Cleaning lawn of branches

[Shenandoah MF1760]

Kids work great ...

The problem with that is:

1 boy is just about a boys worth of work.
2 boys is about half a boy.
3 or more ain't no boy at all!

 

[Gord Baker]

Every spring, I spend at least a full afternoon cleaning up downed branches from my ~4 acres of lawn, mostly from the more mature walnut and maple trees. I get to repeat this exercise after each major storm, all summer long, and I'm getting awful tired of the routine. Presently, I drive the FEL to an area with a bunch of downed branches, pick up each larger one and put them into the bucket. Then I rake up all of the smaller bits, and scoop them into the bucket. Very tedious.

I'm wondering what automated options might be possible. A landscape rake with float (anti-scalp) wheels would do half the job, at least gathering them together. Although driving over them in the process is just going to make them harder to pick up, in the end. Perhaps a tooth bar on my bucket, fitted with large swivel caster mounts on either side, so that I can drive around gathering branches with the bucket floating just an inch off the lawn.

Ideas? I can't be the only one hating this chore.

You cannot have it both ways. Cut down, trim out some of the trees and go over the branches with a large Bush Hog rotary.

 

[Fueler]

I think this Aussie built unit is interesting and would be right for my application. Contemplating making one. I don't see tines like that on the shelf so I wonder if he just bent up some steel rod.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have an excellent hand rake that I learned about from a tree trimmer guy. Got very springy and strong teeth that pull and self clean. It’s called the Groundskeeper Rake and with mild effort it pulls branches together to a small pile and I can curl the rake and pick them up to go into the loader or garden cart. It’s often my best choice for raking up woody litter.

This? The Groundskeeper II – Professional Landscape Tool

 

[boatmoter]

Every spring, I spend at least a full afternoon cleaning up downed branches from my ~4 acres of lawn, mostly from the more mature walnut and maple trees. I get to repeat this exercise after each major storm, all summer long, and I'm getting awful tired of the routine. Presently, I drive the FEL to an area with a bunch of downed branches, pick up each larger one and put them into the bucket. Then I rake up all of the smaller bits, and scoop them into the bucket. Very tedious.

I'm wondering what automated options might be possible. A landscape rake with float (anti-scalp) wheels would do half the job, at least gathering them together. Although driving over them in the process is just going to make them harder to pick up, in the end. Perhaps a tooth bar on my bucket, fitted with large swivel caster mounts on either side, so that I can drive around gathering branches with the bucket floating just an inch off the lawn.

Ideas? I can't be the only one hating this chore.

I use my international compact tractor with a 6ft landscape rake and set the hydraulics so it does not scrape the ground, this is after I mow over everything that is smaller then 1" in diameter with my woods belly mower then drag them into a pile & burn. some of the limbs are 5" in diameter after a hard storm,the rake does well.

 

[kenmbz]

 

[Zetorboy]

Come on. Aren’t you guys retired with plenty of time to do those cores this the best way to stay in shape!!!!! Do ad many said. Have a good day.Zetoyboy

 

[Shady oak]

We pick up the stuff we can’t stand to look at and mow the rest. In a week you don’t see it anymore.

 

[NYlumberman]

I have been dealing with the same issue for since 1974. I bought some land with an old farmhouse with big trees and a small yard. I dragged the big limbs away and mowed over the small ones. I also “mulched“ my leaves. The result was a very mossy area around the house. As I began to take more pride in the appearance of my house I started raking and hauling leaves. I removed all the downed limbs and twigs religiously and for some unfathomable reason began expanding the yard. Every time I upgraded (from push mower to rider) I expanded the area. I have added a Cyclone Rake for the leaf removal in the fall. I still deal with what the Cherry, Maple, and Butternut trees drop by hand, but the bane of my existence was the trash dropping Box Elders. I am happy to report that their stumps are short enough to mow over.

 

[Deanes]

Mow em up.... Lots of old maple trees in my 2-acre yard. When needed, I just run the bushog over the limbs. Then there may be a few chunks too big for the lawn mower but not many.