Leaf vacuum cleaner

[maltaron]

As my wife and I are getting on in years we are covering the flower beds with weed prevention fabric and gravel, with roses growing thro' the fabric and flowers in large pots. However, there are also trees around and consequently leaves in the autumn. Having never used a leaf blower/sucker I would be interested to know if one could suck off the leaves without sucking the gravel as well. The gravel is 20mm.

TIA

 

[Burnerman]

Only my opinion Ron but very wet leaves stick like hell to flat ground.....any vac powerful enough to shift them would scoop up the odd bit of gravel.
Personally I use a blower to shift the leaves onto the grass, then deal with them from there.
The bag on a vac also gets very heavy with wet leaves, and also sprays your legs with moisture....not the best!
Why not hire a blower/vac before you buy? Stihl and Husqvarna are powerful without being too noisy - easy to start, too.
John

 

[maltaron]

Thanks for your reply. I am not planning on wet leaves but like your idea of blowing them off and then sucking up. The idea of hiring first is good also.

 

[stealthwolf]

How large a garden is it?

I bought the Bosch one ALS30 I think. Two separate nozzles for suck'n'blow. A pain in the proverbial to switch between the two, and it gets a bit tiresome after thirty minutes. If I had to buy again, I'd get one with wheels.

 

[foxhole]

Have both the Bosch and flymo which my wife finds much easier to use than the Bosch.
Lifts off leaves from all kinds of surface from small stones to rocks.

 

[Burnerman]

I have a Billy Goat (seriously....) 8hp, lifts anything, prices start at around £600.
John

 

[HawkEye244]

Yes call the swat team out god forbid anyone has to see an unsightly leaf in its natural environment.

 

[conny]

Yes call the swat team out god forbid anyone has to see an unsightly leaf in its natural environment.

Leaves on a lawn can kill the grass and/or harbour diseases. Especially annoying if they are not trees in your garden to begin with. Contrary to what you think most gardeners love to see nature in it's 'natural' state but there are times when tidiness is more beneficial.

 

[HawkEye244]

Leaves on a lawn can kill the grass and/or harbour diseases. Especially annoying if they are not trees in your garden to begin with. Contrary to what you think most gardeners love to see nature in it's 'natural' state but there are times when tidiness is more beneficial.

Never heard such rubbish in all my life

 

[chalkywhite]

Have both the Bosch and flymo which my wife finds much easier to use than the Bosch.
Lifts off leaves from all kinds of surface from small stones to rocks.

Which model Flymo please foxhole?

 

[foxhole]

Which model Flymo please foxhole?

Have one of these https://www.lawnmowersdirect.co.uk/...yyjthmBRvViLDZod0wyrcIVdXBGZaTkxoCT78QAvD_BwE
Got mine secondhand for £20.
Can switch from blowing to vacuum with one lever, unlike the Bosch which requires changing the nozzle and take a few minutes.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I have a Billy Goat (seriously....) 8hp, lifts anything

John, how big is your garden???

Andy

 

[Burnerman]

I guess its about 1/3 acre, Andy....hardly enough to justify such a machine, but it does go on hire in the Autumn which just about helps to recover its costs.
I bought it as a knacker a couple of years ago, not realising how big it is!
John