by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: January 01, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2011

Autumn is a splendid time of year. The golds and the colors of Autumn remind of of a time of renewal, and get us all kicking those leaves with a joy inside that cannot be diminished by the coming of Winter. Somehow leaves are all part and parcel of the cycle of natural life, though do cause a problem which needs to be addressed in every garden adorned by trees. This article is written to give some tips on raking up all those leaves, and getting the garden cleaned up and ready for Winter.

Where to start.

It looks overwhelming when you see loads of leaves. The best time to rake up leaves is on a sunny Autumn day. The leaves are less damp and easier to move. Choose a day when you know you can devote sufficient time to raking them all up, and remember, if you have not already started picking up those leaves, there may be layers of leaves to cope with.

Start by seeing the depth of the leaves to rake up. If there are loads, rake the first layer into a nice pile. These can be disposed of first, since what this does is allow the air to dry the next layer. Start with bushes. Shake the tops of bushes to remove the residue of leaves from the tops, and put them down to ground level. Then rake the borders towards solid ground like a lawn or pathway.

Finally rake these up into a huge bag to either be placed in the compost, or taken away.

Which types of rake.

The flat gardening rake works well to remove the top layer in borders, though doesn't work well on grass. Get a leaf rake for the grass and pathways, since this does minimal damage to the lawn or path beneath the leaves and helps to aerate the ground beneath.

Using a leaf blower.

If you are fortunate enough to own a leaf blower, these are wonderful gadgets, and all the leaves can be blown across the lawn, off the tops of bushes, and away from the pathways, in the same direction, making neat piles. You can then rake these up using a leaf rake. The advantage of using a leaf rake is that you have a bigger surface against which to hold the leaves as you sack them up.

Finalizing the leaf raking process.

When your garden has been raked over and the leaves removed, give the garden one more raking, to help clear the debris left from the leaves. Often there will be little branches, nuts or berries, which find their way into the garden, and this final raking will give the garden the care it needs, so that the new growth in the Spring is not impeded by debris.

Kick the leaves and wonder at the joys of Autumn, and remember the task is not as overwhelming as it seems. Get the children to join in and help to build piles of leaves, as among those leaves they sweep up, they may just find skeleton leaves or wonderfully colored treasures to use for their craft projects. Autumn truly is a time of reflection, a time of renewal and one which presents opportunities for those who search amid the golds and yellows for that extra special surprise from nature.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.