Things You Should Consider When Buying Your First Garden Leaf Blower

By Leonard Mutch

Want to save yourself some time?

Collecting leaves with the aid of a garden leaf blower is considerably less time-consuming and less back breaking work when compared to using a garden rake or other such tools. The general idea of a leaf blower is pretty straightforward. A high-speed fan is surrounded by a cover. Tubes are then connected to the side of the fan to focus the air current (up to around 200 miles per hour in some units) in the direction you want to move the leaves.

What do I need to consider?

First of all consider the size of your garden and your exposure to fallen leaves. Do you have a large yard? If you have only a small garden and no trees or bushes then you will not need a garden leaf blower, but if you have a large garden and wish to have it looking clean at all times then a garden leaf blower would be a wise investment and a great time saver for you.You will want to bear these factors in mind when you consider the features of the different models.

Garden leaf blowers come in all shapes and sizes depending on their use.

Leaf blowers include both small one-hand models and powerful, professional types which can be carried in a harness on your back.Consider one with a harness particularly if you suffer from back or neck problems, as the harness will take a good deal of the load off your shoulders and arms.

Consider too, the blowing speed and air volume the different models put out, as a high blowing speed would cut down the time needed for the blowing operation. Most garden leaf blowers will have a rating of 350 to 600 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM).

A low vibration level would also be preferable with ergonomic handles and harnesses to help you to work more efficiently with less strain on the hands, arms and shoulders.

Handheld garden leaf blowers can be generally divided into two groups: those that can collect leaves and those that can't. With a garden leaf blower you can do much more than just move leaves. It can also be used to collect rubbish, grass clippings, hedge clippings, and empty tin cans.

Your choice of garden leaf blower should have an efficient system to minimise vibrations in the parts of the machine that you or the user comes in contact with.

Make a note of the weight of each type of garden leaf blower too, as some blowers can weigh as much as 25lb or 12kg. You'd have to be doing an awful lot of blowing to be needing the 25lb model!

Consider too, a model with the ability to vacuum all you leaves into a bag rather than blowing them all away. Another great time saver when it comes to disposing of the leaves. An extra mulching feature is available on some leaf blower/vacuums. Mulched lawn debris can be used in compost piles or bagged for disposal. Most of these convert easily from blowing to vacuuming mode.

Making your choice between an electric or gas-powered unit isn't always easy! Gas blowers are more powerful, but electric ones are quieter.The engine should be powerful and easy to start if you choose a gasoline model. Do you live in a busy neighborhood where a quieter operation would be appreciated? Or is your yard massive with lots of trees, making a powerful unit the only real option?

Choose a model within your price range with the best selection of features. You can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $500 for a decent garden leaf blower, depending upon the specifications you choose.

About the Author: Leonard Mutch is a keen gardener and author. You can read more of his tips and articles at http://www.gardenleafblower.com and subscribe to his gardening tips newsletter at http://www.gardenandplantcenter.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=28816&ca=Gardening

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Maintaining a quality lawn means a lot of drudgery and a leaf blower is a significant choice to save time and get the neat lawn you long for without back breaking physical labor. Though their are a lot of leaf blowers on the market a Ryobi leaf blower is top of the line and offers a resourcefulness unfound in other models. Ryobi leaf blowers are industrial intensity and are an excellent match for a domestic gardener or those running a small professional gardening or lawn care trade. Though more generally used as an alternative to raking leaves consumers who make a purchase will find that the Ryobi leaf blower is perfect for all types of external jobs such as sweeping off driveways, mulching and clearing away snow. When purchasing the Ryobi brand, house owners have a number of different choices to deliberate.

Electric or Gas Powered

The main decision in purchasing a Ryobi leaf blower will be choosing between petrol and electric powered leaf blowers. Electric leaf blowers are lighter and are also ideal for those with close neighbours and concerned about getting a noise moan. Electric blowers have an advantage over gas powered brands in that they do not give off fumes. Price wise those with a modest budget will find that an electric Ryobi leaf blower is less pricey to buy and requires little maintenance to maintain. The ability of an electronic leaf blower is also a better option for those with small or modest sized yards who don't need a lot of power; an electronic Ryobi leaf blower is best suited for blowing leaves off the driveway or pavement.

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With petrol powered blowers you can expect to deal with a heavier piece of tackle but for those with larger yards it removes the inconvenience of dealing with a cable, that can be tripped over or require an extension in order to let you complete yard exertion. It's also a better match for those with a lot of foliage and other yard obstacles that would make a corded electric leaf blower a nuisance. With a gas powered Ryobi leaf blower, you can expect to deal with more sound while in use and the blower is more pricey because petrol will have to be bought to equip your leaf blower. Because mixing gas with oil is necessary for a gas powered Ryobi leaf blower a number of users may just decide to remain with the more environmentally friendly electric powered blower.

Other Factors to Take into account

A handheld Ryobi leaf blower is the lightest possible option weighing as modest as 10 pounds. To make it easier to start up a gas blower, look for one featuring a zip start motor, this kind can normally start up with simply 1 or 2 pulls. Adjustable speed control blowers permit you to just use as much power as you need to get the job done. Numerous Ryobi leaf blowers can be converted from blowers to vacuums with merely a push of a button. Backpack style leaf blowers can hoover up the leaves and are able to pick up wet leaves that other leaf blower brands have hassle with. They also have more power than handheld blowers and can even move small tree branches.

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Pay attention to the mulching ratio when considering a Ryobi leaf blower, the higher the better. For example, a ratio of 12:1 means the blower is capable of chopping and compressing 12 bushels of leaves down to 1 bushel. The CFM and MPH are also important factors to consider. The CFM refers to the air output while the MPH deals with speed. The higher both numbers are the easier garden work becomes.

Autumn gardening means dealing with falling leaves, twigs and garden flotsam and jetsam. Relying on a Ryobi leaf blower can keep your yard clean throughout the year and save you time on doing garden work.

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England is famous for being a green and pleasant land and certainly with out warm summers and abundant rainfall this is definately the case. We are by nature a nation of gardeners and love our manicured lawns surrounded by flower beds and trees. Thereby is a problem! Most of the trees are deciduous and consequently shed their leaves every year. In Autumn, the colours can be  quite spectacular but when the leaves have dropped they leave a carpet of rotting material on top of the lawn which if left will kill the grass.

The old method of removal was to sweep the lawn with a lawn rake which was both back breaking and time consuming. It was a problem waiting to be solved and in the early 1970's the Japanese invented the garden leaf blower. They have become extremely popular because they make the business of clearing the lawn quick, easy and nowhere near as hard work. Garden leaf blowers have become very versatile and today are used to clean patios and remove lawn rubbish as well as clearing leaves.

Garden leaf blowers can be classified by their power source whether electric or petrol leaf blowers. Electric leaf blowers either have a power cord and plug into the mains which means a trailing electrical cord whilst you are using the leaf blower whereas some are battety powered. These come with a rechargeable battery and are suitable for the smaller garden. Petrol leaf blowers have either a two or four stroke engine. Two stroke units are generally back packed i.e. the backpack holds the fuel supply, the engine and the fan whereas the larger four stroke engines usually come as wheeled units or walk-behind petrol leaf blowers.

In the average household, the most popular types are the electric leaf blowers as these tend to be cheaper, more portable and "man enough" for the job of most small gardens. Having a hundred feet or more of extension cable following behind the blower is though not always convenient. The cable typically gets in the way. You may get caught up in it from time to time, and it always seems to have a knack of lying across the leaves that you want to blow away. Backpack leaf blowers are often seen in use by professional garden maintenance companies hired to maintain the verges in our towns and countryside.

Petrol powered leaf blowers are generally bulkier, but have the ability to blow much more air. On the negative side though they produce much more noise. If you look at a professional gardner using one they will nearly always be wearing ear defenders as a petrol leaf blower often sounds like a cross between a lawn-mower and a jet aircraft at a distance. Whoa betide you if you use one on a Sunday morning!

Walk- behind and wheeled garden leaf blowers tend to also have the ability to suck so that leaf debris can be removed from the area under maintenance. These usually come with a large hose for vacuuming the lawn. This is a good option as simply moving the leaves into another area such as the street or worse your neighbour's garden is not a good option. However with plenty of practice you should be able to push all the leaves into a nice hap to either burn or put on the compost heap.

If you have a small garden, or only a few deciduous trees you may not even need a leaf blower and can get away with using a lawn rake but remember that it may not be just your trees shedding leaves onto your lawn but also your neighbours trees. The wind doesn't care where it scatters leaves!

When selecting your leaf blower remember that the bigger they are, the heavier they will be. A few pounds can make all the difference especially when you have been using one for a couple of hours, so always check how heavy the garden leaf blower is going to be.

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Backpack Leaf Blowers- Do You Need One?

If you are running a professional lawn care business or a homeowner with many trees, you definitely need a backpack leaf blower. There are so many choices out there that a rookie could get easily confused, or even worse, purchase an insufficient blower.

Now, you may be thinking that you can pull it off with a unnamed box store hand held blower. Well, let me put it like this. How would you like to use a ten year old 21 inch push mower to mow an acre of well grown grass? Well, that is what using a cheap hand held blower is equal to. Don't get me wrong, though. They have their purpose, even in the lawn care business. However, it is never a good idea to purchase a cheap box store blower. They are typically very unreliable and weak compared to a professional hand held.

The main thing pro hand held blowers are good for in the professional setting is for those hard to get to nooks and crannies. They are also good for a light breeze of dry grass. Why are they better in those aspects than the mighty backpack leaf blowers? Simple. They are quicker and handier.

If you are on a budget for your lawn care business and can only afford one blower, you should get a backpack blower if at all possible. The mid to top of the line models have an enormous amount of power compared to any hand blowers. It is better to go to a dealer and get a feel of the blowers, and to compare similar models. If you compare a backpack leaf blowers to hand helds, you will notice that the more powerful backpack blowers can move significantly heavier objects, like small limbs! How do you think that will help in the Fall time? Very well!

For you entrepreneurs out there who are on a really tight budget, a used backpack blower can be had for a very reasonable price. You can still compare models at the dealer, but you can buy used online or in person. If you are buying used online be sure the seller has reasonable feedback. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of specific questions. If they don't answer them in a reasonable amount of time, there are many other sellers out there!

Be sure to purchase one that is fairly new condition and not worked to death. It would be ideal to buy a demo model or one from someone who is going out of business. Used commercial lawn care equipment is better than new homeowner stuff 99% of the time. You just have to be a little more careful.

Backpack leaf blowers have an extra boost of power for the fall time or those wet days. However they are less handy in tight spaces and more expensive than a hand held leaf blower. Even though they have there disadvantages, I still would rank them more of a must have in a professional lawn care business than a hand held leaf blower.

By Heath Garner

A site that I recommend to buy used equipment on is http://www.lawnequipmentsite.com

If you would like to shop for any lawn equipment, please take a look at http://www.lawnequipmentsite.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heath_Garner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Backpack-Leaf-Blowers-or-Hand-Held?&id=990654

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There are several options you should consider before purchasing a leaf blower. The most common type is a backpack blower, which is used by many professionals. This particular type gets its power from a 2-stroke gas engine. The harness, is worn on your back and the blower fits into it. The fan and engine are on the backpack as well, and a hand held hose directs the airflow in the direction you choose. This type of blower is very powerful and easy-to-operate. It has a more efficient fuel tank and air filter which means a longer duty cycle capability.

A backpack blower with a higher than 40cc capacity engine, is best with a power to blow of 400 cfm (cubic feet per minute) and a volume of 190 mph. These blowers are ideal if you live in a relatively quiet neighborhood, because they are designed to control the volume of noise. Harnesses and comfort will vary from model to model.

Popular Leaf Blowers:

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A performance backpack blower will have a blowing capacity of more than 450 cfm and volume of 195 mph. They are aptly named for their performance. This type of model is quite a bit nosier than other models, but they are faster, more fuel effective and have a faster throttle time. Many professionals prefer this type of model, which also has additional accessories available.

The larger, heavier and more cumbersome backpack blower is called a Big-bore backpack. Their engines start at 50cc and get larger. They are quicker and capable of cutting cleaning times by half. These blowers are much more powerful and used for a larger area and can handle a tough job like wet leaves with relative ease. These models are better suited for commercial lawn care purposes.

By Thomas Fyrd

Knowledge is power it's time to learn more about lawn care tips. Don't be shy - check us out at plant-care.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Fyrd
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Find-the-Right-Leaf-Blower&id=1732198

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Petrol Leaf Blowers

These are more powerful (and noisier) than electric ones, and with a reach beyond the limits of an extension cord. Two-cycle engines require a mix of petrol and oil. Petrol powered leaf blowers are excellent where mobility and greater work output is required, but are unfortunately heavier than the electric models.

Hand held leaf blowers - Useful only for small to medium gardens where you need the power of a petrol engine.. They can get heavy however after using for a while. Convenience and portability have their own price if you have backache! The bigger models can also vibrate a bit at top speed, so check the weight and balance.
Look for air speeds higher than 150 mph and noise levels less than 70 decibels. 

Backpack leaf blowers - these are best for driveways and bigger yards. Be sure to look out for an antivibration system and noise-squelching muffler to make carrying the engine bearable for long periods of time. The blower fits in a harness worn on the operator's back.

Walk behind leaf blowers - these are better for large yards or big areas. I would look for a four cycle engine to give you more power and less emissions, and also a three wheeler if possible to make for easier steering. Walk behind leaf blowers cover the most acreage in the least time. These gas powered machines are normally the tool of choice for commercial users, but for regular homeowners, they can make short work of a home lawn. They will however be more expensive too! Vacuum units also use a hose for picking up debris and leaves.

Electric Leaf Blowers

These are less powerful than gas, but have the advantage of being lighter, with less vibration and quieter (you still need some protection for your hearing) and there are no exhaust fumes! as electricity drives the fan. The attached cord however, limits your mobility so this may not be the best choice for a lawn with lots of trees!. Look too, for a cord retention system to prevent the cord from being accidentally unplugged when being used. Also when selecting an extension cord to use with your electric leaf blower, remember that if the gauge used is too small or inadequate, the motor will not perform particularly well. Match the power rating of the tool to a compatible cord, and always buy a cord that is rated for outdoor use. Be Safe!

Handheld leaf blowers - these are best for smaller gardens, patios and walkways. Be on the lookout for one with a flexible blower tube to allow you to reach into corners!
Combo leaf blower/vacuum - a great idea for small to medium gardens where you've not much room to pile your leaves. I would look out for one with a variable speed and mulcher built-in to the blower to help cut the leaf volume.
Rechargeable/battery-operated leaf blowers - are a good alternative for small areas. Work well on solid surfaces like driveways and garages, but are limited because of their short run time and because they move less air than the larger corded models.

By: len

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Leonard Mutch is a keen gardener and author. You can read more of his tips and articles at www.gardenleafblower.com and subscribe to his gardening tips newsletter at www.gardenandplantcenter.com

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