them in with my rear end Kuhn tiller. Supposed to be real good for the soil. I am just starting work on my contraption, so it probably won't be ready until Spring.

 

[TedLynn]

Very nice setup. I have never seen the hyd dump. I can reach the dump handle from the seat with a good stretch. I'm sure there are better systems out there, but in my 63 years I've not found it yet. I'm past the stage of dragging them off in bed sheets also.

For Woody1, when you are knee deep in Maple leaves there's just too much mulch. Our problem is getting them removed before they're weathered into the grass, rather than feeding the grass. Ted

 

[bubenberg]

Mr. Moss Road has definitely a good idea, we went in another direction and are quite successful too.
we are knocking off the socks of our competition this year with this combination: a power trac 425, for more information see:
http://www.power-trac.com

and an old, slightly reinforced leaf plow from jerco:
http://www.jrcoinc.com/images/pdfs/480leafblade.pdf

you neither need a pt nor a jerco plow, but nice to have. just build yourself the plow and go to town with any of your small tractors. one recommendation i would make is: 4x4 traction is better otherwise with heavy loads you start to tear up the lawns.

Happy Leafing & Many More

hrl

 

[Solo]

The wind.
Solo

 

[theboman]

A chainsaw works wonders.

I mow and mow and mow and them mow some more until they disappear and/or hit the creek bank. Some do make it around the old garden area that is now purty and green!

If you have a hole or anyplace to pile them up over the next few months you'll have some nice mulch as mentioned and if you fish you'll have lots of earthworns too!