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By Barbara Elmore, HCMG |
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Hogging Leaves For the
Compost Pile |
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Confession time: I am a
leaf hog. If possible,
I'd ply the streets of
Fredericksburg and
"steal" all the leaves
that residents have
raked there to wait for
the city's charming
practice of picking them
up. My compost pile
would be a compost
mountain. |
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As stealing street
leaves is not practical
(although a city
official told me to go
right ahead) I hog my
own leaves for the
compost pile or for
mulching into the lawn.
They are an excellent
natural fertilizer and a
basic compost ingredient |
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However, they break down
more quickly into rich
compost if you shred
them first. So a couple
of years ago, I went
shopping for a leaf vac-shredder
that I could operate on
my own. Although I
admire men and women who
can effortlessly swing
such tools one-handed,
that's not me. I need
something lightweight
that's made for
two-handed operation. |
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Research pointed me to
an electric Black &
Decker Leaf Hog. The
name expresses my
philosophy perfectly.
But even better is the
weight: 8 pounds when
the leaf bag is not
filled. Cost: About $75.
Not bad when you divide
it by number of uses or
the fun you have using
it. The Leaf Hog has an
adjustable shoulder
strap and a hand grip
that resembles a saddle
horn. Grip that with one
hand, the second handle
with the other, and flip
the switch.
As in previous years, I
have made vacuuming
leaves from our pecan
trees one of my winter
gardening projects. This
is my third season to
use the Leaf Hog and
it's still chewing up
leaves into bite-size
pieces. My only worry is
that the plastic
attachment for the leaf
bag seems flimsy. It
hasn't broken yet,
however. |
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Here's what I've learned
about going this route
to shred leaves:
■ Use a light
touch. Since the Hog's
small grinder can't take
twigs or pecans, just
nose the end of the
vacuum over the leaves.
Dry leaves come up
easily and with practice
you can avoid grabbing
unwanted debris.
■ Plug it
into a 50- or 100-foot
extension cord so you
can wander freely as you
vacuum.
■ Don't
rake the leaves into
piles first. I tried
this the first time I
used the Leaf Hog, and
discovered it's easier
to vacuum as you walk.
The suction is strong
enough for easy pickup.
I mostly vacuum
sidewalks, the driveway
and areas near the
house, leaving the rest
of the leaves to nourish
the grass.
■ Empty the
bag often or it will get
heavy.
■ Detach
the bag on the grass,
not the sidewalk you've
just vacuumed, unless
you don't mind vacuuming
the same spot again.
■ Wear
goggles and a face mask,
even if you don't suffer
from allergies. The dust
you stir up irritates
eyes and nasal passages.
Headphones are also a
good idea; it's loud.
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Maybe I would tire of
using the Leaf Hog
regularly, but I've
found I vastly prefer
vacuuming outdoors
rather than indoors. And
this far surpasses
raking leaves. |
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