Needless to say, a good looking lawn has to be clean. If you have a very small lawn, it is easy to keep it clean. But even a small lawn can require a fair bit of effort if you have plenty of trees. Especially in autumn, twigs and leaves have a habit of turning your lawn into a mess. The old solution has been to use a rake. It still works but takes time and effort. Fortunately, you have a couple of tools that can help you clean your lawn.
The lawn sweeper is a simple device that has brushes which pick up leaves and debris from the lawn. The lawn sweeper has no engine, the brushes are powered by the wheels. When the lawn sweeper is moving, the brushes are automatically turning. There are two main types of lawn sweepers, push lawn sweepers and tow lawn sweepers. The push lawn sweeper is similar to an old-fashioned push reel mower, you push it across the lawn and it picks up whatever comes in its way. The tow lawn sweeper is larger and is attached to a lawn tractor. All lawn sweepers have a bag, often called catcher, into which the leaves and debris are put.
Lawn sweepers work very well, as long as you have adjusted the height of the brushes. Also, lawn sweepers need an even lawn otherwise they will have trouble picking up leaves and debris. Despite being simple devices, not all lawn sweepers are created equal. Good models are sturdy and have a high-quality catcher. One common problem with many of the cheaper models is the bag which often gets damaged.
A garden blower or leaf vacuum is another way of keeping your lawn clean. Often you only need one device, a combined blower and vacuum. Some models even include a mulch function. For home owners, a handheld blower/vacuum is generally good enough. You have three different types of blowers/vacuums, gas-powered, electric and cordless models. The gas-powered models are the most powerful but also the nosiest. In some places, they are banned due to the noise pollution. Electric blowers/vacuums are less powerful but also quieter. If you have a small lawn a corded model is a good solution but you are restricted by the length of your power cord. Thanks to improved batteries, you can get a reasonably powerful cordless unit which, of course, are not restricted by a cord.
Combined blowers and vacuums are very popular, they are easy to use and are relatively cheap. Apart from being noisy, they don’t have many significant shortcomings. Of course, they are not very efficient if it is windy. If you have a large lawn, you may prefer a lightweight model. Note that combined blowers/vacuums are generally less powerful than a dedicated blower or vacuum.
It is still a good idea to have a rake. You will probably have some difficult spots which can’t be cleaned by a lawn sweeper or blower/vacuum.