Controlling leaf fall outside autumn
Controlling leaf fall outside autumn
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Discussion

SV_WDC

Original Poster:

988 posts

105 months

My garden has a massive lime tree and leaves are often falling, including in the summer. This means every few days the lawn is covered with enough leaves I feel the need to get the leaf vacuum out.

The leaves are then often blowing on to the patio too. Is there anything people can recommend to make dealing with the leaf fall manageable? Maybe I should just sweep into the flowerbeds, but that feels like a short term solution given the volume of leaves & how long they'd take to compost anyway

The tree is under a TPO and regardless is a nice feature to the garden (as are the trees in the development), I'd just like to have better management of the leaf fall that doesn't mean getting a blower / garden rake out multiple times a week!

Bill

55,969 posts

271 months

I'd just mow them.

Cow Corner

591 posts

46 months

Agreed, if it’s just one tree then mowing regularly works well as it collects and chops them up a bit so they compost quicker.


Simpo Two

89,380 posts

281 months

Spring tine rake and a compost heap?

POIDH

1,940 posts

81 months

Would a robot mower manage to shred them finely enough, or is there just too much volume of organic material that would then be too much for the lawn?

PhilboSE

5,324 posts

242 months

Lime trees are mucky things, they drop seed pods, small leaves from the flowering parts, and then the main leaf fall in autumn. In between you often get sticky honeydew dropping from aphids. They basically need tidying up after from June through November.

Electric leaf blower, plastic tined leaf rake, leaf mitts and 30 mins a week to keep it looking good.

SV_WDC

Original Poster:

988 posts

105 months

PhilboSE said:
Lime trees are mucky things, they drop seed pods, small leaves from the flowering parts, and then the main leaf fall in autumn. In between you often get sticky honeydew dropping from aphids. They basically need tidying up after from June through November.

Electric leaf blower, plastic tined leaf rake, leaf mitts and 30 mins a week to keep it looking good.
Thanks (and to other people that replied).

I've done this so far but the leaves return within a day or two. It seems like a completely clear, leaf-free lawn will be impossible to achieve unless I want to mow or rake up every day?

PhilboSE

5,324 posts

242 months

Afraid so. Turn your back and there’s more mess. You can use a blower to push it around a bit from day to day, not much more you can do.

Simpo Two

89,380 posts

281 months

SV_WDC said:
I've done this so far but the leaves return within a day or two
Do you mean they blow back from where you left them, or more leaves fall down? If so, that's nature doing what nature does smile

SV_WDC

Original Poster:

988 posts

105 months

Yesterday (00:16)
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
SV_WDC said:
I've done this so far but the leaves return within a day or two
Do you mean they blow back from where you left them, or more leaves fall down? If so, that's nature doing what nature does smile
More leaves fall down. If I'm out there doing any kind of leaf clearance or moving with a rake, I'll collect them too.

Will just live with it then. It's more annoying currently as I'm keen to get some grass seeds down and level some of the grass

OzzyR1

6,154 posts

248 months

Yesterday (02:50)
quotequote all
SV_WDC said:
Is there anything people can recommend to make dealing with the leaf fall manageable?
Get one of these, should only need to use it once a week to detach any leaves on the verge of dropping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRxBwjGvCUE

hehe