PhotoNic69
Senior Member
Leaf blowers... The gardening equivalent of blowing blobs of paint around a sheet of paper with a straw and calling it art. Just why?
Trivial things that make you annoyed beyond expectations?
- Thread starter PaulB
- Start date
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Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Lots of gardeners don't like having leaves all over their pretty lawn. So they use leaf blowers to gather them into one pile which can then be bagged up.
Never owned or wanted one myself, but I do understand why some would.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Mad Doug Biker
Banned from every bar in the Galaxy
- Location
- Craggy Island
I like having leaves in the garden, as they serve as refuge and cover for insects during the winter, not to mention cover for plants when it's snowy/icy too.
My neighbours rake or blow theirs away though, so they must LOVE me when it's a windy day! 🤣
My neighbours rake or blow theirs away though, so they must LOVE me when it's a windy day! 🤣
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Hmm... one is annoyingly pretentious and pointless, the other is obnoxiously noisy and pointless; not much to choose between them.
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
When I lived with my parents in a heavily wooded area it was socially acceptable for all the neighbours to burn wet leaves, it doesn’t seem to happen anymore.
But you would often see a smouldering pile of leaves by the side of the road.
I would probably prefer a leaf blower over the smoke.
But you would often see a smouldering pile of leaves by the side of the road.
I would probably prefer a leaf blower over the smoke.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
Not really annoying, more a why do they do it. Watching a TV news report a few minutes ago, they decided to pixel out the victim of a crime's face and totally disguise her voice with a deep bloke's voice, both obviously to disguise the victim's identity. Why don't they just quote what the victim said, instead of covering their face and disguising their voice? They don't have to go to such trouble to try and convince the viewer that the person in question is a real victim/person!
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
They do it a lot around autumn on some allotments I have to pass. If there's little wind it causes a cough inducing fog, especially on cool damp days. Why don't they just pile the leaves up to let them turn to compost, rather than cause such air pollution!
PhotoNic69
Senior Member
We used to have things called Rakes for that very job. Or is it too much like hard work for people now?
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I'm sure some people still use rakes. But as with just about everything, if technology provides easier ways of doing something, most people will use it.
It isn't that it has become "too much like hard work", it is that people say "Why should I work at it when it can be done more easily?".
It is no different to any other modern labour saving device, such as vacuum cleaners, automatic washing machines, dishwashers, etc.
Electric_Andy
Heavy Metal Fan
- Location
- Plymouth
They do have their uses for blowing things out of tricky corners and for blowing heavier stuff
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
They are also useful for getting stuff off flower bed as other ways of doing it take a lot longer and disturb the soil and plants more
also a lot easier
ours also has a vacuum feature than also shreds the stuff
or it did until some mice got at the fabric a few years ago !
PhotoNic69
Senior Member
The only practical use I've seen for a leaf blower is to make a small hover craft at science fairs.
matticus
Guru
Well obvs "yes" to your question. But do note that rakes don't dry the leaves: blower fans tell me that's a key part, especially before bagging.
