Why You Should Add A Lawn Vacuum To Your Yard Maintenance Routine

A beautiful, well-kept yard is the result of a good lawn care routine that includes following lawn mowing rules for a luscious green yard, and knowing the best time of year to fertilize your yard, so it doesn't miss out on vital nutrients. Other lawn care tasks include weeding, aerating, and raking. One addition that you can add to your lawn care routine that will replace raking is vacuuming the yard with a lawn vacuum. Lawn vacuums, also called leaf vacuums, are different from leaf blowers in that they suck up the leaves and deposit them into a bag rather than blowing the leaves and debris around.

There are many benefits to adding lawn vacuuming to your lawn care maintenance routine, including getting rid of debris efficiently and quickly so it's not messing up your yard and making it easy to dispose of the debris without having to rake, bag it up, or use a wheelbarrow. Some leaf vacuum models mulch the leaves, so the debris is even smaller, which is very convenient. This rich mulch can be used in your potted plants, flower beds, or even back on the lawn to benefit your grass. Large leaf vacuuming jobs will require the bag to be emptied several times. There are many different styles of lawn vacuums available, from hand held models with a bag attached that you strap on like a backpack to walk behind designs or those you can tow with a riding mower.

The best time to use your lawn vacuum is when the grass is dry or just barely moist. You don't want to use it when everything is wet, as the bag will be quite heavy as it fills with wet leaves and debris and there is a bigger chance of things getting clogged. Wet leaves will also stretch out your lawn vacuum bag, which you want to avoid. If you vacuum when it is too dry, you can end up with yard dust all over you, and it can make your bag filthy and hard to clean too.

To get a good suction going on the lawn vacuum, keep the nozzle about an inch about the leaves and grass clippings you are vacuuming up. The exception to this is if you are vacuuming leaves off of gravel areas or places that have small pebbles. These pebbles and gravel can damage the vacuum, so raise the nozzle a little higher from the ground so you are just sucking up the leaves. 

It is important to keep your lawn vacuum bag cleaned so it lasts a good long time. Don't leave leaves and debris sitting in the bag, make sure to empty it when you are done vacuuming. The bag can be rinsed with water after each use. If it is exceptionally dirty you can clean it with a mild detergent and water and then let it air dry thoroughly to avoid mildew and mold.