{"id":6636,"date":"2020-10-22T08:52:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-22T13:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/?p=6636"},"modified":"2020-10-22T08:52:04","modified_gmt":"2020-10-22T13:52:04","slug":"tips-and-tools-for-cleaning-up-fall-leaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/2020\/10\/22\/tips-and-tools-for-cleaning-up-fall-leaves\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips and tools for cleaning up fall leaves"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This time of year, trees put on quite a spectacular show. Their leaves colored in yellow, orange, and red create impressive scenery. Unfortunately, as the season progresses, the once beautiful leaves turn your lawn into a mess. Whether you\u2019re a veteran homeowner or you\u2019ve just bought your first home, cleaning up leaves is a cumbersome task. Having the proper plan and tools can make it easier.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here are some tips to help with your leaf cleanup project.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Understand your disposal options.<\/strong>\u00a0Before you start working, think about how you\u2019re going to dispose of your leaves. Some cities allow you to rake leaves into the street for pickup. If this is the case in your city, make sure you don\u2019t cover storm drains or block fire hydrants.<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, you may have a local collection center that\u2019ll allow you to drop off yard waste. If this is the case for you, your city may require proof of residency before you can drive in and begin dumping. In West Bend, you must have a sticker to gain access. For us, it\u2019s the best $25 ever spent.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re an avid gardener, using leaves as compost is a great solution. This can provide your garden with rich nutrients for next year\u2019s growing season.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, never just leave them on your lawn. Piles of leaves can kill or damage your grass. Leaves can block sunlight and reduce water evaporation. This results in fungus, mold, and disease.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Select the best tools for the job.<\/strong>\u00a0Having the proper tools can make cleanup easier and safe. Here some different tools you can use depending on the size of your property and the amount of leaves.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Common leaf rake.<\/strong>\u00a0Usually made of plastic with a wood handle, this rake can be used for raking leaves into a pile or onto a plastic tarp. If you\u2019d like to spend a bit more money, you can buy an ergonomic rake which may be easier on your body. Don\u2019t forget to wear gloves to prevent blisters.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pickup rake.<\/strong>\u00a0This is a small rake that can be used to pick up leaves or other debris.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leaf claws or scoops.<\/strong>\u00a0They attach to your hands and help you pick up leaves with ease. They remind me of the Incredible Hulk\u2019s hands. If you buy some of these, your kids may enjoy helping.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leaf tarp.<\/strong>\u00a0Using a tarp is a great way to collect large amounts of leaves. Once they\u2019re on the tarp, you\u2019ll be able to move them easily around your yard.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blower.<\/strong>\u00a0As a homeowner, I use my blower all the time. Whether its removing debris from my garage, blowing leaves, or clearing a light dusting of snow, it works well. While you still may need to use a rake to create a pile, a blower can move them easily and quickly. Please note, if it\u2019s a very windy day, a blower won\u2019t work well and may lead to frustration. Wait for the wind to calm down.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mulching lawn mower.<\/strong>\u00a0If you have a light collection of leaves each year, a mulching lawn mower will work great. You can even bag the leaves if you\u2019d like.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leaf vacuum.<\/strong>\u00a0If you live in a heavily wooded area, and have a riding lawn mower, you can try this. A leaf vacuum hooks up to your rider. As you drive over the leaves, the vacuum sucks them up, grinds them, and sends them into a pull-behind container.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lawn sweeper.<\/strong>\u00a0This is like a leaf vacuum as it hooks up to your riding lawn mower. However, the difference is it uses a sweeping motion to pull the leaves into the cart. It doesn\u2019t grind them up.<\/li>\n<li>Walk-behind power vacuum.\u00a0Instead of vacuuming your carpet, you\u2019ll be able to vacuum your yard. This tool sucks up leaves and shreds them before sending them into the collection bag. This is a great investment if your yard is too big to rake, but not large enough for a riding lawn mower.\n<p><strong>3. Ask for assistance.<\/strong>\u00a0If you have family members or neighbors, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help. Not only will you get the job done faster, but it can also help prevent injury.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Watch the weather.<\/strong>\u00a0If it\u2019s going to be a warm day, make sure you drink plenty of water. If it\u2019s a windy day, the wind may do the work for you. Always watch the weather to make sure you wear the appropriate gear.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This time of year, trees put on quite a spectacular show. Their leaves colored in yellow, orange, and red create impressive scenery. Unfortunately, as the season progresses, the once beautiful leaves turn your lawn into a mess. Whether you\u2019re a veteran homeowner or you\u2019ve just bought your first home, cleaning up leaves is a cumbersome [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6636\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}