Clearing leaves off gravel area

DorsetDude

DorsetDude

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Keith
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Am assuming a garden vac would do this perfectly as the gravel would be too heavy to be sucked up the tube but the leaves would whistle up smartly. Can any one confirm and if so reccomend a garden vac?

Ta.
 
Don't know for sure as I have never used one. I'd guess it would work but there is always a risk that very small stones or even slightly larger stones might get sucked in, which probably would not do the vacuum much good.

How about a garden blower instead?

Dave
 
We find that the garden vac does indeed tend to suck up the small stones. We tend to use the blower to blow them into a corner and them sweep them up. You still need to be careful you don't hold it too close to the stones or it blows them also.
 
Maggie52 said:
We find that the garden vac does indeed tend to suck up the small stones. We tend to use the blower to blow them into a corner and them sweep them up. You still need to be careful you don't hold it too close to the stones or it blows them also.
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That is the technique I use (y)
 
Let the wind do its stuff, its Autumn and they will soon be back, like trying to turn back the tide
 
I have a very large gravel area and, until recently when our new neighbours cut down most of the trees in their garden, it used to be a nightmare every autumn. Tried the garden vac and blower but didn't really work. Found the best solution for me was to use my jet washer! Aiming it so that it didn't disturb the gravel too much I could blow the leaves into a corner to pick them up. The water stopped the leaves being blown all over the place. Worked a treat.

AL
 
Not as straight forward as it first appears then. Cheers all, I'll hold off on buying one.
 
one of the weed killer long reach flame guns would burn them off ,steve wasn't so far off track .or as suggested let nature and the weather take its course
 
My garden vacuums and blows (was going to put sucks & blows but thought it'd sound rude :D ). It was only a cheap one from Focus (that's how old it is).

I've got gravel around my shed and a load of conifer foliage had fallen on to it and I found the best method was to blow it all into a corner, switch to vacuum mode for a bit and when there's a small amount left I just scooped it up by hand.

You can vary the strength of the airflow however I was still trying to pick up stones in vacuum mode.
 
DorsetDude said:
Not as straight forward as it first appears then. Cheers all, I'll hold off on buying one.
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I guess it depeds on the size of your gravel, mine is around 1/2 inch. I use the vac/blower a lot on a large gravel area, not just autumn but after cutting the hedges etc. it might pick up a few stones but not many and it is a damn sight easier and more effective than raking. If there are just a few leaves over a large area blowing into a corner and then vacuuming is often easier as you don't have to walk as far.
 
Don't try a garden vac on wet or damp leaves as they really don't like it and clog up very quickly. Another thing they don't mention in the adverts! (n)
 
Good old fashioned leaf rake.
 
Peter B said:
Don't try a garden vac on wet or damp leaves as they really don't like it and clog up very quickly. Another thing they don't mention in the adverts! (n)
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Mine doesn't

<Edit> Just to be clear, the way mine works is that it always "blows", in vacuum mode suction is created by diverting the airflow back up the big tube i.e. it blows the leaves up the tube and into the bag, So anything collected goes straight in the bag and never goes near any electrical or moving parts of the vac.
 
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Leave to the wind - there's usually a couple of 50-60 mph storms in October/November which will deposit the leaves well down the road :)
 
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