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Leaf Vacum instead of Raking?
QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience with machines that vacuum leaves, mulch them
and then deposit them into a large canister? My elderly father (living in
another state...or I'd do it myself) needs help taking care of the Fall leaves.
I am thinking of buying him a leaf vacum that should make this chore
alot easier for him since he is too independent, (i.e., stubborn) to pay someone
to do it for him. I have never used one of these, and neither have any of my
friends and neighbors.
Can anyone tell me how well these machines work? Any suggestions on
manufacturer or models?
ANSWER: I had a disappointing experience last year and so would not recommend this
particular machine. It was very inefficent--a lot harder than simply raking
up the leaves! It tended to clog up every few minutes if the leaves were even
the slightest bit damp; moreover, the cutting height had to be continually
adjusted because if it was too high for the accumulated leaves the suction
was not sufficiently powerful, but if it was too low for the thickness of leaves
it clogged.
The leaves had to be spread rather thinly and completely dry for the
machine to work acceptably. Even then, the shredded leaves had to be
collected in the attached bag, which was rather small and required
frequently stopping the machine and restarting it after emptying the bag.
Finally, the machine was difficult to push and handled much more awkwardly
than a regular push mower. It is true that I had the bottom-of-the-line
model, and the company does make larger, self-propelled machines which may
be more effective. Nevertheless, the model I had cost about $500! I
returned it after a few tries; fortunately, the company--which sells
mail-order--offered a trial period (although it is a hassle to re-crate
and re-ship such a large object). This spring, in contrast, I bought a
regular chipper/shredder from Sears for about the sme price. It is much
more powerful and will handle branches up to about 2-3 inches in diameter
as well as leaves and most other garden debris. It produces a very nice
mulch which I used on my perennial beds all summer; I am already
accumulating a large pile to use for winter mulch this fall. It does not
vacuum, however; you must feed it the leaves; also, it too has a rather
small bag that requires frequent emptying. However, I have had no
problems with clogging, even with damp material.
Another alternative I have noticed some neighbors using is a leaf blower.
They are noisy but if your father doesn't want to use the mulch, merely
push the leaves into a pile, it may be the most efficient option for him.
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