Rake hay rake use

[greenthumb]

has anyone ever used a hay rake for leaves in the yard. I have about four acres that need cleaned each fall and this idea came to me this weekend realizing that mowing season is over and the seat time will slow since snow does not fall anymore in michigan.

 

[ddl]

I got a landscaping rake to do this very thing. Tried it in the spring, ground too wet. Will try again this fall to see if it rakes leaves or not. A hay rake tines maybe too far spaced to collect leaves. A side delievry rake may work, if you have one available.

Dan L

 

[bubenberg]

several landscaper around here have these estate rakes. i have seen them in action. for wide open areas this looks like a good idea combined with an efficient larger vacuum system.
http://www.estateyardcare.com/estate_rake.shtml

 

[beenthere]

I've often thought about that idea too. Thinking that a small version of a side-delivery hay rake would work if the teeth (tines) were close enough together to pick up and move most of the leaves. I tried the Estate rake and it was almost worthless. Had to load it with a lot of weight to keep it pulling straight, and even then it was marginal at best. Moving leaves past one width of the E. rake was almost not possible. Being that leaves are usually under trees, moving in and around them with any sort of pull-type rake and piling up or wind-rowing the leaves isn't easy. Still, I think a powered rake of some sort (something more than the friction set-up of the Estate rake or the dragging technique of a 'dump' rake) would have some possibilities. I have a neighbor who uses a sweeper (powered broom) on the front of his Deere 445. It works very well and is controllable, to the extent he can move the leaves to where he wants them (given that the wind is helping!).
I have finally resorted to a collection system with a blower on the mower deck, and a dump cart (Deere MC519 cart) with hyd. ram. Its more investment, but certainly makes removal a walk-in-the-park.