The Best Leaf Raking Hacks for Chicago Homeowners

Raking leaves during fall is one of the most tedious yard works for most Chicago homeowners. Time meant to be invested in worthwhile ventures or utilized well by relaxing in the outdoor space is spent raking piles of dead fallen leaves. Most Chicago homeowners are opting for hiring professional landscape services to deal with this draining part of yard work but if you’re looking to handle the task yourself, here are a few hacks to help you.

Leaf Raking in Chicago

Chicago winter storms are fierce enough to bring down trees and limbs. So if the sight of the fallen leaves overwhelms you, professional leaf removal services are always available.

Why Should We Rake Leaves

There are several reasons for raking leaves. One such reason is to allow your lawn to breathe. When leaves pile up in your yard, it becomes challenging for turfs to access water, sun, nutrients, and fresh air. Also, when leaves pile up, it invites unwanted critters to make a shelter under the mound of leaves.

When to Rake Leaves

It’s ideal to rake the leaves four days after its fall. Although it also depends on whether the leaves are wet and how thin or thick they are. To avoid smothering the lawn grass, rake wet leaves as soon as possible. Also, consider your lawn size and plan accordingly. If you have a big yard, you’ll need to allocate more time for the chore.

Similarly, having many trees also means more work. As such, you’ll need to start early. Another crucial factor is the equipment since using a blower is much easier and effective than a regular rake.

Leaf Raking Techniques

Just like you do while using a broom, rake dead leaves in a sweeping motion. Rather than detach the lawn, it’ll ensure the grass area is exposed so it can access air, water, and nutrients it needs to grow. We recommend using steel rakes, especially for Chicago homeowners with large yards. Using a steel rake makes it easier to move a large pile once. It’s also best for moving wet leaves.

Leaf Raking Hacks

Humans have always found ways to make various chores easy for them. Examples are innovations like vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dishwashers, etcetera. Therefore, it’s not a surprise some homeowners have found a way to hack this leaf-raking chore. Here are a few of them.

Back-saver

One of the ways to save yourself some back pains resulting from bending over to carry piled up leaves to the disposal point repeatedly is to use a tarp. Lay a tarp on the ground and rake in leaves on it, tie or fold it and take to the disposal site.

Make Mulch

Consider converting your dry fallen leaves to mulch. It has numerous benefits for your lawn, including serving as compost manure or fertilizer. Also, mulch helps to control weeds.

Dry off

Don’t give yourself extra work by raking after a rainfall. Allow the leaves to dry for some hours, so it becomes easier. Wet leaves are heavy and sticky, making them hard to remove.

Multitool

Consider incorporating the use of another tool, preferably a snow shovel, which is larger than an ordinary shovel. As such, it can hold more leaves. To use this tool, rake the leaves on the shovel’s surface and pack in a bag for disposal.

Eden Yardwork Services

Using the tips outlined here will help reduce the time you spend raking leaves. However, it’d be best if you hire a professional leaf removal service in Chicago, such as Eden, to handle your fall leaf cleanup so you can relax and spend your time on worthwhile ventures.