What Is a Lawn Sweeper?
- A lawn sweeper can pick up leaves and yard waste and deposit it into a self-contained collection bin in one step, saving you the time and undue physical effort you might otherwise spend on caring for your property. A tow-behind sweeper is especially effective on a large lawn, where deciduous trees cover the grass with autumn leaves, as big swaths of debris can be removed in minimal time. Leaves and other windfall materials seldom drop all at once. A lawn sweeper makes successive touch-ups quick and easy.
- You will need a rake to capture fence-line leaves and debris.Fence image by renier swart from Fotolia.com
Lawn sweepers have difficulty performing in tight areas and do not work well under and around trees, bushes and outbuildings. If your yard is fenced, you will still need a rake to clear the leaves that have blown along the fence line. The collection hopper on your sweeper needs to be emptied frequently to ensure optimal operation of the sweeping mechanism. The lawn sweeper works best with freshly fallen leaves and has trouble picking up dried leaves and small pieces of debris. - Lawn sweepers are worth purchasing if you live in an area that experiences considerable leaf fall every year. A relatively flat yard with few obstructions is an ideal place for the effective use of a sweeper. A yard sweeper will pick up leaves and debris anywhere a lawn mower will cut grass. The type of sweeper you choose will depend upon the size of your lawn and the extent of leaf fall in your area. Powered models are nice to have but not always needed.
- Swept leaves provide a source of compost or mulch for your spring bedding plants.garden image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits of a cleared, neatly kept lawn, clearing leaves offer other advantages as well. Leaves left to decompose on a lawn can choke the grass beneath causing unsightly bald patches that may have to be top dressed and seeded the next spring. Decaying leaves on driveways and sidewalks can become a slippery safety hazard when wet. Leaves collected by your sweeper or by hand may be placed on a garden compost pile or used as mulch to enhance spring and summer flowers and garden vegetables.
