What attachment would you use ?

[BMWMIKE]

I have a sweet gum ball problem. Has anyone had any luck raking or picking up these spiny balls with your tractor?
I am trying to find something that will at least get them into piles or wind rows, with tearing up the yard to much.

I thought may be a rock rake with the gauge wheels might do the trick. But before I buy one I thought I would get a second, third, or fourth opinion.

mike

 

[Utopia Texas]

I have a sweet gum ball problem. Has anyone had any luck raking or picking up these spiny balls with your tractor?
I am trying to find something that will at least get them into piles or wind rows, with tearing up the yard to much.

I thought may be a rock rake with the gauge wheels might do the trick. But before I buy one I thought I would get a second, third, or fourth opinion.

mike

What makes them a problem?

 

[BMWMIKE]

They are a problem because if I leave them on the ground the tractor mashes them in and when you get enough of them they kill out the grass. Also because they are where I walk all the time, an in the summer I wear flip fops the spiny balls can stick right through the sole. Right now I am raking them by hand where I walk and leaving the ones where I don't walk. But if I can figure out a easier way to do it I would pick up all of them.

 

[bcp]

How about a leaf blower?

Bruce

 

[Xfaxman]

How about this: Everything Attachments | Skid Steer Attachments, Tractor Attachments, 3 Point Hitch Attachments, and Farm Tractor Implements.

 

[MossRoad]

What makes them a problem?

If you drink and fall down they are a problem.....


But in all seriousness, they really hurt if you step on them barefoot!

 

[Utopia Texas]

If you drink and fall down they are a problem.....
View attachment 417282

But in all seriousness, they really hurt if you step on them barefoot!

Maybe that is the answer! Put on a really fuzzy sweater, drink a 6 Pak of beer, then roll around on the ground until the sweater is covered in the Sweet Gum balls! Rinse and repeat.
In all seriousness a leaf blower would do just fine. In my yard where I cannot run our commercial Pecan harvester I use a Stihl blower to row up hundreds of pounds of native pecans with no troubles at all.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, but your pecans aren't covered with hooked spikes that grab everything, are they?

My sister had a sweet gum tree right next to their driveway basketball court. No fun to get fouled and fall down behind the backstop! OUCH!!! And they were everywhere. Honestly, sweet gum trees are very attractive, but why on earth would anyone want one in their yard? Just awful.

 

[vtsnowedin]

The proper attachment is a good sharp chainsaw. Prune your sweet gum trees about six inches up from the ground and use your tractor to haul them away.

 

[MossRoad]

I have a sweet gum ball problem. Has anyone had any luck raking or picking up these spiny balls with your tractor?
I am trying to find something that will at least get them into piles or wind rows, with tearing up the yard to much.

I thought may be a rock rake with the gauge wheels might do the trick. But before I buy one I thought I would get a second, third, or fourth opinion.

mike

I found your solution (besides the chainsaw). $50
The Nut Wizard Pick Up Nuts and Sweet Gumballs, Harvesting Pecans, Walnuts, Acorns
Watch the video. It seems to do a good job.