Every Autumn I used to find myself fighting the battle of man versus tree.
My Saturday mornings (and most of the afternoon!) used to be spent raking leaves from my driveway, lawn and garden paths, wishing I could be somewhere else enjoying my weekend.
Then I discovered a leaf blower and the rest as they say was history!
If you, like me, need to move a lot of leaves from your garden, a big rake or a large bunch of motivated and willing helpers will come in handy. However, both of these are difficult to come by. A leaf blower is the best solution for eradicating those leaves and requires very little time and effort on your behalf, enabling you plenty more time on the weekend to enjoy those sacred hours outside of work.
What is a Leaf Blower?
A leaf blower is simply a high speed fan surrounded by a cover. A tube which is connected to the fan allows you to focus the air current generated from the fan into whichever direction you want your leaves to move.
Some blowers also come with an attached vacuum and bag for collecting leaves. This type of blower is ideal for removing leaves from your borders or when they are intertwined with your shrubs.
You can also purchase a blower and vacuum with a mulching facility so your leaves can be used as compost.
Before you purchase your leaf blower ask yourself a few essential questions:
- How big is the area the blower will need to cover?
- How much power can you handle and over how long?
- What is my budget?
- How much noise will my family/neighbours put up with on a Sunday morning?
Types of Leaf Blower
Handheld Leaf Blower
This is currently the most popular leaf blower on the market as this type is lightweight, portable and powerful. However do note that you may find this tool does become quite heavy when operating it for long period of time.This is the cheapest option, and can be powered by either gas or electricity.
Back Pack Leaf Blower
This comes with a harness so you can carry the blower on your back and it has an elongated hose which you hold and control the direction of the blown leaves. Back pack blowers are gas powered. This item may be more suitable for you if you have a large area to cover.
Walk Behind Leaf Blowers
This is suitable for those with really large gardens. This gas powered tool is on wheels and is commonly used by commercial gardeners. Walk Behind blowers are the most expensive option and will need to be housed somewhere so check you have plenty of room in your garage beforehand!
One of the main factors to consider when purchasing your leaf blower is the energy source it uses. Here are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Electric Leaf Blowers
Electric blowers are slightly less powerful but are lighter, quieter and vibrate less than gas blowers, meaning that if you tire easily this may be a better option for you. Also if you are only looking to clear a small area of leaves an electric blower will be suitable for you. You can purchase either a corded blower or a cordless one with a rechargeable battery. The corded option obviously comes with an endless supply of energy but your mobility will be restricted to the length of the cord. Whilst the blowers running on rechargeable batteries may be able to move freely around your garden, they have been found to be weaker in power than other types of blower.
Gas Leaf Blowers
Both mobility and power is greatly increased with this type of leaf blower meaning that you an cover a larger area in quicker time which is a real bonus if you have a larger garden. Do note that with more power comes a lot of noise and these machines are a lot heavier.
Once you have considered your options and purchased the blower that is right for you, you’ll never find yourself reaching for your old rake again!!
Good luck and happy gardening!
Jack
