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Leaf blowers are pretty terrible for the yard, so anything that makes them more acceptable will just make things worse. Bad because they blow away topsoil, lea
by gumby 2y ago
Leaf blowers are pretty terrible for the yard, so anything that makes them more acceptable will just make things worse.
Bad because they blow away topsoil, leaving a hard pack behind that absorbs little water. Just walking around my neighborhood it’s clear who doesn’t use a leaf blower: the dirt is crumbly and the plant life better. If people have pots as well you can see the difference between the two.
Also bad because they blow away all the decaying leaf matter and bugs from under the bushes, again hardening the soil and losing a;l the advantages of bugs perforating the soil and drawing nutrients below.
Of course you can try to fix this by adding chemicals…ugh
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- toss1 2y agoYes, it can be a real problem, that over-use. You can also fix this by using judicious aiming and throttle control and still be more efficient and easier on the exosystem vs raking. But you must first understand the issue and want to solve it. Unfortunately, most people, even "lansdscape pros" do not understand it, or want to take the extra care to do it. Source: my wife is extremely knowledgeable, educated, and passionate about the plant and soil ecosystems you describe, yet I was able to adjust technique to satisfy her scrutiny in a reasonably short time. You just have to get a clue and want to act on it. And yes, we've both seen more abuse done with a leaf-rake approach too. It's not the tool, it's the user, tho these blower tools make it easier to abuse at scale.