Leaf Blower/Vacs

walkers-crisps_are_evil

Stihl BG 56 C-E weighs 4 bags of sugar and is built to last. £250 but you wont need to buy another one...

nickcc

On my second Flymo leaf vac/blower (orange one) has a large collection bag, built in shredder and shoulder strap. No problems using it as long as you empty the bag before it becomes too heavy. We just blow the leaves into a pile then suck them up.

aj9648

If you left the leaves to decompose in the soil - would that be ok or detrimental to the soil?

The_Biff

Leaf mould is a wonderful soil conditioner. Possibly the best. I have a 2 cubic metre homemade storage made with chicken wire. I fill it many times over the autumn season, but it compacts down very quickly. Likes a bit of water if in a sheltered position.

I'm on my third vac/blower- it's an electric Stihl & it is the best. Previously had a Homebase & then a Husqvarna petrol.

unlucky67

I bought one from Aldi this autumn - for about £30, corded electric one. (Gardenline - it is made by Einhell) Blower & vacuum, adjustable power with shoulder strap.
I have 2 house gardens to maintain at the moment - at one a neighbour has a huge sycamore and the other a neighbour with a huge beech (and they are both right on the border/over hang my properties!) The beech is mainly over my gravel drive (4m wide, 12 m long), the sycamore a flagstone path with a gravel edge (1m wide, 7m long), a couple sets of steps and also a 5 inch gap between a partial post/wire fence and a solid wooden fence. (Long story, nightmare neighbour attached the wooden one to the wire one saying it was his :mad: (there when we moved in, but on our side of the boundary so don't think it was) but I can't take it down without a war and too narrow to put anything up to cover it up).
On the gravel I tried using as a blower but it tended to blow up in the air, also at full power it is capable of blowing the gravel....so you get gravel in your pile of leaves so can't vacuum up (and patches in the gravel!) - not good.
I was using it at low power as a vacuum but it clogged the entry to the leaf bag but on full power it doesn't. It does pick up the odd bit of gravel in the tube - but as someone else said keep turning the power off and they fall out.
However on first use after dealing with the drive, I did the lawn, a stray stone (bit of gravel?) did get sucked up and cracked the case..and apparently that kind of damage wasn't covered by the guarantee (and it wouldn't be by any company apparently) - I could have bought a new case for it for about £12 ish -but at the moment it repaired with duck tape and still works...waiting for it break more before I replace)
The big sycamore leaves were trickier did clog the vacuum tube more often.
I'm 5 6 , female and it isn't that heavy,it has little wheel on the end of the tube and a shoulder strap though....and even though it shreds the leaves it needed emptying often anyway ...
So is it worth it?
At first I was disappointed ...not as easy or efficient as I thought it would be and a faff getting the extension out....
BUT I think in reality it does a better and quicker job than raking - you can get into nooks and crannies, round the bottom of plants, under things, behind things!.
You can do it when it is a bit windy (but not raining :eek: ) which is when the leaves are likely to be drier ...without worrying about your neat piles being blown everywhere. And eg on the path there is another tree with small leaves (Rowan?) - too small to rake -so before I would have to brush up after raking up the big sycamore leaves, the garden vac did it in one go ...and cleared out the gap between the fences (sucked out the bottom, blew down and sucked up bottom again). Literally took half the time it normally does.
If you have a nice open space - I suspect raking would be easiest or on grass a lawnmower with a cutting collector (I use this on my lawn) -but if you have something like I do with lots of tricky to get to spaces /different levels etc- I think really worth having ...I would definitely get a new one if it broke...

braddavis

I bought the Hitachi leaf blower from Amazon after my PoulanPro stopped working. It was the best move I made. I can't believe the power from this blower. I had to be careful because it was blowing gravel away from my picnic area. I was really impressed. It moved a heavy amount of leaves, branches & other small debris. Way to go Hitachi. I recommend this blower. You won't be sorry. Are you looking for the Best Leaf Blower? You can read more reviews at leafblowerhq.com

cyclonebri1

braddavis wrote: »

I bought the Hitachi leaf blower from Amazon after my PoulanPro stopped working. It was the best move I made. I can't believe the power from this blower. I had to be careful because it was blowing gravel away from my picnic area. I was really impressed. It moved a heavy amount of leaves, branches & other small debris. Way to go Hitachi. I recommend this blower. You won't be sorry. Are you looking for the Best Leaf Blower? You can read more reviews at leafblowerhq.com

I think he may just have got 1 by now:rotfl::rotfl:

peter_the_piper

Very possibly she may well have done but its useful to bring up as its about now people start using them.

lardlikesdogs

or Brad has a leaf blower website

QTPie

Hi

No, I don't have one yet. Moved in in March and haven't needed on yet - although just beginning to...

I did invest in a massive rake and a pair of grabbers: they work well apart from the sheer size of our garden (I have only had to do a little bit of the front so far) and we are surrounded by massive deciduous trees... So I may have my work cut out for me over the next few months.

Accordingly I haven't ruled a leaf blower out... (Front garden is maybe 100ft by 15/20ft, back garden 100ft x 60ft lawns).

Brad, will look at that website, thank you. Which Hitachi did you get?