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Old 11-01-2017, 11:27 AM
 
Location: NJ
31,771 posts, read 40,488,258 times
Reputation: 24590

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so i got a quote for a "fall clean up" at $850+ tax. that seems very expensive to me if i am doing this type of thing a couple of times a year at 900 or so a pop. so i was thinking i could get me a riding mower of some sort that will handle the leaves. would i be able to mulch them as opposed to get rid of them? my neighbor said you just end up with billions of little leaves but i have seen videos on youtube where the lawn looks pretty clean afterwards.

what is my solution? i dont mind putting in some time but i dont really want to be raking or even blowing for hours and hours.
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Old 11-01-2017, 11:34 AM
 
3,211 posts, read 2,948,114 times
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I can't imagine not using leaves for mulch and compost. I don't bother to mow the leaves, I just pile them up behind outbuildings until they turn into beautiful soil, or I layer them on top of weedy areas to control the weeds.

But I live in the country. I suppose in city areas, this kind of natural gardening is frowned upon.
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Old 11-01-2017, 11:36 AM
 
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I have a mulching mower, IMO they're great: lawn mowed, no raking or bagging, looks good, fertilizes as the clippings fall into the yard.
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Old 11-01-2017, 11:40 AM
 
9,299 posts, read 16,587,356 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainNJ View Post
so i got a quote for a "fall clean up" at $850+ tax. that seems very expensive to me if i am doing this type of thing a couple of times a year at 900 or so a pop. so i was thinking i could get me a riding mower of some sort that will handle the leaves. would i be able to mulch them as opposed to get rid of them? my neighbor said you just end up with billions of little leaves but i have seen videos on youtube where the lawn looks pretty clean afterwards.

what is my solution? i dont mind putting in some time but i dont really want to be raking or even blowing for hours and hours.
I have a vacuum (28 bushels) that attaches to my small tractor/mower. I have 3+ acres and picks up leaves and mulches them; it doesn't leave little leaves behind unless vacuum is full. There are smaller versions available. Neighbors tease me about having no leaves on the grass.
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Old 11-01-2017, 11:54 AM
 
Location: NJ
31,771 posts, read 40,488,258 times
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im thinking of buying a riding mower with a mulching attachment if that works.

something like this?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cub-Cade...LT42/205617431
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Old 11-01-2017, 11:55 AM
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
1,387 posts, read 1,061,912 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldgardener View Post
But I live in the country. I suppose in city areas, this kind of natural gardening is frowned upon.
Not frowned upon, but on a smaller urban lot, it's more economical to have a service come in and collect and mulch the leaves for use in their own landscaping ventures. They come in with their blowers and move all the leaves to the curb where their giant noisy vacuum simply sucks them all up. Down the street they go, leaving my little yard without a leaf to be found.
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Old 11-01-2017, 12:17 PM
 
9,299 posts, read 16,587,356 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainNJ View Post
im thinking of buying a riding mower with a mulching attachment if that works.

something like this?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Cub-Cade...LT42/205617431
Yes I have a similar Sears tractor but I have a lot of leaves!

https://www.google.com/search?q=sear...K4zZ3nGTe0W4M:
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Old 11-01-2017, 12:31 PM
 
3,211 posts, read 2,948,114 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 17thAndK View Post
leaving my little yard without a leaf to be found.
That sounds sad to me. My garden wouldn't be a garden with that amazing leaf mold soil.

But I understand what you're saying.
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Old 11-01-2017, 12:54 PM
 
Location: Fairfax County, VA
1,387 posts, read 1,061,912 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldgardener View Post
That sounds sad to me. My garden wouldn't be a garden with that amazing leaf mold soil. But I understand what you're saying.
Urban yards are often too small to support a compost pile. A patch of grass and a few shrubs and flowers often speak for the entire lot. Autumn leaves however are not in short supply. Neither in the Spring is there a shortage of places to go to pick up free leaf mulch if you would like it. The yard service is the engine that closes that circle.
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Old 11-01-2017, 01:18 PM
 
2,668 posts, read 4,465,415 times
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I've updated my mower with a set of gator hi-lift blades and added the steel guard under the deck that keep the leaves cycling underneath instead of being pushed out the front from air movement. Then the discharge just shoots the leftovers that don't fall into the grass as tiny bits to the side. I mow once a week right till almost December once the leaves are all gone. I mow from the house out in a loop around the property and push all the leaves to the tree line. Keeps the grass clean and looking good as well.

For the garden I just let the fallen leaves rest where they may and do a quick tilling to turn them into the soil for decomposition in the off season.
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