Raking My American Yard For The First Time

Just days after moving to America, I was put to task on my first American "job": raking the leaves in my in-laws' backyard. Today, fifteen years on, I picked up the rake once more to get my own yard in order.
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[@ronhansen9408]

Lawrence, that rake you are using is not for leaves. You need to purchase a rake designed for leaves. Your body will appreciate you using the proper equipment.

[@GoobiesFunZone]

That's a gravel rake

[@aaronring4704]

It's a garden rake. It might be a language issue...

[@CalKingOnyx]

I was going to say the exact same thing.

[@denises9426]

Omg I was thinking the same thing, get the right rake!

[@JPMadden]

I have 2 rakes: a medium-sized one (24 inches) for between bushes and a larger one (30 or 36 inches) for the lawn.

[@chuckweed2915]

Watching you use a garden rake, which is meant for cultivating soil, was the best part of the video! 😅

[@bryku]

The snow shovel was the Cherry on top!

[@phiksit]

Surprising he even had a garden rake.

[@lennybuttz2162]

The leaves were wet and soggy from sitting all winter, a regular rake probably wouldn't have been strong enough.

[@OllamhDrab]

Another thing you might find handy, apart from getting a nice leaf rake, ..is use a tarp to rake the leaves onto where they are, then you can just drag the pile wherever you want without having to rake the whole lot each foot over and over. :)

[@Purdey921]

Good idea!

[@bobskewer1874]

That moment when the snow shovel is ten times more useful than the wrong rake.

[@paulobrien9572]

While at Lowes I would suggest purchasing a spring rake rather than a steel tyne rake which is not very efficient for raking leaves

[@janfoster9583]

Raking in spring allows insect eggs, laid on the leaves, to survive the winter and hatch. This provides insects for the birds, who are often struggling.

[@OmarSoubhieh]

And some lawn bags 🍁

[@paulherman5822]

Really depends on the leaves. Wet, compacted ones, he's using the right tool. Fan rakes barely touch those, as they're better for dry leaves. And he did say they were wet leaves...😉

[@le_th_]

@@paulherman5822 It's smart to have one of each type, so you can switch out when needed.

[@robine916]

If you haven't purchased your lawn mower yet, make sure to get one with a mulching kit instead of a bag. Might as well mulch the grass clippings into the lawn to breakdown and fertilize it instead of emptying a bag. Plus it chops the leaves better (for next Fall/Autumn!)

[@LindaC616]

Saves work and time, too. I have almost no leaves, but mulch the grass

[@jadeh2699]

Great point.

[@lesterstone8595]

Thank you very MULCH for making this comment! 🤣

[@Blondie42]

Why not toss 'em into a yard waste bin for the city to collect? Not a thing where I grew up; but a city, especially the size of Chicago, should have yard waste removal along with trash and recycling.

[@80sGamerLady]

Yes! 100% A mulching blade is a must down in Florida because the Live Oaks shed dead leaves twice a year. I was going bonkers until we got one.

[@fylondpettyloaf2972]

This man just figured out how to monetize one of the least enjoyable chores a homeowner has. Respect.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

😂🤑👍

[@rachelb4398]

I like raking leaves

[@rosymelanie]

That's a magnolia tree! They are gorgeous and you're so lucky to have one. They are really popular here in the south, though ours bloomed around Valentine's Day.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

I like the waxy green leaves.

[@kk_612]

My neighbors used to have one, but they moved when it wasn't in bloom, and the new family cut it down before they knew how beautiful it could be. It still makes me upset😢

[@katherineashley5712]

Ooooo, how fortunate you and your wife are to have a magnolia tree in your yard. The are stunning.

[@LindaC616]

Aren't they, though!? 🙂

[@virginiamoss7045]

That's a false magnolia, not the giant southern kind with the huge flowers.

[@jonok42]

​@@virginiamoss7045 the big trees won't grow in cold areas. I have one like Lawrence's. They are very pretty, but only bloom for a short time, and are very difficult to keep healthy. Mine is 20ft tall now. It's taken about 15 years to get it from 8ft to 20.

[@nancysexton545]

They are lovely and the blooms last about three days...

[@hamdrillbitsandwich7394]

My neighbor had one, they are beautiful above ground but a nightmare below. Since the tree was growing close to his house and under his eve's and scraping his roof he cut it down. The main root was as big aroind as the trunk. It went down 2 1/2 feet ,made a 90 dregee turn towards his foundation. He tried to pull the roots out with a chain hooked to a Ford 250 SUPER DUTY, all he did was dig 4 holes in his yard. He finally hired a guy with a back hoe to dig and pull the roots out. Afterwards the bulge in his basemeht wall disappeared.

[@Capohanf1]

AS the proud owner of a Sycamore tree, the ones that grow HUGE leaves and then hold on to some of them ALL winter long! GET YOU A FAN TYPE RAKE!!!!!! They are lighter and do NOT DIG into the ground as much so raking is easier! AND CONGRATCH on the Snow Shovel IDEA! It shows good old AMERICAN ingenuity is rubbing off on you! My grandparents would rake the leaves onto a tarp and then drag it to where they wanted to pile the leaves at!

[@joshentheosparks7492]

Sycamore is a fancy word for "invasive maple"

[@loboheeler]

Yes, a steel spine rake is the best for loose leaves. Poly rakes suck!

[@robertpearson8798]

We have a large plane tree and before the leaves comes a few bushels of bark.

[@timlois]

I love my sycamore. It's enormous and well over a hundred years old. But God, it's filthy. The bark starts dropping in July. Then the leaves start in August and don't quite 'til November. That said, she's a beautiful tree and keeps wonderful shade on my yard and house during the hot season. But, I MF that thing at least 20 times a year.

[@donnacolwell3988]

I also collect the leaves on a tarp. It's easy to drag to the burn pile or to the wooded area behind my house for natural composting.

[@mlclementNY]

I haven't seen anyone mention leaving the leaves through the winter as a form of natural mulching. It can help protect the bulbs through the winter, especially if you plant them in the fall; in the spring you rake it off or add wood mulch on top. On a separate note, if you haven't explored This Old House, I have a feeling you'd enjoy a deep dive into that.

[@TheMoonEcat]

I think I remember leaves can have fungus that can mess up your new seedlings.

[@margaretmathis4775]

Leaving the leaves is also good for the insects and reptiles & amphibians that will over-winter in the leaves❣️

[@WacoSmith-StrawberryChiliMan]

The rotted leaves and other organic matter like twigs and grass are what naturally feed things that grow from the ground. Yes things live in it; things that help make the world, things that make stuff break down to a state useable by plants. Brown plant waste will suck up the available nitrogen in the soil until it reaches a state of decomposition then release it back for use to plants. Green stuff has its own nitrogen and does not take but sooner gives to the soil. Some of the fungi that develop are symbiotic to plants. At least pile it up for later use. Why buy it later when you need it? After all you called it a garden; lizards, toads, frogs, and worms are good for it.

[@franciet99]

I have a friend that is 93 this year. I think she’s reached this age because she has always and still does her own yard work, even mows during summer in Houston, TX. She takes many breaks but still does most of the work. I just bought my 1st house, or should I say that I bought my first house without some one else on the mortgage. I plan on taking on yard work for the first time in my nearly 60 years. She’s a great role model.

[@Deathnotefan97]

My grandfather turned 93 a few weeks ago, and he also does all his own yard work He shouldn’t, given that he’s had a stroke, cancer (twice!) and can barely walk without a cane, but he still insists on doing everything himself because nobody else does it right

[@Blade-420]

my mom was up her her 90's and she loved working in her yard. she had a 1/2 acre that she kept meticulously. she did all the Mowing, raking watering ect .like you said a little at a time, but she was always out there working in the nicer weather I think it kept her going. I sure miss her.

[@evelynwilson1566]

It''s very therapeutic. I'm Scottish, and in my local area we have a group which goes out and does practical conservation work in the local countryside and community gardens. I'm part of that group. My sister's a professional gardener and my Mum is a keen amateur who at 78 still happily does all of the work in her own small but lovely garden, with the occasional bit of help for heavier jobs from me. I'm also part of a group which does planting display and is creating a pollinator friendly garden in our town centre. Interacting with nature, whether its gardening, walking, or caring for animals is excellent medicine.

[@MyBelch]

Live on a steep hill. It will increase your lifespan 15 years.

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

You have an opportunity to have an excellent flower and vegetable garden. There is nothing like coming home from work, going out into the backyard, and picking your dinner!

[@LindaC616]

Or going upstairs after work and picking your dinner!

[@Vanda-il9ul]

Or going to your kitchen/dining room and having it served.

[@qwertyuiopgarth]

@@Vanda-il9ul Only if they are serving predominately fresh-picked foods.

[@cedarwaxwing3509]

Assuming the rabbits don’t pick it first …

[@Zundfolge]

No, Lawrence, you don't want a leaf blower, you want a leaf vacuum. It looks like a leaf blower (and often can be converted into one) but it runs in reverse and has a bag on it. So basically it sucks up (and chops up) the leaves and puts them in the bag. Also, as small as your yard is, you should really consider an electric mower (the ones that are battery powered have come a long way and should work quite well for you). Aside from not dealing with storing gas and oil changes and all that, they're a lot quieter.

[@hawksite]

For a really small lawn, they do have mowers that run off of 110V. Search for Corded mowers. Yes you have an extension cord - but no batteries, will run for hours, and no gas or oil.

[@RRaquello]

I have one of those and find it doesn't work that well for vacuuming, but does just fine for blowing. Maybe it'[s my particular model, or because I not only end up with a bunch of leaves, but also twigs, and the twigs tend to become a problem. But it's goo to get a machine that does both.

[@robertfencl4401]

NO you don't!

[@cathyfield4765]

@@RRaquello I had the same experience.

[@vrdrew63]

For yards the size of Lawrence's, then a corded leaf blower/vacuum is the ideal solution. Raking and/or blowing leaves and other light garden detritus doesn't really solve the problem. It just moves it from one place to another. It's only by transforming the material into something more easily managed that you arrive at an optimal strategy. A leaf VACUUM does this by using a metal impeller blade (the thing that get the air moving) as a mulcher. Chopping up all those light, fluffy leaves and petals into a fine grained organic blend. One much less prone to being blown away by the merest puff of wind, into a dense mass, easily contained and transported, within the bag of the vacuum. Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. And don't bring a rake to a suburban American yard/garden.

[@Honey_420.]

That is a gardening rake for an ‘actual garden’. Like when you grow vegetables in dirt. You need a rake for leaves. Love your channel ❤

[@le_th_]

Yes, my track coach used that kind of rake to level the sand in the long/triple jump pit. lol It's definitely more for heavier things like soaking wet leaves, gravel, sand, soil, pebbles, lava rocks, etc.

[@lyndarina9839]

Laurence please get yourself some tarps and a leaf rake (has long tines and is lighter weight than the one you are using). Pile your leaves on a tarp, gather the corners of the tarp, and pull it to the location where you want to pile your leaves. Easy, light weight, efficient, less time consuming than trying to push leaves with a snow shovel. Please purchase a grass mower that mulches. This will take care of both your leaves and grass clippings and turn them into instant fertilizer for your yard. Everyone has to learn and you are doing a great job for a first time home owner. Make use of those sales associates at Lowe’s and Home Depot and ask them about which implements to purchase for the job at hand. Tarps are a great investment and you will find all kinds of ingenious uses for them in your yard and around the house. Every homeowner also needs a few rolls of duct tape and some medium sized zip ties. Love to Arthur.

[@cherylflam3250]

Onward to 1 MILLION !!!! Congratulations!!

[@mbpuckett]

You definitely need to get a rake for leaves. We always called the rake you used a garden rake, and we used it to level beds for various stuff such as leaf lettuce. A rake for leaves is a bit larger and covers more area to rake.

[@ttry1152]

Stereotypical zen garden rake😊

[@diannelavoie5385]

Or a dirt rake.

[@OldMan_PJ]

One of the greatest joys as a kid is raking leaves into a pile then jumping into them.

[@KellyKMc]

I am amazed how you always make the most mundane things entertaining.

[@phiksit]

Entertaining, albeit slightly painful to watch 😁 And just think of all the content possibilities as he accumulates all the crap a homeowner needs.

[@blimlimlimm]

I used to hate gardening, but recently I've grown to love it, it's meditative somehow.

[@davidkermes376]

it's especially meditative to watch someone else do it.

[@stevensines7026]

@@davidkermes376 LOLz Yes, Extremely relaxing in that case.

[@JJoy-bk8yr]

I thought Tara's way to pronounce compost was the only way, until just now.

[@Navyuncle]

Tara is right. Larry is wrong. If he's gonna be an American, he's gotta learn to talk like us.

[@jenniferhanses]

Agreed. You don't say Pahst, you say Post in most words. Also the original vowel sound for native English words with an o is o. So I would say British pronunciation drifted on this one, and Americans stayed put.

[@RosheenQuynh]

​@@Navyuncle Don't be that person...

[@ixchelkali]

​@@Navyuncle, Lawrence didn't get a half million subscribers by sounding like us.

[@shadowofchaos8932]

As I watch this a few days later and close by in Michigan, it is snowing outside. The temperature dropped from 84 to 32 in 36 hours. Yay weather!

[@Juleesuz]

Native SW Michigander, transplanted to Central IL! 😅

[@Locke99GS]

I used to live in northern Indiana not far from Chicago. A few of my unsolicited recommendations: 1) Get a leaf rake. These half longer flexible tines. The rake you're using, which obviously works, is a garden rake designed for raking the earth, dethatching, etc... 2) Get a spade shovel. You won't need it until you do, and you'll be glad you have it when you need it. 3) Get a tarp. You can obviously use the tarp to cover things such as your leaf pile, but you can also use it to transport leaves. Lay it out in the front yard, load your leaves onto it, and drag it into the back. 4) Invest in some inexpensive'ish power tools, but not too cheap though! Avoid power tools from Walmart and other places that sell very cheap tools. The inexpensive brands from home improvements stores such as Ryobi and Kobalt are fine for basic homeowners and would recommend spending a tad more and getting the better versions within these brands. For instance, Ryobi has a HP line that is actually pretty good - more powerful, quieter, more comfortable to use, and higher quality than their entry level line. I'd personally stay away from Craftsman and Black and Decker, they're unfortunately pretty terrible nowadays. Lawn mower, weed eater, and leaf blower should be considered. Sometimes you can get a tool that will do multiple things, such as a Ryobi weed eater with their attachment system. You could get a blower as an attachment to the weed eater for less cost than a separate blower. You can also get edger attachments, small snow blower attachments, and others, that will all work with the same weed eater power head. Corded yard tools mostly kind of suck. Managing the cord gets old real quick. I'd personally stick with either gas, battery powered, or some combination of the two. Battery tools are reasonably priced for the most part, but gas versions are almost always cheaper. Battery mowers, which are great nowadays, are still considerably more expensive than a gas mower. I've switched to entirely battery powered yard tools at this point and have been happy. 5) For the flower petals, a blower is your friend. Raking those sucks, and a battery powered blower is quiet enough that you can use it frequently without constantly annoying your neighbors. 6) Don't put off raking the leaves in the autumn. Stick to whatever schedule you come up with. Putting it off only makes it worse and more back-breaking when you do eventually get around to it. Snow will eventually go away on its own if neglected - leaves mostly won't. 7) Buy once, cry once. With your tools, even as a simply homeowner with the most basic tool needs, buying overly cheap tools will make your life harder than it needs to be. You don't need contractor grade stuff or anything, but find that middle ground for tool brand. It's definitely worth it, even if it takes longer to collect all the tools you might want or need. 8) Take breaks while doing yard work in the heat, the cold, or for extended periods of time. If it is excessively hot or cold, make sure your wife knows you're out there doing it so she can check on you periodically.

[@le_th_]

Buy once, and keep them locked up so no one can steal them...or cry twice. Nothing worse than buying high quality, thinking you'll have them for years, and then come home from vacation to find the neighborhood thieves had been watching and waiting for people to leave, so they can rob their houses. Heck, even Home Alone showed that, albeit a far-fetched version of thieves casing and robbing your home when you go away on vacation.

[@LythaWausW]

We recently switched to all battery - the EGO multitool system. It's so quiet we don't have to feel bad about using the tools so often. The leaf blower is so powerful it almost knocks me over and I use it about 15 minutes per day to keep the walnut tree areas under control. I raked for so many years I wish someone had given me your tip long ago.

[@Ceba-pw8hk]

Congratulations on the 500k subscribers. BTW that's the wrong rake lol

[@philipthompson7341]

Lawrence, two things, 1) Get yourself a leaf rake, makes things much easier. 2) At Lowe’s or Home Depot you can get large paper bags made for leaves/yard waste, fill them up & you can put them out for trash pickup. Glad you’re enjoying your new home!!!

[@annfrost3323]

Best advice. Get rid of leaves. Why would I want to babysit a pile of leaves and then spread them around ---more work! You can always mulch if that's what you want but those leaves are going to rot and grow mold!

[@nancysexton545]

Check with your village about leaf pickup, sometimes there is an extra charge and particular bags to use..good luck!!

[@grovermartin6874]

@@annfrost3323 Leaf mold is a gift from the angels if ever you want organic nourishment for flowers, veggies, bushes, or trees. A bin to store them, made out of two or three scavenged pallets, looks nicer if you require rectilinearity, but you can just heap the leaves in some unused corner of the yarden, and don't trouble yourself until they break down nicely, gratis. I used to take the temperature of the compost, turning it to keep it all working (as if Mother Nature didn't understand the process), shredding the leaves, and adding organic mineral starters. Not necessary! Just keep the cat from using the pile (so throw a tarp over it), and leave it alone for a couple of years.

[@lennybuttz2162]

One of the greatest joys from my childhood was raking up huge piles of leaves and jumping into them along with all the neighborhood kids. It makes a big mess but everyone stays to help clean up after so it's a bit of a party.

[@paulherman5822]

For those who are saying Laurence is using the wrong type of rake: I recommend having both types. The fan type (in metal, like many said) is for dry, kind of the fluffier leaves. But he referred to them as wet. So he's using the right tool, in my opinion. A garden rake is preferable for wet and compacted leaves. As well as being useful for the other uses other people mentioned. Used several with bits of dry concrete for wet leaves over the years.😁 Grew up on a farm with a bunch of sycamore and white maple trees in the front yard, and scattered around the farm. Both types got regular use. (You'll never muck leaves out of a ditch with a fan rake, but dried and a flatter area, they are removed fairly fast with a fan rake. Mucking them out from around a fence, I'd prefer the garden rake like he was using.

[@AFluidRealiTea]

Agree! A heavy rake is also good for other things. I used mine when our entire driveway was coated in inch-thick ice a month or two ago to make traction holes so my son wouldn't wipe out going to the school bus down our slanted driveway. ^_^

[@chantenupa]

The rake he is using is called a GRAVEL rake for a reason. It is NOT for leaves.

[@AFluidRealiTea]

@@chantenupa I don't disagree, but wet, plastered-together, and partially-composted-by-dog-urine leaves can break plastic leaf rakes. If you don't have a ton of tools, use what you have.

[@paulherman5822]

@@chantenupa It's also called a garden rake, originally.

[@bigred9428]

I agree. The rake he used is preferred for Spring cleanup. It gets branches, trash, anything left in the yard from fall/winter storms. It's also good to get smaller rakes, etc. that are made for children, because they get into tight spots easier.

[@christinebutler7630]

Can I just stop in and say how adorable Arthur is? Give him all the pets and belly rubs from my home for wayward dogs in NC.

[@le_th_]

He needs love. He's in the crate all alone.

[@brstoffel]

Congrats on 500,000 subscribers! You have worked so hard to develop the channel. Thank you for all you do!

[@QuatrinaVR]

Gardening - planting/tending to flowers or food plants Yard work - dealing with leaves, pine straw, brush, limbs, cutting grass Eta: that’s a tulip tree! They are beautiful!

[@mikesnow5890]

As another fugitive from across the pond, I also have problems with different words or pronunciations here in the states. But I hired someone to mow the front lawn, and leave the leaves on the flower beds. ( It helps protect the bed from frost, here in Ohio). The rear yard / garden, we leave natural. As it's just over an acre, it's environmentally friendly, and saves the work. Which is the most important.

[@oldasdirt3760]

Congratulations on the half million !

[@jasonrodgers9063]

Nice that you have that saucer magnolia tree in your "yarden". There were two GIANTS of them at my old family home. This time of year the flowers smell AMAZING. I think it's what Heaven will smell like! CONGRATS on hitting 500K subscribers (of which I am one).

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Yeah they're gorgeous but they just don't Bloom very long and next thing you know everything dies blows away and it's gone till the next year

[@jasonrodgers9063]

@@truckerkevthepaidtourist True, the blooms are short-lived, and they make a HELL of a mess in the yard (very "fleshy"), but for the short time they are here, the color and scent are WONDERFUL!

[@itschelseakay]

I am absolutely loving the House Across The Pond Saga. I click as soon as I see it!

[@DeftAtheist]

Oooo, LAWRENCE, I've finally caught up and have now watched my first episode on the same day it aired! Seemingly within the first hour! Everyone has recommendations for mowing/mulching/chewing up yard waste and whatnot. It always helped me that when I was composting, collecting the yard trimmings to add to it helped greatly. The new green matter adds nitrogen and speeds up the process. Wheeeee!!!

[@justathought88]

It took me years to accumulate all the gardening equipment I needed. But, don't make it more difficult by using the wrong tool for the wrong job. It's been a few years but I think I remember. Start slow and add as needed: Leaf rake Hedge rake (for reaching the leaves at the base of hedges; a miniature leaf rake) Spade Tarp Trowel Snippers and Shears (different sizes and types for different applications) Branch saw Composting (long ō) equipment If you want to add power equipment/tools: Mower/mulcher Leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher String trimmer AKA Weed Whacker Shrub trimmer Power washer And a couple really comfortable lounge chairs to rest in after all that hard work! You may want to consider adding a hot tub at some point. (Yes, I'm in California) As you get older, your body needs help to recover from all that exertion. 😉 Or, you could take the best advice in the other comments and pay a gardening company to come in and take care of it all for you. It's what I would do!

[@EXROBOWIDOW]

The paid gardeners are OK, until you ask them to do something different. Then they often botch the job. Especially if it involves unfamiliar plants that they mistake for weeds.

[@TheSouthIsHot]

Awesome! Thank you for the shopping list.😊

[@justathought88]

@@TheSouthIsHot My pleasure! Good luck and have fun. P.S. don't forget the sunscreen!

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

I ❤️ this helpful list. I'm rather new to maintaining yardwork. My place has a lot to deal with! Add: Hedge trimmer Chainsaw Wood chipper Field & brush mower (for those of us that need this sucker to tackle overgrowth on larger acreage). Also it's good to learn what invasive plants may be in your area. Get rid of them correctly so they stay under control. Don't plant vines ever! I don't care what fantasy vision someone is thinking. Cultivate landscape so it's easy to maintain. If anyone gets onto gardening, you will need a tiller.

[@justathought88]

@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 @Starry_Night_Sky That's quite a heavy duty list you have there! I have only lived in apartments, so, the space was relatively small for gardening. How many acres do you have?

[@garrykanter5773]

Now there's a man who enjoys his yard work almost as much as I do.

[@jamesoverholt878]

I feel like snow shoveling is the real Midwestern house experience

[@StutleyConstable]

To save your back and arms, look at a leaf blower that has a mulching/bagging option. Basically, in one configuration it operates like a leaf blower. Change the placement of the tube and attach the bagger and it operates like a vacuum for your lawn. It will mulch the leaves as they pass through the fan, making them better suited for composting. It will suck up small sticks with little difficulty, too. When the bag is full, dump it out on your compost heap and get back to work. As small as your yarden is, there is no need to get a battery powered one, either.

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

Aha I have a leaf blower. Guess maybe it does this in reverse? Not sure until I check. That would make life easier when all my trees drop leaves.

[@StutleyConstable]

@@Starry_Night_Sky7455 Not all leaf blowers have this option. If yours did not come with a bagging attachment, it probably will not vacuum up leaves.

[@DUEYZ4U]

I've always wondered...if people in Britain call a yard a garden, then what do they call an actual garden? And if your yard is your garden, then what's a yard? Fun reaction, as always. 👍

[@ReiseLukas]

I think in Britain a Yard and a Garden were one and the same

[@Alexander-cg1ey]

There is no distinction

[@LindaC616]

Every house in England has a lovely garden, and that is that

[@jgood005]

I think they call it a "vegetable garden" or a "flower garden"

[@BadgerBotherer1]

A yard in Britain would be something like a small concrete space at the back of small terraced house, with no plants. A garden is anything with a lawn, trees, shrubs, flowers, etc.

[@kreynolds1123]

Just imagine the joy when you get a lawn mower for Summer, a leaf blower for next fall, and a snow blower for next winter. 😊😂 The rake you have is more for leveling out soil in your garden, or de-thaching excessively thick dead grass. A proper rake for leaves is much wider and often made from plastic. You may want to set up a compost bin for your leaves and Summer grass clippings.

[@RRaquello]

I've found you don't need a snow blower if you have a leaf blower. I use my leaf blower to blow the snow into a big pile. Works fine, except in heavy, wet snow. And you can use it for that too, only it doesn't work quite as well.

[@kpmathis71]

Don't get the plastic leaf rakes, they break after the plastic gets brittle in a few years. Have the same metal one for nearlyv3 decades now. Works well for removing snakes too.

[@kreynolds1123]

@@kpmathis71 right. The plastic gets brittle. But it will probably last many more years if you don't leave it in the sun.

[@kpmathis71]

@@kreynolds1123 plastic out-gases plasticizer (chemicals that keep them softer) warmer it gets the worse. Uv can destroy those compounds inside the plastic (but only so deep within). But storing plastic in a hot location is nearly as bad. Butnthen...metal rusts (even aluminum does sort of).

[@vmalcateldawn9812]

We dug trenches 8 feet long, 4 feet deep in autumn. All our leaves went in there, along with all our kitchen plant waste. All winter long, the leaves composted and we had a really fertile garden in the spring. We kept some leaves in bags, so when the snow was on the frozen ground, we put the plant waste on the snow, still in the trench, covered it with ashes from the wood stove, and added the leaves, which were held down by the next snow. No leaf blowers!!!

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

US landscaping jargon I picked up from shows like This Old House: The word "yard" ("yahd" if you're from Boston) denotes the "areas in front or back of the house that don't have cars on it" (if it's meant to let cars drive on top, it's called a "driveway"). "Garden" usually means just the part where there are non-pest plants growing. So whether it encompasses the entire yard or just a few pots on a patio, that's the "garden". Some people distinguish the "garden" from the "lawn", because you don't work on a garden with a lawnmower unless you're getting rid of the garden and you don't want to do it the hard way or rent a roto-tiller. A "patio" is usually a part of the yard that is hardscaped (paved with stone, bricks, concrete, etc.). They're used for entertaining guests or just chilling outdoors with a drink near an optional fire pit. Yeah, Americans will usually rhyme "compost" with "outpost". And please do a short on the origin of the word.

[@ericdoe2318]

2:08 it’s best to leave the leaves until spring.. they insulate the ground providing shelter for many animals over winter.. it’s better fir the bugs

[@juliayoung537]

Still remember when I was a young child and my parents would rake leaves into a huge pile my first mission was always to go jump and play in the middle 😊❤ that was back in the 60's

[@paulaolson8956]

Then Dad would light the pile.

[@Freshfish111]

The rake you are using is a garden rake which is for smoothing soil in the vegetable garden. If you get a leaf rake, which is designed for leaves, much longer and wider, and MUCH lighter, your job will be MUCH easier. Ah, bless your heart. You must have been sore after raking the yard with a garden rake!

[@HighLordComedian]

Just remember that everything you take out of your yard came from your yard. The leaves and grass clippings you take leaves the soil nutrient deficient. What I do is just mulch it with a lawn-mower

[@BrLoc]

Your rake.....it's steel. That's for tilling hard soil. You need a LEAF RAKE. Much lighter and wider.

[@Capohanf1]

AKA Fan Rake.

[@TimeLady8]

We had a huge yard with trees. To easily move the leaf piles, we put a tarp on the ground, put the leaves on that, and then dragged the tarp to where the leaves were being dumped. In our case, it was down the ravine at the back of the property. My father always joked that we were trying to fill it in.

[@IncredibleMD]

Lawrence's Lowes Shopping List 1.) Lawn Mower (Remember to pick up sticks before using it) 2.) Leaf Blower 3.) Leaf Rake (Yes, you'll want both) 4.) Tarp 5.) Approximately eight decently sized bricks (to put on the corners and edges of the tarp to hold it down)

[@pace1195]

You truly are becoming American. Half a$$ the job with whatever tools you have available: dirt rake (not leaf rake), plastic red shovel, and broken tree branch. Excellent job, fellow Yankee!

[@peregrinearc]

I would recommend a rake with longer tines, it will help tremendously. Also, not sure if this would help you, but raking your leaves onto a tarp and then moving them around (to where they need to go---we dump ours at the front of our yard and the township vacuums them up in a truck) becomes much easier. Could also help your back. You're doing fine though---yarden care is a journey. We've lived in our house for quite a few years now but we're still learning new things every year. Take care! Loved the snow shovel--very creative. If it works, it works! 🙂 Edit: And congrats on 500k! I love your channel. 🙂 Have learned a lot, including about America and I've lived here all my life.

[@jamesburton1050]

Yarden. I like that!

[@DonP_is_lostagain]

Laurence, I genuinely laughed out loud at the "Beware of Dog" sign. Also, what you need is not a lawn blower, but one that sucks the leaves up and mulches them. It spits them out into a bag you can then dump onto your compost (and I say it like Tara does) pile. They also make compost bins so you don't wind up with a huge pile of it. Cheers!

[@deekrebs7144]

YAY!!!!! Someone finally using the divider in a puppy crate correctly!!! Way to go!!!!

[@lindaweigel8572]

We rake every fall. Over the winter leaves that didn't fall off until the snow flew are there for the raking in the spring, not to mention all the leaves that are picked up by wind from our neighbors and land in our yard. It is what it is and boy, it never seems to end!

[@JudgeJulieLit]

"Yard" and "garden" derive from the same Germanic root. You and your biome are far healthier using a rake. You've made a great rake's progress.

[@virginiamoss7045]

And the neighbors will appreciate the quiet very much.

[@JudgeJulieLit]

@@virginiamoss7045 Absolutely: The average leafblower emits 90 to 100+ decibels of noise. After 15 minutes close exposure, fine nerve endings in your ear and spine die, costing you fine hearing and aesthesia. And blasting air at 100 mph into soil, it kicks up insect eggs and mold spores and the ilk into our breathable air. On driveways it blasts subatomic automotive exhaust chemical soot particles into the air, thence one' lungs whence it cannot be excreted, and so causes lung issues over time.

[@JudgeJulieLit]

@@busimagen And so "girdle" and "girth" seem cognate, as the former encloses the latter.

[@EXROBOWIDOW]

LOL

[@pammasheppard1338]

Where I live in the US we do a lot of raking in late winter early spring too. This is because not all the leave fall in Autumn. Many hold on to their tiny little branches until the next year. Congrats on 500,000!!

[@zachdemand4508]

Oak leaves usually dont fall off completely until new leaves bud.

[@charlottecunningham2141]

@@zachdemand4508they sure don’t. I’ve had people be amazed that my pin oak tree still had leaves in winter😂

[@virginiamoss7045]

There are oak trees in Florida and the Gulf coast that only drop their leaves in spring as the new leaves push them out.

[@micheledeetlefs6041]

​@@zachdemand4508 Amen. I have three oak trees in my backyard named Pedro, Joe, and Sam. They will drop some leaves by late November and early December, but most don't fall off the trees until around the last week of March, the 1st week of April. So I have to take care of them twice. I also have to have my gutters cleaned twice a year. And every time I do, I swear I'm getting a gutter guard system!

[@zachdemand4508]

@@micheledeetlefs6041 don't bother with gutter guards. I do landscaping/yard maintenance and gutter cleaning is one of the services I do. Gutter guards are the biggest scam. They still get filled with junk and take 3-10x as long to clean depending on the system installed. There is a KZbin channel that is trying to warn people about this. Just search for "gutter guard scam" and you should find it.

[@nsas54]

Oh the joys of home ownership. We took 10 loads of leaves to the dump before the snow fell & another 10 trips, once the snow melted. The trees are worth it but they definitely put a damper on my love of Autumn! Cheers!

[@Bob_just_Bob]

Leaves. The bane of many a homeowner’s existence. Considering that you only rake and it is a light enough load that it can be done by a single person, you have it easy. We had several hundred leaf bearing trees in our yard. And getting rid of those leaves is the annual challenge I never looked forward to.

[@grazzitdvram]

nothing like watching an adult figuring out how to do something I had to learn when i was 10. Probably should get a tarp btw, very handy for moving piles of leaves.

[@matthewmoore757]

A garden is where you grow things. Like vegetables or whatever. A yard is just the grass and stuff surrounding your house. A field is a yard without a structure on it. A garden on a yard without a structure (Feild) becomes a vegetable farm. If you sell those vegetables for profit they become crops. If you don't sell them, Then they are just vegetables. I know weird. :)

[@martiseelye6443]

😂

[@LesserMoffHootkins]

What’s a lawn?

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

Those are the US terms -- not the terms used in every English-speaking country....

[@karyon1007]

​@@LesserMoffHootkins Grass. Anywhere there's a lot of mowed grass can be a lawn. So, the lawn can be part of a yard, but the yard might be more than just the lawn (trees, bushes, flowers, etc).

[@karyon1007]

​@@aengusmacnaughton1375 They didn't explicitly state that, but they implied it when they said "I know, weird." That is, they acknowledged that this isn't the standard everywhere.

[@scottwendt9575]

Raking onto the sidewalk so you can use a snow shovel to push to the back of your yard is borderline brilliant. Almost makes up for your choice in rakes. Of course none of it will matter when you get a leaf vac. And a word of advice before going to Lowe’s… Don’t… Don’t… Don’t let anyone talk you into a manual push mower, also called a reel mower. You need something powered and self-propelled, trust me. Although, a reel mower could produce a lot of self-deprecating KZbin comedy Gold!

[@jovetj]

Speaking of "thunderstorm situation," you should secure your BEWARE OF DOG sign to your fence with some wire through the holes. Or it will surely blow away. A leaf blower/vacuum is what you need. You can blow the leaves into a pile (if you want) and then "Hoover" and shred them up into bags. Shredded leaves make wonderful mulch for a vegetable or flower garden.

[@patricianorton3908]

Next time you go to Lowe’s, pick up a leaf rake. It’s so much easier than the garden rake you’ve been using! Of course your biceps and back will not get as much of a workout.! 🤔😉 From NH, Patricia 👵🏻 🤗

[@ericdoe2318]

Get a leaf rake gravel rake is hard unless you’re trying to thatch grass

[@ericdoe2318]

I like the metal leaf rakes they are more fanned out and floppy…

[@wjkesq9918]

Laurence, as I see it, right now your Ace/Home Depot/Lowes shopping list consists of: 1. A leaf rake, 2. A leaf blower; 3. A lawn mower; and 4. A composter. With that chain link fence at some point you'll want a a weed whacker too. In NJ we pronounce compost the your wife does which is consistent with the way we pronounce it without the "com". Keep up the good work!

[@kamicokrolock]

1. That tree is a magnolia tree if you don't already know. 2. Your raking job would have been easier with the right rake. You want a fan rake (sometimes called a spring rake). The one you have is for raking dirt and gravel.

[@carolduvall111]

I'm so glad to see that I am not the only one that uses a snow shovel for leaves just the same way. You go Lawrence

[@BeverlyJones46]

Wrong kind of rake. You need a leaf rake. It is bigger.

[@cjhansen6618]

My household has a machine called a Leaf Multcher. It blows the leaves into a pile and then it can switch to the multcher and break down the leaves. We love it.

[@passablegamer2536]

I remember the Sisyphean experience of raking leaves during many falls in Ohio all too well. Congratulations on 500k.

[@micheledeetlefs6041]

There is actually an alternative to a leaf blower. Several companies, including Toro, make leaf mulching kits that actually are vacuums. They suck the leaves up, mulch them, and dump them into a bag you've got slung over your shoulder. You can then dump them into your flower beds as mulch, or compost them more easily than most full leaves. I absolutely adore mine. But I also have three full-grown oak trees in my backyard. And oak trees are notorious for not dropping all of their leaves until early spring. So I have to pull this out twice a year, once in early December or late November, and then again in late March early April.

[@Zundfolge]

Most of these can also be converted into leaf blowers if you need one (although once I got mine I've never used it as a blower and regret not getting one of these things ages ago).

[@christinafenendael9477]

Leaf blower noise makes me irate (& I live next to a creek and lots of wetlands that get polluted by yard waste, dog poop, leaves blown into the street, and anything anyone puts on their grass). It's mostly leftover anger from being awakened at 6am on every single day off for 8 years by unnecessary leaf blowing, year-round, by the landscapers at my cruddy apartment building. I will forever hate leaf blowing! I have two massive maples now (& a truly insane amount of leaves) but I compost a boatload of it at home & send the rest to municipal composting. I don't mind raking, free exercise in my yarden keeps me healthy (& it's better than the endless shoveling of cold white sh*t that Minneapolis has to offer in winter)

[@meriwetherball]

Love you. But that's a garden rake, not a leaf rake 😊

[@kenbrown2808]

a great tip: if your roof is not too steep to walk on, a leaf blower is also very good for blowing the leaves out of the gutters.

[@DaisyCloverbee]

That's not a dandruff tree, that's a star magnolia! At least, that's what we call them around here. Mom had one she was very proud of.

[@lidsman2221]

That rake is called a garden rake or dirt rake. You need to go buy yourself a leaf rake it will make your job a lot easier. Thanks for the video.

[@balaam_7087]

I use an old bedsheet for leaves. Open the sheet, rake your big pile onto it, then either bundle it up and carry it or else just drag the sheet. You probably have some high brow term for this technique, like ‘loamlinnens’ or something.

[@Nightcrawlerfive]

Or a tarp, as is used more commonly for this purpose. You can't fit many leaves on a bedsheet. But in a small yard it might work fine.

[@phukyerpheefees]

@@Nightcrawlerfive Do you still sleep in a twin bed or something? Even a full size flat sheet is comparable to most standard tarps, and it gives old ones a new purpose other than becoming garbage. They're also more durable than tarps, and with a bit of silicone, mineral spirits, a bucket, and a clothesline, you can turn your old sheets into superior tarps.

[@zachdemand4508]

​@@phukyerpheefees if you buy cheap tarps you could compare them to sheets. Try putting a couple hundred pounds on a sheet and dragging it across the yard with a tractor.

[@phukyerpheefees]

@@zachdemand4508 Been there, done that. Zero problems, unlike with any tarp that costs less than $100. Tarps tear much easier than almost any sheet and they have built-in failure points called grommets.

[@Nightcrawlerfive]

@@phukyerpheefees You either have a tiny lawn or a huge bed. You need something like a 8x15 tarp to move a big load of leaves. Even Shaq's bed isn't that big. Plus I don't think a sheet would stand up to dragging 50 to 100 lbs of leaves across the lawn for very long. I think we're just picturing different things. You a small lawn with a sprinkling of leaves, me a large one covered by a solid blanket of leaves.

[@brittanyc3282]

I never thought I'd be entertained by a video about raking leaves

[@jared5811]

You should really get a purposed leaf rake. The garden rake you have is good for wet or dense material but is much heavier than a leaf rake. An alternative to moving leaves with a shovel- lay down a tarp and rake the leaves onto the tarp. Bundle of the tarp and drag it to your compost pile and then open your tarp and spill the leaves onto your pile by pulling the farthest edge up and over your pile. Congrats on your 500k subscribers!

[@pdraggy]

congrats on 500k subs! I clicked on this video just 2 minutes after release and there's already 40 likes!

[@alansmithee8831]

A'reyt Laurence. In UK, I have two rakes that are much larger and like wires spread into a V shape, meant for getting out moss. Used together they can grab a pile of leaves like hands. Also, I use both like ploughs to collect a much bigger leaf pile quickly. No leaf blower required.

[@utoobguy3041]

For anyone who has to rake big yards, get yourself a sturdy tarp. You just either stake the corners or put weight son them to lay it flat. rake a crap load of leaves onto it, then fold the corners in and carry it to the trash/where you burn or dump them. No wheelbarrows or endless raking or leaf blowing needed.

[@richardc8029]

As has been mentioned, with the right tools (which you've consistently not used) this chore would be 1/4 the effort. A leaf rake vs a regular rake for starters. Get a self-propelled push mower with a quick connect bagger/mulcher. You could use the mulcher to quickly shred the tree flowers into the lawn. You could use the bagger for leaves to make them better for composting --- or carrying to the curb.

[@adairsulhoff5405]

Oohh, Lawrence, you can use a big rolly garbage can as a composter. It wouldn't take up much space , and easy to transport. I am looking forward to your videos on your yard!

[@ruthhg9297]

You have to keep up with the leaves and get a proper rake for the job

[@ConservativeVeteran]

It's never ending, Laurence....but the sense of accomplishment (and the great exercise) is very rewarding! Using a snow shovel is genius! Congrats on half a million!!!

[@lawriefoster5587]

Bamboo fan rake!!!! Will not damage the lawn. Well done you on the 500 thousand count!!

[@blimlimlimm]

If you're ever looking for quirky bits of American culture, there's a 7 story basket shaped building a few hours drive from Chicago called the Longaberger Basket. It really is a sight.

[@dougbrowning82]

Just about every place worth visiting has some big thing like that. We have a few here in Manitoba, Canada. Like the giant Coke can in Portage la Prairie, or the giant mosquito in Komarno.

[@angelfriend3710]

Laurence, by now I'm sure you know that you need a leaf rake. A garden rake will get the job done, but it will be a lot harder and create more work. A leaf rake makes it easy...but you knew all this I'm guessing. I just know all your efforts will pay off, and this Summer you will have a beautiful yarden! Would love to see a video of you and Tarah buying a leaf rake at Lowe's...or maybe head back to Home Depot, and get some tile. At any rate, your new home vids are a hit...any squirrel updates? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like an update on the pesky buggers ("tree rats" as my Dad used to call them). At any rate, Happy Spring to you and yours, and anyone willing to read all this! Hope it's just fabulous! Cheers and God bless!😇

[@bellablue5285]

I have neighbors who use snow shovels to clear their leaves, so if naught else, you're using one of the acceptable New England methods. Definitely get a leaf rake, that will help not rip all the grass out. The iron rake shown is really good with rocks or dirt

[@suemacias667]

Sounds like me this year. Bloody leaves, bloody trees, bloody snow.

[@grannyoakley20]

That is not a leaf rake.

[@arjaygee]

Congratulations on 500k! You'll want to buy a leaf rake, though.

[@Donna_Relaxing]

LOL LOL everytime you say "Yarden" I bust out laughing very loudly. Thank goodness it's only me left in the house.

[@bullettube9863]

You have a HUGE Magnolia tree in your backyard that looks to be at least fifty years old! I know people who buy young Magnolias then complain that they take too long to get big enough to be even called a small tree. Yes the fallen blossoms look messy, but they dry up and disappear in a week or so, especially after your first mow. Now all you need to do is get a leaf rake and maybe a compost box at Loews. . You could also make a small patio with pavers (Lowes, again) using the soil from preparation to fill in low spots especially around the Magnolia tree. Add a grill, some outdoor furniture and viola you have an outdoor living room. Loews is going to love you!

[@joermnyc]

There’s also yard vacuums, it’s like a leaf blower in reverse, you wear a bag on your back that slowly fills up with the leaves. Might be more expensive than a blower though.

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

500k!! Congrats!!

[@juliebiggerbear7300]

When you get your mower, do yourself a tremendous favor and get an electric one! I used a gas powered one for most of my life, and the electric one is such a wonderful improvement. It’s lighter, more quiet, doesn’t have the awful fuel fumes, and should be just fine for your yard. 😊

[@lisagoldstein5676]

I love the new word compromise...yarden!