Knowing what to expect from your lawn sweeper, as with any garden or lawn attachment, will increase the chance that you get the most out of it. In general, lawn or yard sweepers do not pick up wet objects (leaves) very well so keep that in mind. Certain features may also determine what types of debris the sweeper may pick up such as brush size and the overall construction.
Some sweepers a meant only for leaves, grass, and maybe small sticks. However, there are so more expensive tow-behind sweepers that really do a great job picking up all sorts of things like pine needles and pine-cones. Again this may come down to more of a budget decision since most of the tow-behind and pricier sweepers tend to pick up the most yard debris.
Lawn Sweeper Purchasing Check List
When deciding on a lawn sweeper, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind before purchasing one:
- What are your expectations or what do you want to be able to pick up with the lawn sweeper (leaves, grass, pine-codes, pine needles)
- Do you own a lawn or garden tractor?
- How big is your yard?
- Do you have enough storage space to store your lawn sweeper in the off season?
- What is your budget?
One thing many people do not take into consideration when purchasing lawn equipment such as a sweeper is the storage space they’re going to need in the off season. For example the Agri-Fab 52-Inch Tow Lawn Sweeper measures 72 x 45 x 23 and takes up a lot of space in a storage shed or garage. Some of these can be disassembled making them easier to store.
Regardless of you lawn size, there is a sweeper just right for your needs. Make sure you do a little research to determine which is the best lawn sweeper for your needs.
Why Not Go Green with a Lawn Sweeper!
Did you use a gas powered leaf blower? Did you know that the average leaf blower expels around 145 time more hydrocarbons than a car built in 2000 driving 30 miles per hour and getting 15 MPG!
Going Green With Push Lawn Sweepers
Do you own a leaf blower? Were you aware that most leaf blowers expend around 30% of fuel which is not burned with the exhaust? EPA of California in 2000 had reported that an average leaf blower expels around 145 time more hydrocarbons and 7.5 more C02 than a car built in 2000 driving 30 miles per hour and getting 15 MPG!
Now, consider all the leaf blowers you see running up and down your suburban block through the week and take that times millions! That is a lot of pollution! You should consider checking out a lawn sweeper, these things are easy to use and are considered green. Well, at least if you are using the push ones. There are tow-behind lawn sweepers that you pull behind a garden tractor so you’re still burning fuel when using one of these.
Generally, a push lawn sweeper can be purchased for less then $150 and will last you for years if taken care of properly. Think about it, even with a leaf blower, you still have to blow all the leaves into a pile so you can pick them up and put them in a lawn bag. Lawn sweepers simply sweep the leaves into a hamper or hopper which can easily (most of them) be dumped into bag or compost pile.
Lawn sweepers come in a variety of sizes and features. Finding the best lawn sweeper for your yard depends on many things like yard size, storage space, and budget. But no matter your needs, there is a sweeper out there that will do just what you need. A few things to remember however, is to have the right expectations when purchasing a yard sweeper. Many people expect the sweeper to get their lawn as clean as a carpet vacuum for your home. That just is not the case. Many things come into play when determining how well your sweeper will work.
Sweepers work best on lawns that are smooth or without lots of uneven ground. Obviously, no lawns are completely flat unless you are talking about professional turf. However, keep in mind that if you have big ruts or trenches running through your yard, a sweeper is not going to work as well as if it was more level. Additionally, some sweeper have better height adjustment features that make them more able to compensate for more uneven lawn or grass surfaces.
