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My leaf harvester
- Thread starter mla2ofus
- Start date
That looks pretty neat. I've seen commercial versions of leaf-picker-uppers. Me? I'm too lazy for that. I just mulch them where they lie and blow them back into the grass.
When I had my big garden, I used to till it with a Troybilt Horse. That didn't last long. Those advertisements that you used to see with a 90# lady tilling a garden with a Troybilt, controlling it with one hand ... that's a lie. In my yard using that Troybilt was hard, hard work. I gave up after a couple of years using it and got a PTO tiller for the back of the 24hp Kubota. Now that is how to turn over dirt.
When I had my big garden, I used to till it with a Troybilt Horse. That didn't last long. Those advertisements that you used to see with a 90# lady tilling a garden with a Troybilt, controlling it with one hand ... that's a lie. In my yard using that Troybilt was hard, hard work. I gave up after a couple of years using it and got a PTO tiller for the back of the 24hp Kubota. Now that is how to turn over dirt.
Running it with one hand is true but they didn't show her turning it around. You have to lift up on the inside handle to partially lift the inside tire to make the 180* turn. If the ground is packed hard you have to go at it gradually with depth control adjustments to achieve full depth. Usually takes me 2-3 passes to acheive full depth on account of where we've walked repeatedly harvesting veggies. Our garden is small enough( about 25'x30') I can't justify the cost of a tractor and tiller.
That is true and that is why I quit using it. I had a big garden and used to till in one direction and make a second pass at 90°. I sometimes even made a third pass if the ground was really compacted. I used to console myself with the thought that I could be doing this with a shovel ... Nah!
I mulch mine as well using the bagger mower. But then I have a 20 minute lawn to mow.
A big lawn with a riding mower really needs a leaf vacuum. Assuming one want's the "clean" look.
Mulched leaves go into my compost system or on top of flower beds and covered with fresh bark mulch.
A big lawn with a riding mower really needs a leaf vacuum. Assuming one want's the "clean" look.
Mulched leaves go into my compost system or on top of flower beds and covered with fresh bark mulch.
I had a bagger similar to mla2's on the back of a garden tractor. Between the hills (where it always wanted to tip over) and the volume (a couple acres of lawn, covered mainly by oak & maple leaves), it was a cumbersome project.
About 18 years ago, I got rid of the garden tractor and started running a ZTR.
Using the ZTR for leaves, I mow and blow the leaves inward (where they're going to get run over in the next path). I do this until I have some nice windrows but all the leaves are still whole. I then back the ZTR through those rows. It pulverizes them into darn near dust.
About 18 years ago, I got rid of the garden tractor and started running a ZTR.
Using the ZTR for leaves, I mow and blow the leaves inward (where they're going to get run over in the next path). I do this until I have some nice windrows but all the leaves are still whole. I then back the ZTR through those rows. It pulverizes them into darn near dust.
chowderman
Well-known member
pulverize . . . that's my approach with a JD - use the mower first as a gigantic leaf blower -
it has the typical two bags system - picked up a set of worn out bags from somebody's trash, cut off the bottoms.
when I run over the leaves the resistance chops them, blows them up the chute, they fall out of the bottomless bag in a neat row.
2-3 mulching trips, the volume is reduced to the point I can pick them up with the normal bags - without having to empty the bags every circuit....
they get tedded out in the veg garden and get tilled in come spring.
it has the typical two bags system - picked up a set of worn out bags from somebody's trash, cut off the bottoms.
when I run over the leaves the resistance chops them, blows them up the chute, they fall out of the bottomless bag in a neat row.
2-3 mulching trips, the volume is reduced to the point I can pick them up with the normal bags - without having to empty the bags every circuit....
they get tedded out in the veg garden and get tilled in come spring.