# A Better way to remove Leaves



## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

I have about 2 Acres with 10 years of blown leaves accumulated around the perimeter. In the past the previous homeowner would just blow them to the edge of the woods instead of hauling them out. I'm left with a serious a mess to deal with. My Landscaper friend has spent 4 solid days raking them onto tarp, dragging the tarp to his pickup and hauling them 5 miles down to the land fill. He is not 1/2 way done and I'm thinking that we need a better method here. One issue is that the leaves are pretty wet and heavy a few inches down so you can't pile to many up on the tarp or you'll eventually detroy the lawn in the process. The other issue is hauling them out. He has a normal size pickup without sides. He's only charging me $100 / day, but he's a friend and I don't want to see him bust his butt, just to do me a favor. Is there a better way to deal with leaves? I have an additional acre which is wooded, Could I just pile up the leaves somewhere. It just seems to take forever for them to decay. If I were him, I would invest in one of those big leaf vac units that pump the leaves into a big box in the bed of the truck, but he is old school and never thinks it wise to invest in proper equipment.


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## fathersonfab (Apr 27, 2007)

what about using a skid steer and push them all into the middle, throw some gasoline on them and set fire to them??? 

I don't know the laws there in your area about setting fire to leaves... it's a bit radical, but it would be quick and cheap (and maybe dangerous).


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## Norrrrrrrrrrrrm (Jan 20, 2007)

Could you rent a mulcher and use the mulch as a base around the trees, shrubs and flowers in your yard? Leaves are the best to mulch with, just cover them with a bark mulch afterwards.


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## fathersonfab (Apr 27, 2007)

They do make mulching attachments for bobcat style skid steers... Maybe you could rent one?


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## gregj (Jul 31, 2006)

Is this 2 acres of trees or 2 acres with a few trees next to woods? Are you trying to achieve a park like setting of grass in a heavily treed area? That's a challenge. It sounds like you're going to have a continuing huge load of leaves every year. Rather than try to keep hauling leaves to the landfill every year I'd go for a compost pile. Throw your lawn clipping on all summer, leaves in the fall. They will decompose pretty rapidly if deep enough.

Or can they go back into the woods? Natural woods are suppose to have a floor of leaves. Every time I've tried to remove leaves and grow grass in a large heavily treed area all I end up with is dirt/mud.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

fathersonfab said:


> what about using a skid steer and push them all into the middle, throw some gasoline on them and set fire to them???
> 
> I don't know the laws there in your area about setting fire to leaves... it's a bit radical, but it would be quick and cheap (and maybe dangerous).


It does sound fun, but I think the county would hang me for it.

Rob


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Norrrrrrrrrrrrm said:


> Could you rent a mulcher and use the mulch as a base around the trees, shrubs and flowers in your yard? Leaves are the best to mulch with, just cover them with a bark mulch afterwards.


At this point, I have way to many leaves. They have got to get out of here. That's sounds like a great idea for year though. 

Rob


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

fathersonfab said:


> They do make mulching attachments for bobcat style skid steers... Maybe you could rent one?


 
Now we're talking. This looks like it'll chew up the 2 foot piles of wet compacted leaves I'm dealing with. Does this mulching attachment have any options to capture the leaves?


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## SelfContract (Dec 6, 2007)

Think green. Compost/bury it beneath earth.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

gregj said:


> Is this 2 acres of trees or 2 acres with a few trees next to woods? Are you trying to achieve a park like setting of grass in a heavily treed area? That's a challenge. It sounds like you're going to have a continuing huge load of leaves every year. Rather than try to keep hauling leaves to the landfill every year I'd go for a compost pile. Throw your lawn clipping on all summer, leaves in the fall. They will decompose pretty rapidly if deep enough.
> 
> Or can they go back into the woods? Natural woods are suppose to have a floor of leaves. Every time I've tried to remove leaves and grow grass in a large heavily treed area all I end up with is dirt/mud.


 
Come on now, you're bursting my bubble. That's just what I'm looking to do. I want grass within my tall trees. Just about 10 to 15 feet or so into the woods. I want the park like setting and it can also help to buffer the deer tics. We are seeing a lot of deer ticks.

I hate mud, so this is a real bummer. It must be possible though, because they do it in the parks. I installed an irrigation system last season, that may help. If I have to trimm the trees a bit to let in more light I'll do that to. 

Rob


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

What would happen if you spread them, and then dropped a load of top soil over them and planted your lawn?


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

Get your sorry white ass out there and rake your leaves and collect them and put them in the back of your truck and drive around at high speeds and go back home and start over and repeat as necessary until all leaves are gone.

You will get some sort of environmental award for this later, and don't forget about me then.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

If you want grass under the trees, you will have to remove the old leaves, trim the trees, then begin a mulching regime that includes removing 70-80% of the yearly take of leaves.

For a true parklike setting you will probably have to tremove some trees as well.

Paying someone a hundred bucks a day to haul leaves in a pickup is at best charity on your part.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

I would think a shade tolerant grass would have to be considered.


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## gregj (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm pretty sure the ticks like grass much more than a floor of leaves. They walk up the grass so they can latch onto passing critters easier. Same for low brush and branches. Anything that a passing mammal (from mouse size to human size) will brush against.

Maybe just clearing out any underbrush and branches less than around 8 feet high? A 2 acre wooded park will look fantastic but it would be too much work for me.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Patrick said:


> What would happen if you spread them, and then dropped a load of top soil over them and planted your lawn?


I think at this point there are just to darn many leaves to spread.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

cleveman said:


> Get your sorry white ass out there and rake your leaves and collect them and put them in the back of your truck and drive around at high speeds and go back home and start over and repeat as necessary until all leaves are gone.
> 
> You will get some sort of environmental award for this later, and don't forget about me then.


I would love to, but I have to young kids and a high maintenance wife. She bitches when I spend an hour at Home Depot. I just don't have the time for this big of a project now, and you're right, my white ass is sorry. 

Rob


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> If you want grass under the trees, you will have to remove the old leaves, trim the trees, then begin a mulching regime that includes removing 70-80% of the yearly take of leaves.
> 
> For a true parklike setting you will probably have to tremove some trees as well.
> 
> Paying someone a hundred bucks a day to haul leaves in a pickup is at best charity on your part.


I know and I feel guilty for it. I helped the other day for about 2 hours and throught to myself, this is rediculous. He'll be there 2 weeks from now dragging tarps across the lawn. It's cold out there, He could freeze to death. :blink:


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> If you want grass under the trees, you will have to remove the old leaves, trim the trees, then begin a mulching regime that includes removing 70-80% of the yearly take of leaves.
> 
> For a true parklike setting you will probably have to tremove some trees as well.
> 
> Paying someone a hundred bucks a day to haul leaves in a pickup is at best charity on your part.


 
Thanks, Your advise sounds good. We are cutting down all of the 1/2 dead trees and it's looks like we'll have to top a few of the big ones. I'll have to get a tree guy for that. I'll get shady grass and since I can control the water all I have to worry about if are they getting enough light.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

boman47k said:


> I would think a shade tolerant grass would have to be considered.


Yep


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

gregj said:


> I'm pretty sure the ticks like grass much more than a floor of leaves. They walk up the grass so they can latch onto passing critters easier. Same for low brush and branches. Anything that a passing mammal (from mouse size to human size) will brush against.
> 
> Maybe just clearing out any underbrush and branches less than around 8 feet high? A 2 acre wooded park will look fantastic but it would be too much work for me.


I hit a bunch of websites about ticks and most of them said that ticks like wet leaves. They say to keep your grass low especially at the edges of the wooded areas. I have a bunch of deer that hang around the yard. It sounds like it may be a good idea to keeep them out also. I've heard that can be a real battle. 

Rob


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## Crawdad (Jul 20, 2005)

Tscarborough said:


> If you want grass under the trees, you will have to remove the old leaves, trim the trees, then begin a mulching regime that includes removing 70-80% of the yearly take of leaves.
> 
> For a true parklike setting you will probably have to tremove some trees as well.
> 
> Paying someone a hundred bucks a day to haul leaves in a pickup is at best charity on your part.


I sure wouldn't pick up 10 years worth of leaves and haul them for a 100 bucks a day. At that price, it's no wonder he can't buy equipment to make it easier. Do you think that he's charging too much? What would you consider a price, fair to both parties?


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Crawdad said:


> I sure wouldn't pick up 10 years worth of leaves and haul them for a 100 bucks a day. At that price, it's no wonder he can't buy equipment to make it easier. Do you think that he's charging too much? What would you consider a price, fair to both parties?


No I don't think he's charging enough. As I said in an earlier post, I feel guilty having him do it. I've said to him 3 times already that it seems like it's going to take forever this way, Are you sure you want to continue. He does my other yard work as well and I'm always suggesting some tool or piece of equipment to make it easier. He just does not think that way. I've filled his tank a couple of times and gave him an extra 100 to cover the small dumping fee. I just have to wonder how long this job would take if a large landscaping co. came in here with a bunch of guys and some equipment. At this rate it will cost be well over $2K. I have been talking to him about this job for two years before he started doing it. I kept saying that I was going to hire someone to do it, basically assuming that he would not want to take it on, but he seemed offended that I was not offereing the job to him. He called me and asked if I wanted him to start on it. I said sure, how much do you want for the whole deal. He said $100 a day and that's how it got started. Next time I'll know better. Live and learn. I put in an irrigation system last year and he wated to dig the trenches by hand. I had enough sense to say no thanks on that job and we rented a trencher. 

Rob


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## Crawdad (Jul 20, 2005)

robertc65 said:


> No I don't think he's charging enough. As I said in an earlier post, I feel guilty having him do it. ...


It was the other guy, that called 100 bucks a day, "charity," that I was replying to. 

Do you think there is any way that you could get some temps, to help him fill his truck? That way, he could make his daily 100 bucks, and you'd get the job done faster. 
Or, would he feel you're giving away "his work?"


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## fireguy (Oct 29, 2006)

if you are going to trim some trees, why not rent a mulcher/grinder and mulch the leaves and trimmings? 

You yard man sounds like mine. he does not charge enough money for his services. He does charge his gas to me, however.


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## Sportbilly (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm on the composting bandwagon. Build a pile, make some small fences if you want it neat. Turn it as often as you can, the only reason you have leaves still after 10 years is lack of oxygen, once you turn them into a pile, I think you'll find that they disappear relatively quickly into a very nice soil amendment.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Sportbilly said:


> I'm on the composting bandwagon. Build a pile, make some small fences if you want it neat. Turn it as often as you can, the only reason you have leaves still after 10 years is lack of oxygen, once you turn them into a pile, I think you'll find that they disappear relatively quickly into a very nice soil amendment.


Next year I would like to take a shot at composting. I imagine I would have enough room to compost a typical season's leaves. Do you know of a good chart or something to figure out how much space is required for X number of leaves? Turning it sounds like a pain, I wonder what my Landscaper would charge to keep it turned? :no:


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## Sportbilly (Oct 4, 2006)

robertc65 said:


> Next year I would like to take a shot at composting. I imagine I would have enough room to compost a typical season's leaves. Do you know of a good chart or something to figure out how much space is required for X number of leaves? Turning it sounds like a pain, I wonder what my Landscaper would charge to keep it turned? :no:


I don't know of such a chart, but it's a lot less room than you would ever guess. They pack down as they decompose, along with grass and vege scraps. I have 4 pickuploads of horse manure and straw, 3 years worth of leaves from 5 or 6 elm trees, and a season's worth of grass clippings and kitchen scraps in a 5' x 5' x 3' bin. That'll be growing my garden next year  

Turning isn't all that bad, I have 2 bins, one empty, one full, my wife scratches around in top of the full pile every few days. Every month or so I turn it from the full bin into the empty bin next door. Just remember vegetable material only, no meat scraps, although eggshells are fine, in fact useful, calcium helps many plants regulate their water.

If you like it the easier way, you can get barrel shaped bins with handles for rotation, but we prefer the low-tech approach.

Edit: Sorry about the threadjack op, I'll stop now lol


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Sportbilly said:


> I don't know of such a chart, but it's a lot less room than you would ever guess. They pack down as they decompose, along with grass and vege scraps. I have 4 pickuploads of horse manure and straw, 3 years worth of leaves from 5 or 6 elm trees, and a season's worth of grass clippings and kitchen scraps in a 5' x 5' x 3' bin. That'll be growing my garden next year
> 
> Turning isn't all that bad, I have 2 bins, one empty, one full, my wife scratches around in top of the full pile every few days. Every month or so I turn it from the full bin into the empty bin next door. Just remember vegetable material only, no meat scraps, although eggshells are fine, in fact useful, calcium helps many plants regulate their water.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. I did not take your response as highjacking in any way. Composting sounds like it could be a good solution for me.


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## coyotehills (Nov 20, 2006)

*My Solution*

I've had the same problem 2 1/2 acres of tree and 6 acres of grass. Raked mulched, swept finally bit the bullet and bought the cyclone rake. I've got mine set up where when the cart is full, I can blow the contents about 20 ft into the woods.


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## fathersonfab (Apr 27, 2007)

Hey Rob,

I live in the city, so I'm having trouble visualizing what 2 acres with 10 years of leaves and trees looks like. Any chance of posting a picture of your property?

How about renting a wood chipper and shoveling all the leaves into it and blowing them around your property and make a nice level mulch??


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## SunSet (Dec 11, 2007)

Call the botanical gardens (green thumb, natures people or whatever "green" group there is in your area). You may get free labor and get rid of your leaves at once.

If you have "black gold" you won't have a problem getting rid of it.


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## Trencher (Mar 6, 2007)

If you're willing to spend the money, you can:


rent a skid steer for $250-$350/day...
call in a dump truck (18 yard...to make sure you have room in truck for just one load) for $150-$200
Pay your man $300 to do it (after all you are going to pay him more if he continues his present method)
Fuel $50
Totalling $900 (on the high side)

Of course there will be damage to your lawn, but at your present rate there will be anyway.

Just a spontaneous idea...


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## macpond (Feb 14, 2008)

You have the space, so a good composting area is the way to go in my opinion. It kills me when people spent money moving organic material out, just to bring it back, in the form of fert. soil amendments etc.


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## Cdat (Apr 18, 2007)

I'd 'till them into the ground and seed over 'em.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Cdat said:


> I'd 'till them into the ground and seed over 'em.


Looked good until I thought about the tree roots. I have a maple in my front yard that has very shallow and very long roots partially above ground. I usually cut the grass around that thing with my weedeater for fear of ruining my mower.


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

I have 1 &1/2 acres and my yard has about a 30' buffer of trees with leaves at the bottom. Pretty much what you have. I cleared out a spot about 20"x10' to plant grass where there were just leaves. Gave up after 3 years, grass just wouldn't take. Good luck with this project, seems like a lot of work to do what nature doesn't do naturally. I have a neighbor who did what your proposing but he laid sod last year and it looks good so far. Another neighbor cleared around the trees 3 years ago and seeded, his lawn looked good 1 year and now looks worse than mine. Me, I just wouldn't want to mow around all those trees.


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## landscapeplus (Jul 30, 2008)

Yeah thats it


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