Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So this is my first winter in a new house and I have been quite meticulous every weekend in raking my leaves. I have one huge oak in the neighbor's yard that dropped a ton of leaves in my yard and of course I diligently raked them up. My maples in the backyard are almost done dropping leaves so hopefully that will be over soon. However, three of my neighbors (in a row)which front my front yard refuse to rake theirs and now their leaves are blowing all over my yard! Am I going to have to endure this until all the leaves in their yard blow away (or in my yard). I raked last week two days about 6-7 hours total. Anyone else feel my pain?
Our neighbors across the street from us used to have a large strip of woods along the road in the front of their house, and every fall their leaves would blow straight to our yard. Then new neighbors moved in, and cut down every last tree. Now I have to stare at their house every time I look out the window. I'd much prefer the trees! Unless you ask your neighbors to rake their leaves (which they probably wouldn't appreciate), you will likely have to endure the leaves. It might be easier to just get a leaf blower and ask them if you can blow their leaves; I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Then you could just get rid of all the leaves at once.
One house is for rent (vacant), the other is rental occupied and the other, well they just don't care. They have little to no grass and huge trees in their yard. I don't know about asking to blow thier leaves. I'm a newbie in the neighborhood. Plus, where would I blow them.. in the street?
Last edited by citydweller; 12-10-2008 at 10:52 AM..
Reason: add
I love the mature trees and actually that is one reason I chose the neighborhood. I guess I didn't realize all the work in raking but oh well, in the end it's worth it.
I have similar issues with leaf drop but just tackle it as a regular fall chore. Once a week of so I use a blower to get the majority to an area where I can use the lawnmower to mulch and bag them. From the hours you are spending it does sound like you either have a huge property and/or need an improvement in methodology.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
1,501 posts, read 11,751,055 times
Reputation: 1135
Quote:
Originally Posted by citydweller
I love the mature trees and actually that is one reason I chose the neighborhood. I guess I didn't realize all the work in raking but oh well, in the end it's worth it.
We chose our neighborhood for a similar reason. Last year (our first fall in the house), my husband spend many hours on many weekends raking and bagging. I tried making suggestions (I grew up on lots with a lot of trees), but he shrugged me off and so I didn't help This year, I ran them over with the riding lawnmower a few times, mowing concentric circles so they bunched. The first two times, leavefall was light enough I could then run this pile over 3 or 4 times and they were mulched and left as compost. For the final pickup (after a rain/windstorm that knocked down most of the oak leaves at once), I repeated this process and then we raked the piles onto a tarp to carry to the back yard. 3/4 acre, 5 large oak trees, two maples, a ginko, a gum, and something from the neighbor that had HUGE leaves, and we only spent 2 hours.
Even if you don't have 3/4 acre, the key is the tarp. Rake/blow them into piles, then put them on the tarp and cart them to the corner of the yard for composting.
oh boy, this is making me worry about the "mature landscaping" in the house we're looking at! haha!
do you have a good, fast blower? that would help.
Raking is Zen.
I hate the whine of the blowers, but love the scrape scrape of the rake.
Plus, I've taken a vow to avoid laziness. I've been blessed with a strong body and good health and I intend to use those gifts as long as I am able.
Our neighbors feel sorry for us and try to lend us their leaf-blowers, but we just laugh and tell them we are getting our "upper body" work out for the day.
I agree that the tarp is the key for moving large piles of leaves. Works really well.
Location: Nothing could be finer... I'm in S. Carolina!!
1,294 posts, read 6,485,556 times
Reputation: 421
wow that's great advice. we cut our grass in circles too (when i lived at home w/ lots of trees), but the tarp and all is great. i just usually shoveled what was left to our compost.
ummm, so what did your husband say after you went, wah lah after 2 hours? haha
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Am I going to have to endure this until all the leaves in their yard blow away (or in my yard). I raked last week two days about 6-7 hours total. Anyone else feel my pain? 
