Powerful leaf blowing solution?

As we're entering autumn I'm having a problem at work of leaves making a mess outside, making it look unkempt and it's only going to get worse. We pay for gardeners to maintain the land but with a car park with about 150 spaces and trees surrounding the whole property there are a lot of leaves coming down and fortnightly clearances by the gardeners is not doing a good enough job. I was thinking of getting a cordless leaf blower/vacuum and doing it myself but struggling to find one. I imagine a cheap one that is aimed for homes wouldn't last very long.

Not sure if an electric battery operated one would do the job or if I'd need to go for a petrol one. The more powerful battery and petrol operated models generally seem to be blowers and not vacuums, so would it be better to blow a pile and then brush it up? I can see small models with a vacuum and mulcher but nothing for larger models.

I'm not a keen gardener and this is completely outside my normal field of expertise. Does anyone have any advice on this kind of thing?

It would have to be cordless, happy with the idea of either battery or petrol, would want it to last but be reasonably priced, work, be able to cover a large surface area and be lightweight.

Hmmm from your description it sounds like you should get in touch with your foreign minister :o

battery or petrol is going to depend on how often you plan to use it. battery blowers are generally weaker with shorter stamina. But if you're blowing every other day or something you won't have a whole lot to worry about. if you plan to do it in the off weeks from the gardeners you're going to want a gas powered one since you're be out there in fewer but longer sessions.

I use a corded amazon model I bought a few years ago. no complaints here. even in the new house and its fancy yard and trees with wax like leaves.

The grounds staff at work use petrol powered leaf blowers, worn on the back. They blow the leaves into big piles and pick them up in a little electric utility vehicle. Our site is much bigger than what you have to clear, but I don't have any other relevant observations (and Aimless has already made the joke I intended to use).

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Originally Posted by RandBlade

As we're entering autumn I'm having a problem at work of leaves making a mess outside, making it look unkempt and it's only going to get worse. We pay for gardeners to maintain the land but with a car park with about 150 spaces and trees surrounding the whole property there are a lot of leaves coming down and fortnightly clearances by the gardeners is not doing a good enough job. I was thinking of getting a cordless leaf blower/vacuum and doing it myself but struggling to find one. I imagine a cheap one that is aimed for homes wouldn't last very long.

Not sure if an electric battery operated one would do the job or if I'd need to go for a petrol one. The more powerful battery and petrol operated models generally seem to be blowers and not vacuums, so would it be better to blow a pile and then brush it up? I can see small models with a vacuum and mulcher but nothing for larger models.

I'm not a keen gardener and this is completely outside my normal field of expertise. Does anyone have any advice on this kind of thing?

It would have to be cordless, happy with the idea of either battery or petrol, would want it to last but be reasonably priced, work, be able to cover a large surface area and be lightweight.

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Your best bet is a simple rake, and knowing the seasons. Once all the leaves begin to fall, rake them to the curb (assuming you have curb service). You don't need a gardener to do that for you. If you don't want to rake, but blow leaves, any "power" machine can do the job, at any time. If you're looking for efficiency, I'd say wait until the last minute, and deal with your leaves in one final move before winter arrives.

I have a lot of deciduous trees on my property, and many leaves find their way onto my neighbors' property. I also have the benefit of my neighbor's deciduous trees. We don't spend too much time debating whose leaves are whose. The main reason we want to move leaves is because we want to keep street storm drains open.

If you want to use a leaf blower also use breathing protection. Because I don't think that breathing in mold, fungi, dust and other assorted nasties is a good idea.

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Originally Posted by GGT

Your best bet is a simple rake, and knowing the seasons. Once all the leaves begin to fall, rake them to the curb (assuming you have curb service). You don't need a gardener to do that for you. If you don't want to rake, but blow leaves, any "power" machine can do the job, at any time. If you're looking for efficiency, I'd say wait until the last minute, and deal with your leaves in one final move before winter arrives.

I have a lot of deciduous trees on my property, and many leaves find their way onto my neighbors' property. I also have the benefit of my neighbor's deciduous trees. We don't spend too much time debating whose leaves are whose. The main reason we want to move leaves is because we want to keep street storm drains open.

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You want RB to rake a 150-space parking lot? And that he should leave his parking lot covered in leaves until the end of the season?

I seriously sometimes wonder if you read the posts you're responding to.

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Originally Posted by wiggin

You want RB to rake a 150-space parking lot? And that he should leave his parking lot covered in leaves until the end of the season?

I seriously sometimes wonder if you read the posts you're responding to.

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He was highlighting a problem -- the company he pays to keep the area clear/clean around his business isn't doing the job well enough, because there's still too much leaf debris. He was asking about comparisons for mechanical leaf blowers....and my response was that managers should be willing to use a rake, to do the work contractors haven't done, if they can't rely on their contractors.

He seems to agree, because he's asking which tool is best.

*He might as well be asking how to clear sidewalks from snow or ice, or which snowblower is best, when the best answer to clearing sidewalks is with manual shoveling*

No, a rake is not best when you need to cover a large area ... :bulb:

Thanks for the advice given, I wouldn't have thought of wearing a mouth covering to deal with potential mould when doing it.