Gardening is a hobby that is practiced by many people all around the world. Mostly older age people like to initiate such hobbies that not only require the right tools to work with but also an abundant knowledge of how and when to use them. Normally gardening does not require large spaces or big yards they can be done just in the comfort of your home, all they need is little water, an ample amount of time, and sufficient supplies.
Speaking of tools, the leaf blower is one of those tools which are used at the end of any gardening procedure. They were first discovered in the early 1950s by Kyoritsu Noki who called it “fogger/duster”. As it use to help with blowing out air or mist that would rake leaves and move them out of the way. Followed by that the company then published a series of such backpack blowers that became more convenient. When that company established itself in America the trend for leaf blowers was passed on.
Then as the world innovated, leaf blowers were also modified in 1977, the world’s first handheld power blowers were discovered and at that time mainly private homeowners were able to afford them. This tool had its golden days from 1980 where its popularity grew and till 1989 about a million leaf blowers were sold.
What is a leaf blower?
A leaf blower is a garden tool or a piece of semi-heavy machinery used to rake loose leaves, debris, and cut-out grass. They are basically machines that blow out air at a very high speed and velocity that makes small-weight objects such as leaves move around. Even though they are easy to collect fallen or dead leaves with it, leaf blowers are quite controversial because of their two biggest drawbacks which are noise pollution and air pollution. It seems that leaf blowers have also been banned in some states throughout their lifetime due to this. They were banned because they emit harmful gases which were hazardous to health and created a lot of physical problems, which didn’t just affect people but also the environment. Good insects were also affected because of this as it got difficult for them to pollinate thus disturbing the ecosystem. The person using a leaf blower needs to have safety gear which includes goggles to protect their eyes from dust and leaves, a noise-canceling headset that will help them cancel out any noise the leaf blower would make, a mask so that they don’t inhale any harmful fumes from the machine and its mandatory to always read its manual before using it properly. It has some benefits to its well such as:
- It saves time and effort: a leaf blower makes it easier to clear leaves from the ground as it doesn’t take too much time and demands no physical work. Earlier using a grass broom would take hours of work and while using that broom it would invite a lot of hard work, which might strain the person’s arms, back and legs. Whereas leaf blowers are a much lighter option.
- It keeps the grass clean: it’s known that leaf blowers use high-speed air to move any grass cuttings or leaves and when used on large land with grass, leaf blowers help in keeping the grass clean by removing any unwanted objects and insects that might look odd in the grass. We can see that in golf grounds gardeners usually use leaf blowers to clean them instead of any excessive tools which makes their work easier.
- It will help in increasing the reach: due to the modifications in leaf blower, we can now use it with different attachments which not only helps to rake leaves but also to reach high areas or cutting any difficult areas such as around the trees, corners of the house, under any furniture or plant pots etc. it has made leaf blowers more effective on ground and covers more distance.
- It is not just used to move out leaves: a leaf blower is fully equipped to not just rake leaves but to also move out any unwanted twigs, stone, sticks, grit or fallen flowers etc. they can also be used to move out snow and excess water from driveways or pathways. Sometimes people even use them to dry off bikes or cars after washing.
Types of leaf blowers
Leaf blowers are normally known in two basic types which are electric and gas-powered leaf blowers. Their sub-categories are given as follows:
Electric leaf blowers
Cordless electric leaf blowers- these types of machines are great for gardens behind houses which are not too big. They have a reasonable price and are easy to use. It helps in getting rid of any small bunch of leaves fallen on the ground.
Corded electric leaf blowers- these machines are much more powerful than cordless leaf blowers. They are slightly more expensive but as it’s corded there won’t be any issue of running out of power in the middle of using it. It can be used for a long time, so it is mostly found in big yards.
Light duty electric leaf blowers- they are the commonly used leaf blowers mainly found in residential sights. It is perfect when it comes to the backyard or around the house to remove any kind of small debris and leaves lying around in a bunch. With this, it is much easier to clean yards and it also runs quietly without disturbing the neighbors. It uses very little power and the cost is very reasonable. It is portable and easy to use, commonly seen in people’s homes.
Heavy-duty electric leaf blowers- these leaf blowers are way more powerful than lightweight electric leaf blowers. They mostly come in a corded model, which helps in completing the job at a much faster pace. It’s quite affordable but not quick to transport. We can see them being used in the summer and fall season as the leave and mess is more around that time which is perfect for this machine as it pushes out air at much higher velocity making it finish the work in less than two hours. It is also used for greater yards with a larger land area. It leaves yards looking exceptionally neat and clean.
Gas-powered leaf blowers
Two-cycle gas-powered leaf blowers– these machines are gasoline-based leaf blowers and they are quite utilitarian. They are not too expensive and do their job well. There are not easy to transport but can be convenient for larger yards.
Four cycle gas-powered leaf blowers– this machine is the most powerful blower amongst all the gas-powered leaf blowers. It is costlier than the two cycled gas-powered leaf blowers, this also does its job well by raking all the leaves, branches, twigs, and many more unwanted substances fallen on the ground. it also clears out any kind of snow or excess waterway from the pathways or driveways making it easier for homeowners to transport in weatherly situations. Also, it carries much more features than other leaf blowers and it also has a backpack model that can be much easier to use.
Handheld gas-powered leaf blowers- these leaf blowers are more powered than the electric leaf blowers. Electric leaf blowers have limitations as they require an outlet but gas-powered leaf blowers do not have any limitations. these machines clear out larger piles of leaves and that too in a much faster way without using any excess time. Although gas-powered leaf blowers have one of the most harmful downsides to it which is that they release toxic fumes which don’t only harm the person operating this machine but also to the environment so it’s necessary to use less of these machines and when being used its mandatory to wear protective gear, they also make a lot of noise so its important to use noise-canceling headsets to prevent any hearing damages.
Backpack leaf blowers- these once are quite convenient and also extremely quick at moving leaves and are perfect for any big job. They are mostly seen at apartment complexes and business parks or even golf courts. All though there have been some models that are heavier which do lead to back pains for some people as they might look light but they don’t have a sturdy frame. These types of machines are normally not for residential use and are mainly seen for landscaping projects.
How to use a leaf blower?
There are some basic steps that we need to follow for using a leaf blower, which is stated below:
- You should always choose the right of leaf blower you want for your yard; it depends on the size of your lawn and how tedious the work can be. It also includes seeing what shape the yard is and how many leaves it may have. For smaller yards, a light-duty electrical leaf blower would be efficient as it will only require a small amount of power and will do a good job. For a medium-size yard or garden, a handheld gas-powered leaf blower would be superior as it would need more power to collect all the fallen leaves and we won’t have to worry about the battery running out as the machine can be corded. A much larger yard, which has a larger surface area needs more powerful leaf blowers, which can be costly but will do the job. Leaf blowers like heavy-duty electric leaf blowers, four-cycle gas-powered leaf blowers, or even backpack leaf blowers will be good for larger yards.
- Make a picture of how you are going to use it which means that depending on the type of lawn you have to decide where you are going to start and stop, remove any kind of furniture or heavy object that may come in between the process of leaf blowing. It will take some time to make up your mind that you should not get fussy and have patience. Don’t expect your lawn to immediately look clean give it some time. Find a particular space to collect the raked leaves and remove any small amount of clipped grass or dirt that you may see.
- Always make sure to check the weather before heading outside to clean the leaves, you need to plan these things before taking any step before leaf blowing, which is why you should choose a day which won’t be windy or rainy, wait for a much calmer day to use a leaf blower, we should remove leaves on a day where we can see that the wind is blowing towards the direction, we want the leaves to go and be collected, this way it will be more convenient. After a rainy day its better to let the leaves and lawn dry completely because dry leaves and lawn cooperate better with this process, if we use a leaf blower after a rainy day the moister will make things difficult and would invite a lot of hard work and unnecessary pressure about the work not being done properly.
- It is compulsory to wear protective gear before using the leaf blower as it emits really harmful fumes also creates a very noisy environment which both lead to air pollution and noise pollution, which is why protection is necessary. We can use goggles to protect ourselves from dust and grass cuttings entering our eyes, we can wear masks so that we don’t inhale any bad fumes from the leaf blowers and we can also use headsets to cancel out the horrific sound it makes.
- Always use proper techniques to use the leaf blower such as selecting a proper place to trap or collect all the loose leaves. If you are directly blowing them into a decomposing pile or a waste bin use strategy to do it. Always work in one direction, and prevent blowing it all around the yard which will make it harder to work with. Hold the blower to your side and make sure to stand behind it not bringing your hands or legs in the middle of its work, always keep it at the front end and make sure to point it in the direction u want the leaves to go. Keep your hand and back strong and loose or it can cause unnecessary strain.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, a leaf blower should only be used when it’s a requirement for large or medium-sized yards because it might do a good job at cleaning the ground but also pollute the environment which we don’t need. It should be used when it’s time fall season as that’s when most of the road and lawns are filled with loose and dead leaves which will serve the leaf blowers’ purpose. It is necessary to always stay cautious while using the machine and protect the things around it.