Oh Shred
We only have one tree to deal with as far as raking. A big old Oak that reaps us about 10 bags. Our neighbor's Maple trees contribute some but only if the wind is blowing the right way. Then ours blow in the street, so it's about even. Every Veterans Day the high school sends out different groups to rake leaves up in the neighborhood. It took us a long time to remember not to do it ourselves and wait for them. The weather held up and stayed dry and our leaves were raked in less than an hour.
We don't send ours to the dump, rather mulch them up for our compost bin. In the spring, my husband dumps the bags on the lawn and runs the lawn mower over them several times. It's a lot of work and I was trying to find something to make it easier for him. Plus it's pretty hard on a mower and dulls the blade quickly. I did a lot of research and found a nice little chipper/shredder. It will take small branches and leaves of course.
When the leaves were raked and I ordered the machine it was still dry out. Then it rained for days. When we finally had the time to get to them, the leaves were wet; even bagged and turned upside down. We only got about halfway through a bag and the leaves clogged up twice. They looked like they went straight through without even chopping so we had to send them through again. The opening on the top is only about 4 inches wide so you can't fill it with large quantities. One handful at a time, they are pushed down with a special pusher, so of course you don't chop your hand off.
I am a little disappointed that we didn't have dry leaves to work with to see its true potential. It's not a one person job like the lawnmower is, one has to load, while the other one pushes. Now we have to wait 6 months before we can get at it again. I probably won't be in the mood then.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope your day is filled with fun and food and I guess football for those that like that kind of thing :)
We don't send ours to the dump, rather mulch them up for our compost bin. In the spring, my husband dumps the bags on the lawn and runs the lawn mower over them several times. It's a lot of work and I was trying to find something to make it easier for him. Plus it's pretty hard on a mower and dulls the blade quickly. I did a lot of research and found a nice little chipper/shredder. It will take small branches and leaves of course.
When the leaves were raked and I ordered the machine it was still dry out. Then it rained for days. When we finally had the time to get to them, the leaves were wet; even bagged and turned upside down. We only got about halfway through a bag and the leaves clogged up twice. They looked like they went straight through without even chopping so we had to send them through again. The opening on the top is only about 4 inches wide so you can't fill it with large quantities. One handful at a time, they are pushed down with a special pusher, so of course you don't chop your hand off.
I am a little disappointed that we didn't have dry leaves to work with to see its true potential. It's not a one person job like the lawnmower is, one has to load, while the other one pushes. Now we have to wait 6 months before we can get at it again. I probably won't be in the mood then.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope your day is filled with fun and food and I guess football for those that like that kind of thing :)
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