The autumn leaves, much praised by poets and songwriters, are one of the most beautiful sights in the countryside and one of the most annoying for gardeners.
Leaves left laying on lawns will prevent moisture and nutrients reaching the roots and will kill off new growth.
Clearing them up with a tined rake is really hard work and left many a gartdener years ago complaining of back ache.
But the job is far easier to day thanks to modern machine so here are ten top ideas for leaf clearing this autumn.
Don’t be tempted to leave the job until all the leaves are off the trees as the job will be far harder.
The first suggestion is the Greenworks 24v Cordless Two-Speed Leaf-Blower (2400007-A), light and easy to use with a lithium-ion battery which gives 25 minutes continuous use.
It also has the advantage that the battery will not discharge when the machine is not used for a time and will give blasts of air at either 145 km/hr or 209 km/hr useful when the leaves are wet.
It is powerful enough to clear away twigs and other garden debris as well.
The machine comes with both battery and charger and the battery can also power other Greenworks other 24 Volt equipment like a hedgetrimmer or pole pruner.
It costs £99.95, has a two year maker’s warranty and is delivered free the next working day.
Next we have a cracking little device for clearing leaves and debris on large areas.
The Agri-Fab 26″ Push Lawn & Leaf Sweeper (45-0218), currently on special offer, sweeps leaves into a large catcher by way of 66 cm wide brushes which revolve four and a half times for each revolution of the wheels.
The working height can be adjusted enabling it to be used on hard surfaces and gravel as well as the lawn.
Simple but highly effective, it’s fitted with an expansive 66cm-wide brush that’s powered by the action of the wheels on the ground. The brush spins four-and-a-half times for every rotation of the wheels and can be height-adjusted for optimum performance on any given surface.
It costs £139, £40 less than the maker’s recommended retail price and has a give year maker’s warranty. Delivery the next working day is free.
Here’s another on special offer, this one from a leading German engineering company and one that has proved to be very popular in the past.
The Einhell BG-PL 26/1 Petrol Garden Vacuum / Leaf Blower currently on special offer allows you to change from blowing to vacuum mode just by flicking a switch.
So you can blow the leaves into a pile and then vac and shred them into the 55 litre collection bag.
The machine comes with a shoulder carrying strap to make life easier.
It is on special offer for £139.95, has a two year warranty and is delivered free the next working day.
Most leaf blowers have 2-stroke engines and need the fuel to be mixed before starting and are quite noisy when running.
But the MTD 4SC Leaf Blower with Low-Noise 4-Stroke Engine, now on special offer, is a professional machine which has been built to last and has fewer vibrations than other similar machines and it also uses less fuel. It produces an air speed of 241 km-hour meaning that leaf clearing can be achieved more quickly.
The 25 cc engine has been designed to start with only the lightest tug on the starter rope – the maker’s say you can start it using just one finger.
It costs £179, £60 less than the recommended retail price, is delivered free the next working day and has a one year warranty.
Now one designed for larger gardens and for those of you who have a garden tractor.
The Agri-Fab 38″ Towed Lawn & Leaf Sweeper (45-0331) has a working width of 96.5 cm and 10 in brushes to sweep leaves and debris into the 225 litre catcher. This can be emptied from the driver’s seat.
The working height can be adjusted so you can clear paths and patios and lawns as well as lawns. It has a pin hitch to attach it to the lawn tractor.
It costs £249, £80 less than the maker’s recommended retail price and is delivered free the next working day. It has an extra-long five year warranty.
You can also but a dethacher kit for clearing the thatching on lawns for £79 which fits on to the front of the sweeper.
Now one from a company increasingly the choice of the professional gardener.
The Tanaka THB-260PF Commercial-Grade Handheld Petrol Blower-Vac has a terrific blast of air produced by a 25 cc engine.
Additionally the blower comes with a free vacuum attachment to make leaf and debris clearance easier.
It is really comfortable to use weighing only 4.1 kg and has cruise control and a soft grip.
It costs £268, £100 off the maker’s recommended retail price – the vacuum kit is worth £69.
It has a five year domestic warranty, two years for commercial use. We deliver it free the next working day.
Now one for larger areas which is really easy to use.
The Al-Ko 75BA Hurricane Wheeled Vacuum has a powerful 140 cc 4-stroke engine easy to start and with the air turbine housing and vacuum nozzle made from powder-coated steel plate.
The collection bag can hold 200 litres and is easily emptied with a zip at the back. Plus there are four working heights which can be adjusted according to the surface you are clearing.
The working width id 75 cm and there is an optional hose kit for £120 for clearing out the nooks and crannies.
It costs £429, is delivered free the next working day and has a two year warranty.
Now we’re getting into some very powerful machines from an American manufacturer.
The Billy Goat LB352 ‘Little Billy’ Lawn Vacuum, currently on special offer, will collect leaves twigs and all manner of rubbish from lawns and patios.
It is powered by a Briggs & Stratton engine and has a working width of 51 cm and is made for an area of around half an acre in mind.
There are eight working heights set by using a lever and it has a clearance rate of 126 cubic metres an hour thanks to a 105 litre collection bag.
It can work on any manner of surfaces and will even clean drives withnout picking up gravel.
As a useful extra you can buy a hose kit which lets you clean leaves from borders and under garden furniture.
Large front and rear wheels make it easy to navigate and weighing only 27.2 kg it is very easy to use.
The makers recommended price is £569.99 but we are selling it for £539 including next working day delivery. It has a one year manufacturer’s warranty.
Now we’re getting into some serious vacs and these next two come from a major American company with a worldwide reputation for making some high-grade commercial equipment which can also be used domestically.
Little Billy’s big brother is the Billy Goat KV600 Estate Series Lawn Vacuum, also on special offer.
Intended for use on gardens of around an acre in size, this little monster can gobble up all manner of rubbish, even cans and glass bottles.
It is powered by a Briggs & Stratton engine with a 68.5 working width and a 151 litre collection bag with industrial fasteners.
It is fitted with a five-bladed steel impellor and the height can be adjusted to suit the surface being cleared.
There is an optional hose kit available which sits on the machine and is rfeady for use at any time.
It costs £819, £50 less than the maker’s recommended price, has aone year warranty and is delivered free the next working day.
And finally one from Mountfield, one of Britain’s favourite manufacturers of garden machinery.
The Mountfield Wheeled Pro Vac with Six-Speed Drive can clear large areas very speedily with a commercial-duty Briggs & Stratton engine producing great suction so it will even collect wet, trodden down leaves and even cans and bottles.
It is designed to produce little noise and fewer vibrations and has six forward and one reverse gears and an adjustable working height.
The front castor wheels make it easy to move around and a three metre hose means you can get into all those difficult-to-reach places with ease.
Solid rubber tyres and a steel chassis give this machine great solidity and means you can work when the ground is wet.
It costs £1199, £500 less than the recommended retail price and is delivered free within two to three working days. It has a two year warranty from Mountfield.
There is a huge range of leaf collection machines and they are listed on these pages.
And remember you can always give us a ring on 020 3026 8712 if you want ourt advice.
