Your garden tool arsenal (for a large garden)

[StephenStephen]

The one bit of really useful kit people can forget they need in a big garden is one of these:

 

[d000hg]

Thanks for all the replies, some interesting stuff.

Leaf collection: I had been wondering if a leaf-blower might be a good idea. While the main lawn is not right next to the woodland, it does have a massive beech tree in the middle. The lawn is still covered in all the kernels from last yeah and I'm wondering how best to collect them all. There's a little stream running past the drive so I wondered about using a leaf-blower to push everything in that direction... As a kid I lived somewhere similar and recall fondly gathering all the leaves and burning them.
Someone mentioned the ride-on mower... do people make attachments you can bolt on to convert it into a leaf collector or anything?

Strimmers/Trimmers: Someone recommended a 4-stroke model. Any particular reason for that? I came across this one, is that the sort of thing we're talking about? Can I use this to attack the trunks of ivy growing up a wall? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hyundai-4-Stroke-Strimmer-Brushcutter-HYBCF31/dp/B00NVLUK50

I'll see if I can get some photos for those interested.

 

[StephenOak]

@d000hg

I have two leaf blowers, one that I inherited with the house and one that I bought. I have found that blowing with them is very much an 80:20 matter, you can get 80% of the leaves with 20% of the effort but the other 20% of the leaves are awkward and you may even have made them more inaccessible. So on areas that I want to clear I just use one to hoover up.

The inherited one has a plastic impeller that the leaves hit and, AFAIUI, this is supposed to break them up. If they are very dry this does happen to some extent but not that much and it seems to have got worse. Hence I bought a new one (last year) that has metal blades and which does chop the leaves up so they will break down more quickly and take up less space. Even so my largest (2 cubic metre) leaf mould bin was overflowing when I first loaded it.

The shells of beech mast are really tough. Not only do they come out of my compost intact but many times I have sieved some soil and picked out a 'stone', only to find that it is a beech mast shell full of soil. As the leaves and mast come down at different times I hoover up the mast and take it to the council dump for them to compost.

Someone mentioned the ride-on mower... do people make attachments you can bolt on to convert it into a leaf collector or anything?

I mentioned that but as a possibility, or a question, rather than a fact.

You can get dedicated leaf, etc hoovers such as
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Lawn-Mow...at-KV600-6hp-stroke-Petrol-Vacuum/B009ZFY85E/
That is close to the bottom of the range, I have seen ones for £650-700. If my garden was flat I would be tempted but the bottom is c. 100' lower than the top.

 

[d000hg]

Thanks. I hadn't previously realised you could get leaf vacuums, only blowers. I can see it would be easier to collect them and dump (for compost, burning, whatever) though I'm a bit dubious you might fill the bag up about every 5 steps?

So a standard leaf blower/vacuum will suck up the beech kernels OK? I guess if I've got my incinerator going, I can chuck them in. I wonder if you could even use them as fuel if you've got some embers to put them on.

 

[Burnerman]

Just my pennorth.....
Your tractor would have had some method of grass collection or lawn sweeping - depending on the make. Some machines have these as an accessory.
Strimmer wise I like the Honda HMK series - dead easy to start and fix new line.....its also a brushcutter, accessories included.
Regarding vacuums, these aren't as easy as you may think - the bags get very heavy with moisture, which filters through the bag and soaks you. Not the best!
John

 

[d000hg]

The mower has a big grass bucket on the back and a conveyor belt somehow tossing the cut grass backwards into it. I've no idea if this can be used in isolation without the cutter just to collect clippings, leaves, etc is that likely?

 

[angelboy]

The mower has a big grass bucket on the back and a conveyor belt somehow tossing the cut grass backwards into it. I've no idea if this can be used in isolation without the cutter just to collect clippings, leaves, etc is that likely?

If you have a mulching attachment then the grass clippings can be blown back into the grass and as long as you keep up with the cut then there won't be huge chucks of cut grass messing up you lawn. If you intend to collect the trimmings then you're going to need a large compost area as a years worth of grass on half and acre will be a mountain!

 

[r896neo]

Forget vacuums they are unusable for large volumes as you need to empty them every couple of minutes, its miles faster to blow into a pile and bag them into a jumbo bag. Vacuums are only useful for the last few stragglers.

 

[Burnerman]

The mower has a big grass bucket on the back and a conveyor belt somehow tossing the cut grass backwards into it. I've no idea if this can be used in isolation without the cutter just to collect clippings, leaves, etc is that likely?

Can you give us a picture of your tractor, or it's make? If it has contra rotating blades, the grass is shot up a chute and into the box on the back.
If you just want it to collect, keep the blades high - the draught should do the rest.
John