Using a landscape rake to rake up lawn?

[tomfifield]

I am thinking of getting a landscape rake, I will be using to to do landscaping, but I also read people use them to rake leaves and branches off of their lawns. How well do they work for this?

 

[tomfifield]

The rakes can be turned around 360 deg, what will using them backwards do for you?

 

[Rustywreck]

I can't speak for all landscape rakes, but the one I own would tear my lawn up pretty good trying to use it for leaves.
Maybe if it had guide wheels set so the rake doesn't quite come in contact with the turf it might work - no guide wheels on my rake.

 

[MarkV]

I don't think you will be happy trying to do leaves on a finished lawn. A landscape rake is just too aggressive even with guide wheels. I have used the rake reversed to do a final pass on ground being prepared for seeding. Other than that I have never had any need for using it reversed.

MarkV

 

[sawduster98]

I agree with MarkV...IMO not a great tool for a finished lawn. Mine is 8' with gage wheels and I use it for surface prep mostly. I does very well removing sticks, branches, dead weeds, etc.... It might do ok removing leaves if you have a lot of them and don't try to scrape down to the ground.

 

[EverythingAttachments]

I think a pine straw rake would fit your needs better and will be a lot better on your turf. We only market them for pine straw but people use them for leaves and even for dethatching.
Travis

 

[SSdoxie]

I have used mine for leaves. Don't do it when ground is wet/moist. Set the top link short as possible, tip of the tines should be perpendicular to the ground to keep from cutting in. When doing this on dry lawn with well established grass roots, it will pull the leaves and dethatch at same time.

 

[SHORT KID]

I use mine along the edge of the trees/lawn to pick up the small limbs, works ok for that. I tried turning it around but not as affective with no wheels for mine either. After blowing all the leaves to one area you could move most of them with a landscape rake if you have an area to pull them in. I have an area to do that so I pull leaves and sticks to it and just level it out to decay.

 

[DKCDKC]

I can remove leaves from a hard frozen lawn sometimes, but it's not work the effort because of the care to avoid turf damage. However, the rake is great at removing leaves from my mile long driveway through an oak forest. It also moves some stone, so I have to do another pass to bring stone back and shape the road. It is also good in taking rocks out of my garden and trimming my large mulch pile.

I have an old, commercial rake that is bent and ugly, but only cost me $150.

 

[plowindeeper]

I use mine along the edge of the trees/lawn to pick up the small limbs, works ok for that. I tried turning it around but not as affective with no wheels for mine either. After blowing all the leaves to one area you could move most of them with a landscape rake if you have an area to pull them in. I have an area to do that so I pull leaves and sticks to it and just level it out to decay.

This is how I do it blow/rake leaves/limbs into a windrow then drag to a pile. I have about 75 150+ year old oak trees in my yard. Windrows are 5' tall, landscape rake will ride up on pile as the leaves "ball up". It does leave a mark or to.

 

[tomfifield]

Every thing Attachments, I am considering the Pine rake, is it strong enough to rake small limbs and branches? I have a 35hp tractor what size would I want? How much would the shipping cost to Oregon be?

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Every thing Attachments, I am considering the Pine rake, is it strong enough to rake small limbs and branches? I have a 35hp tractor what size would I want? How much would the shipping cost to Oregon be?

I think it will be fine with small limbs and branches within reason as long as you use good judgement. We'll do $45 shipping for a 60" pine straw rake or $55 for a 72" to Oregon. Our pine straw rakes will ship via Fed-Ex ground to your home.

 

[MarkV]

Good advise from EverythingAttchments. I've been interested in a pine straw rake for leaves. Not sure I need it enough. Just remember a pine straw rake will not do well for soil or gavel, a land scape rake is designed for that.

MarkV

 

[jenkinsph]

I have both types of rakes and would say that neither one will do a good job if the leaves are small. I use a material collection cart MC519 for leaves. Both of these implements are great for a variety of uses but raking leaves with them isn't their best use. I recommend you use a Stihl 600 backpack blower and a bagger or tarp to move them.

If you have pine needles the pine straw rake Everything Attachments builds would be an excellent choice imo.

 

[94BULLITT]

You can shorten your toplink and use a rake but it will still cut in some. A rake works pretty good on a big pile. I have never used a pine straw rake so I can't comment on that. I do have a Stihl BR600 like Jenkinsph mentioned. It is a beast. I use mine year round. I even works good as a snow blower.

 

[tomfifield]

I have a Stihl BG 86 that works well, I also have a blower I got from the hardware store, not so good. I decided that for yard tools and saws I would get real stuff like Sthil.

 

[MitchellB]

What about using a rotary windrow hay rake?

 

[jenkinsph]

I am thinking of getting a landscape rake, I will be using to to do landscaping, but I also read people use them to rake leaves and branches off of their lawns. How well do they work for this?

If you will be doing landscaping on a frequent basis you will likely need all of these implements at various times and stages of the year. A landscape rake is similar in use to a garden rake whereas the pine straw rake is more similar to a leaf rake but with wider spacings. I would add that this similarity carries over to raking loose dirt smooth too, if your dirt has several inches of variation in height or larger clumps of soil the landscape rake being more agressive will be more effective for you. The pinestraw rake will provide you with a smoother finish pass and is great to use if you need to cover seeds and where a harrow or drag would be difficult to manuever and use. Both are relatively inexpensive implements, I recommend you have both if you can swing it.