How to Rake Leaves Like a Pro

Few things in nature are as beautiful as the colors of autumn.

Some people start in Maine and travel south to see nature unfold its changing colors one state at a time. And then there’s the rest of us – the people who can’t take that much time off and instead, stay home to clean up after Mother Nature has laid its trees bare.

That’s right, we’re talking about raking leaves, a much-hated but still necessary task. And while we can’t make the leaves bag themselves, but we can help ease the burden with these practical tips:

Don’t rush Mother Nature. Who says raking a few leaves at a time is the lesser of two evils? If you have the patience, wait until one or more trees have completely shed before touching rake to lawn. If the tree is huge, make life even easier with a leaf blower.

Suit up for the job. Wear heavy-duty gloves to prevent blisters from forming.

The right rake makes all the difference. Opt for a no-clog rake that has a tine spread of about 30 inches to cover more area and prevent the tines from piercing the leaves, thus creating blockages.

Go with the wind. Rake in the same direction of a gentle breeze to help move dry leaves along faster. If it’s a gusty day, you might want to put raking off for another day.

Start with a grid pattern. Divide your lawn into quadrants, then rake all the leaves in each square into rows to save time and energy. Bag piles right away to prevent a brisk autumn breeze from undoing all your hard work.

Multi-task your chore. If you don’t have a ton of leaves on your property and your lawn still needs cutting, use the mulching setting on your lawn mower to cut your grass while chopping the leaves into small flakes which, in turn, adds nutrients to your lawn.

Watch the weather. If rain – or snow – is in the forecast, tackle the job before it comes. Wet, soggy leaves tend to clump together and clog rakes, making them harder to move.

When the work is done, treat yourself to a nice hot bath or shower. Your muscles will thank you. Of course, if that’s not possible because your water heater storage tank needs more time refill itself, then you have all the reason you need to contact Your 1 Plumber. We can fix whatever is depriving you of the hot water you need, when you need it.