It’s that time: Gear up for leaf cleanup

Last winter might not be done with us yet, says Consumer Reports. Spring rains over melted snow, bolstered by ample sunshine, helped trees grow especially lush this summer. And like death and taxes, you can count on those leaves falling.

If you’re flirting with the idea of letting nature take its course and enjoying a carpet of leaves all autumn, don’t. Come spring you’ll have an anemic lawn, thanks to the mold buildup.

Consumer Reports offers this advice on how to manage it all – even if you use a good old-fashioned rake.

Do Your Prep Work

Set your mower’s deck height to the lowest setting for one last cutting of the season before you start doing leaf work. Whether using a rake or blower, smoothing out your lawn with shorter grass makes for less resistance, which will make the chore go much faster.

And take a tip from the pros. Watch landscapers this time of year, and you’ll often see them using tarps to move around piles of leaves. You can employ that time-saving strategy by using a 9-by-12-foot or larger polyethylene tarp. Spread it out flat and rake or blow the leaves directly onto it. A full tarp may be heavy and hard to handle. To make transport easier and to keep the tarp from spilling open, thread a rope through the grommets (you can knot the ends), or attach carabiners to them.

Consider Shredding

Use your gas mower once more – to mow leaves. The mower chops them into little bits that serve as nutrient-rich compost for your lawn. Even if you bag the leaves, you’ll fit more per bag given the smaller pieces. And you’ll use up the last bit of gas in the tank before stowing the mower for the winter.

If the leaves are piled too high or are wet, even the beefiest walk-behind mower can stall – especially if the deck height is low. If you hear the engine straining, slow down and tip back the mower to lift the blade out of the packed leaves; ease it back down slowly. You could also switch from bagging or mulching mode to side discharge. When you do put the mower away for the season, be sure to clean the deck and get the blade sharpened.

Choose Your Blower Type

The best gasoline-powered leaf blowers have the most power for loosening stuck leaves as well as rushing them along. But if you want to avoid heavy maintenance and noise, electric corded models rival gas blowers for most needs. And Consumer Reports says that cordless models now keep up with their corded cousins at sweeping piles of leaves. One drawback is their brief 13-minute run time on a charge, followed by 30 minutes to charge the lithium-ion battery. Be sure to take care of the battery as advised.

Don’t Break the Sound Barrier

Many municipalities prohibit unreasonable noise, such as a blower’s droning, during certain hours – say, between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Some areas prohibit any blower louder than 70 decibels at 50 feet, and a few limit noise to 65 decibels (about as loud as a window air conditioner on high). Even if it isn’t illegal, you should avoid running even the quietest blowers very early or late. Some gas blowers and all of the electrics in Consumer Reports’ tests met the 70-decibel limit, though only the quietest electrics came in at or below 65 decibels.

Protect your own ears by wearing hearing protection. You should also wear goggles and a dust mask. While the blower is running, keep other people and pets far away from the area you’re clearing.

Visit ConsumerReports.org to learn more.

2015 Consumers Union Inc.