OT: Poll for Today’s Leaf Rakers

[Chin Diesel]

I decided to be the guy who offered full-sized candy bars this year and expect to have a lot left over.

Learning from Margaret??

 

[Deepster]

You have one of the nicest late October days on record.....and you raked leaves? And by Tuesday, the yard will look like you never touched it. Fail on your part.

I pay 450.00 a year. They come 3 times and clean everything up. Takes them 30 minutes a pop and I have an acre. Have fun with your rake and paper bags.

 

[Greedo]

I finally gave up raking this year. I have 1.3 acres in the woods. The leaves fall far too thick to just mulch them with the mower. Last year I took a day off work and spent the whole day raking and blowing and still didn’t finish.

The cheapest quote I got was $500 but I told my wife screw it I’m not doing it again.

 

[Deepster]

I finally gave up raking this year. I have 1.3 acres in the woods. The leaves fall far too thick to just mulch them with the mower. Last year I took a day off work and spent the whole day raking and blowing and still didn’t finish.

The cheapest quote I got was $500 but I told my wife screw it I’m not doing it again.

Good for you. Go take a hike and sit on top of the peak and enjoy the view. There are other ways of "getting exercise" that don't involve the equivalent of prison labor.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If your yard has massive mature trees and drops a correspondingly massive load of leaves, then maybe there's a case for some raking. But for the great majority, it would be better to do selective cleanup, run a lawnmower over a lesser layer of leaf cover and allow the yard to benefit from the nutrients in the decaying leaves. Spring cleanup can then accomplish what is needless at this time if year. As Yogi would say, "You could look it up."

Either way, raking doesn't seem like good use of what could be the final day of such mild weather for while.

I’m in the massive category. Went to Treehouse brewery a little before noon, driveway mostly clear. Came home around 4:30 couldn’t see the asphalt of the driveway at all. My backyard is worse. Raking isn’t even possible. One year we bagged the front yard, and had about 80 bags. Just the front.

Love this weather. I don’t mind a crisp 50…in January.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I used to rake and bag my leaves every year. Now I’ve just started mulching them with my mower. It’s infinitely easier and looks just as good.

I have three acres of grass, lots of mowing, but am surrounded by big tall trees. I blow some back into the woods and chop up the rest with the mower.

 

[HooperScooper]

I’m in the massive category. Went to Treehouse brewery a little before noon, driveway mostly clear.

I was there today too. After lunch. Place was packed. Haven't seen it like that any of the last few times I've been there. I guess I wasn't the only one with the idea to hang out outside and drink beer on a very warm late October day.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was there today too. After lunch. Place was packed. Haven't seen it like that any of the last few times I've been there. I guess I wasn't the only one with the idea to hang out outside and drink beer on a very warm late October day.

Yeah, it was mobbed. Honestly, first nice Saturday since May, so yeah, lots of us had the same idea. Pretty location, fall leaves, it was nice even with the crowds and lines.

 

[uconnfan68]

December’22 bought a brand new condo…. People do them for me. Obviously not for free but I kinda like it!

Golf was great today.

 

[mauconnfan]

Golf was great today.

Had my granddaughter today which was great so missed golf 68, hope you played well. I’m playing at 8 at Suffield CC in crappier colder weather

 

[Chin Diesel]

Golf was great today.

Had my granddaughter today which was great so missed golf 68, hope you played well. I’m playing at 8 at Suffield CC in crappier colder weather

Played a four man scramble tourney as a fundraiser for local HS baseball team. Weather was great but man it wiped us out. Played well enough.

 

[HCCForever]

I used to have 2 acres of land in Coventry Ct with at least .5 acre of lawn. Mowing and mulching in place works fine. I would also use an industrial strength blower for the rest of the yard and blow the leaves into the woods. One of the best investments that I ever made. I had one large Oak on my property that didn't give up all it's leaves until late November which was a pain. I live further south now and I don't have to rake but I sure do miss those crisp sunny Autumn days in CT and the Cape.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Great day outside. I’ve got sons so not paying anyone but that does mean I have to run the crew. Got 2 giant tarps of leaves to woods (blower) and lawns final mow of season in under 2hrs (including having to drag them back outside once) then went for a run.

The nice day was Perfect timing as Need to clear out leaves for trick or treaters/dog cleanup.

 

[uconnfan68]

Played a four man scramble tourney as a fundraiser for local HS baseball team. Weather was great but man it wiped us out. Played well enough.

We played a 4-man shamble. With only 6 clubs. I've learned that I have a lot of useless clubs in my bag that are only causing bad decisions.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

First year in the house I tried to rake and blow the leafs into the street for town leaf pickup, but it just takes forever. Got the lawn mower below.. 30" blade (think the standard is 21") and mulches grass into dust that you can't even see.. leafs it pretty much annihilates as well. If its extra thick take two passes.

If mulching dry leaves, wear a mask/respirator though that dust is bad for your lungs.

Toro | Toro TimeMaster® 30 Inch Walk Behind Lawn Mower

 

[Taco]

I finally gave up raking this year. I have 1.3 acres in the woods. The leaves fall far too thick to just mulch them with the mower. Last year I took a day off work and spent the whole day raking and blowing and still didn’t finish.

The cheapest quote I got was $500 but I told my wife screw it I’m not doing it again.

Try raising it - sometimes I take out the mulching piece so that the leaves get a bit more chopping. Also try to blow the non lawn areas into the lawn before running the mower. Last pro tip - don’t spend too much time on getting everything as you won’t be able to tell the difference in a day. When you do the last cleanup is when you are really detailed oriented.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I’m in the massive category. Went to Treehouse brewery a little before noon, driveway mostly clear. Came home around 4:30 couldn’t see the asphalt of the driveway at all. My backyard is worse. Raking isn’t even possible. One year we bagged the front yard, and had about 80 bags. Just the front.

Love this weather. I don’t mind a crisp 50…in January.

In full disclosure - and to mix metaphors in a reverse direction with a nod to the golfers this weekend - I do have some years in my history when my leaf-bagging total broke 80.

Makes me wonder if I could retrieve a good lineup image via Google Photos search, and the one I have in mind was from a city lot in New Haven. Years in Long Island had larger lots and similarly mature trees along County roads in >100 year-old houses.

 

[Chin Diesel]

We played a 4-man shamble. With only 6 clubs. I've learned that I have a lot of useless clubs in my bag that are only causing bad decisions.

Driver
Hybrid
Middle Iron
2 Wedges
Putter

Play with those six clubs and you can probably afoot the same score as when you have a full bag.

 

[uconnfan68]

Driver
Hybrid
Middle Iron
2 Wedges
Putter

Play with those six clubs and you can probably afoot the same score as when you have a full bag.

Driver (12*), 5wood (19*), 5hybrid (25*), 8hybrid (32*), a-wedge (50*), putter. Luckily I was able to use others drives on most holes. I chose the clubs for the course and par 3s.

 

[storrsroars]

Driver
Hybrid
Middle Iron
2 Wedges
Putter

Play with those six clubs and you can probably afoot the same score as when you have a full bag.

You need SIX clubs? C'mon man.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I had every fallen leaf off my grass and ready for pick up by the end of the football game (3:30). By dinner the wind had picked up and knocked a few loose. By lunch on Sunday my yard was covered again. Town leaf pick up was today and my town doesn’t do brown bag pickup. Hoping for a second round with the leaf eater in a few weeks.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

We played a 4-man shamble. With only 6 clubs. I've learned that I have a lot of useless clubs in my bag that are only causing bad decisions.

I can get by with three clubs. My 2 iron, 8 iron, and putter.

 

[David 76]

Mow and mulch with the mulcher attachments.
Leave gardens until spring.