How to easily rake a lot of leaves in my yard?

Been there done that...what a job! I was cleaning up under 6 Gum trees in the Fall in Florida! Well, if I had it to do over again I would buy a blower, and blow the dead leaves into piles! That is not hard to do. At your leisure you can bag them in Lawn and Leaf Bags, put them out for yard waste pickup and enjoy the rest of your Fall!! 🍁🍁🍁🍁🌞

To start, mow first before you rake, says Barbara Pleasant, author of The Complete Compost Gardening Guide. “It is easier to rake a mowed lawn because it’s smooth, but late-season mowing should be high, so the grass plants stay leafy and tight as a defense against weeds,” she says. Also helpful—crunched leaves are less likely to fly away than whole ones, making the job easier.

No mower? You can also stomp through areas with a large amount of leaves to reduce their volume and make it easier to rake.

Then grab a lightweight 19-inch metal rake and pull leaves toward you, using small motions. This method reduces dust and can help prevent fatigue, says Pleasant. Rake leaves into a windrow—a pile shaped like a line—and then onto a tarp or old sheet for transport. Raking leaves onto a tarp also keeps the movement of the leaves down low, which reduces exposure to dust and other allergens in fallen leaves.

If all else fails, hire a local teenager. :-) Hugs, Holly