For those who have a garden and lawn, the best way to keep both healthy is to make sure you take care of all those Fall leaves by raking them up.
While some use the leaf blower method, it never did make much sense to me to blow leaves into the street (or elsewhere) instead of raking them up.
Also, using a blower isn’t environmentally friendly. So, if like me you prefer to try and do your yard clean-up in as green a fashion as possible, then I see a rake in your future.
Here are some tips that will make raking leaves much easier for you this year…
- If you don’t already have one, buy a sturdy rake with wide tines that will bend a little bit. This will make it easier for you to get more leaves per sweep.
- If you routinely have pain in your shoulders or your back, consider using an ergonomic rake. Such rakes are clog-free and have bent handles — helping to take the pressure off your back and shoulders.
- To prevent backaches from using muscles that you don’t normally use, don’t stand in one place when you rake. Instead, move your feet and legs as you bend and twist to do the raking. This will help prevent injuries and discomfort down the road.
- When sweeping with your rake, sweep in smaller motions rather than larger ones. You will get more leaves per sweep that way — not to mention a better workout for your muscles.
- Keep the wind direction in mind and start raking downwind. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself raking up the same leaves again later. (That is, of course, unless you want the extra cardio exercise!)
- Wear long pants, gloves and layers when raking. This will help to protect you in the event there are snakes or insects in between the leaves. It will also keep you warm while it’s cooler and enable you to shed layers as it warms up outside while you’re raking.
- Wait until after peak foliage time to rake your Fall leaves. It may seem like it’s better to rake them up right away when they first begin falling, but you will find yourself raking the yard more often if you do that.
Those are just a few tips to get you started with your Fall leaf raking. Even if you only follow a few of them, the task will be much more enjoyable and safer for you and those who are helping you rake leaves.
