September 3rd, 2021 by Sarah Miles

Sick of leaves all over the garden in the autumn and the back-breaking task of sweeping them up before they turn to a mushy, mulchy mess when winter weather sets in? A leaf blower makes light work of the task and will do it in half the time of sweeping (and with considerably more ease).

If you’re new to leaf blowing, read our 10 top tips for doing it effectively:

Use a sheet to gather the leaves

Rather than starting blowing away without thinking about how you’re going to pick them up at the end, choose an appropriate area where you can pile up the leaves and lay a sheet ready. Direct as many of the leaves as you can onto the sheet while you work so you can pick them all up at once on the sheet to transfer to a bin, bag, or compost heap.

Dress appropriately

You’ll be blowing twigs, dirt, gravel, stones, and all manner of objects along with your leaves so protect your eyes with goggles and cover your nose and mouth with a mask or scarf. Wear appropriate footwear (not sandals or flip flops) and full trousers.

Ensure you have access to power

If yours is a cordless model, charge the battery up ready. If it’s corded, make sure you have enough lead length to move around (most gardens will require an extension lead).

Use on dry leaves

Wet leaves are not only heavier, but they will also stick together and adhere to surfaces. It’s much easier to move dry leaves so if there has been some rain, just wait until they’ve had the chance to dry out.

Don’t battle windy weather

You want to make sure the leaves are only being blown in the direction you want them to go in so choose a calm day. Breezes and winds will just be counter-productive.

Start with tricky areas

Start by coaxing leaves from harder to access areas such as adjacent to buildings or under hedges and fences. Move them into a more open area and then focus on directing them where you want them to go. If your leaf blower has a vacuum function, it can be employed well here.

Hold at a shallow angle

This will give you control over the direction you want the leaves to move in and keep them moving along the ground, rather than blowing them upwards.

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Move sideways

Move sideways around the area with the leaf blower at a 90° angle to your body. This will keep everything moving in the direction you want them to go rather than just clearing a path in front of you (scattering them from side to side).

Smooth, gentle motion

Blasting the leaves with no rhyme or reason will just see them scattering randomly. By swinging the blower smoothly and slowly in a U-shaped arc you will retain better control, which gives you neater results.

Be considerate

As with any power tool, leaf blowers can be noisy. If you value neighbour relations, resist using during anti-social times and take care not to blow debris onto other properties. Clearing a neighbour’s leaves could also earn you some Brownie points! If you plan to use your leaf blower for a prolonged period, it may be sensible to wear ear defenders to protect your own hearing.