I am up to about 3 dozen bags on the season, I've taken to recycling the plastic bags for my own uses; so I get free leaves already bagged by my neighbors plus free 55 gallon contractor bags.

I shredded about 2 dozen and added them to various beds and compost piles, the remaining bags will get stored behind the shed for the winter and used in the spring as browns and mulch.

One is not a serous leaf thief unless:

1) All the compost bins legally permitted are filled with leaves.
2) All the unused garage cans are filled with bags of leaves.
3) The garage is full of bags of leaves
4) Any outside screened room is full of bags of leaves

Here is the dividing line between serious and beyond the point of return:

5) Bathrooms and bedrooms are filled with bags of leaves

Of course a bag of leaves means a SHREDDED bag of leaves, since it takes up less space.

(I'm at 2.5)

I once had my long-enough-for-3-cars driveway so full of bags of leaves, stacked 3 bags high, that a neighbor stopped by and asked if I needed help hauling "all that trash" to the dump. When I explained that the bags were full of leaves, not trash, & that they were staying put until spring, he just drove away, shaking his head.

I once had my long-enough-for-3-cars driveway so full of bags of leaves, stacked 3 bags high, that a neighbor stopped by and asked if I needed help hauling "all that trash" to the dump. When I explained that the bags were full of leaves, not trash, & that they were staying put until spring, he just drove away, shaking his head.

Tonight I saw a double row of bagged leaves along the street. I stopped! I poked a bag and picked it up to be sure, then threw all 17 bags into my short-bed pickup. Tomorrow AM I'll move them to the back yard to await shredding for mulch or for the compost bin!

Leaf Collector Jim

Good morning everyone. I'm sure it has been asked many times but I'll ask again, what have you found to be the easiest way to shred collected leaves? Sometimes I try the push mulcher mower but usually end giving up because it's time consuming and usually so windy around here that I'm lose 1/2 of what I've collected. Most of my leaves end up the compost pile unchopped but then again it takes them forever to break down. Any suggestions? Any niffty tool out there that doesn't break the bank?

Thanks,
Michelle

I bought a Toro electric Blower/vacuum with a Metal impeller (about $70 on sale at Home Depot) that I've enjoyed using by laying it down on the ground and raking the leaves into it. I first tried wearing it and walking around the back yard searching out the leaves, then raking them up into windrows. But that got heavy and old really quick. My vacuum them up from the ground technique works for both loose leaves and bagged leaves. The vacuum puts the shredded leaves into a zipper bag with a nice shoulder strap handy to carry them wherever I need them. Then unzip and dump them out. They claim a 12/1 reduction in volume. Not sure I believe that. I suppose you could shred them twice if you really want them shredded fine.

Jim

I have been pretty happy with just a mulching mower. But I think I will skip bagging and just shred them some and rake them onto my over-wintering garden.

Read all the reviews on all mulching blower vacuum,after I read all reviews I went with Black & Decker Leaf Hog,check Amazon.com reviews they have the best reviews,that's why I went with Black & Decker bought at Lowe's very happy with it
it also has Metal Impeller don't buy any that have plastic Impellers they break real easy.

aadenis

After I blew the motor on my chipper/shredder, I just use my 30 year old 3.5 hp cheapy mower purchased for $24 last year. It works better than my five year old Sears Craftsman 6.75 hp mower.

Maples leaves get run over twice.
Sweet gum leaves get run over three times (!#%** gum balls)
Oak leaves get run over four times.

Y'all know how I hate to brag? So I think I better stay mum on this subject.

Aww All I got was 10 packed full pickup loads from the Lincoln dump, and ap I got bout 30 punkins too!