Basics of Raking

Raking, though it might seem like you just whip all the leaves into a few piles and pick them up, is one of the most strenuous, backbreaking parts of lawn care you will encounter. This article will give you a general series of steps you should follow to complete a raking job, followed by some tips to keep you and your lawn healthy.

A good process to follow when raking is to:

First, get all of your supplies together. Obviously, you will want all of the basics: a rake or two, heavy-duty trash bags, and maybe a leaf blower. There are a couple of other things you might want that will make the job significantly easier: it would be advised to get a small trash can that you can put the trash bag in so that the bag stays open for all the leaves you'll be lifting into it. Also, a handy tool is to get handheld rakes for lifting leaves into the trash can once they're into piles (https://www.amazon.com/Rugg-PPLS1012-Original-Scoops-Yellow/dp/B01MD1LXRM/ref=asc_df_B01MD1LXRM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193142362025&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4123395200441133666&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029015&hvtargid=pla-307357676821&psc=1).  

Second, rake all of the leaves in your yard into piles. Don't rake a pile together and then pick it up, this will only cause you to have to bend over more often and drag more things around behind you. Instead, get all of the leaves in the yard into medium-sized piles that will take 3-4 scoops with the handheld rakes to pick up.

Third, pick up these piles with the handheld rakes. Make sure to get all of the leaves from the piles and not leave some sitting on the ground. Put these piles into the trash bag that you have in a trash can. Empty the trash can and put a new bag in whenever the old bag gets full. 

Now we'll go over a few tips so that you can optimize how quickly and easily you do this large job while also keeping your lawn as healthy as possible. Raking puts stress on both your grass and your body, so keep both of those things as safe as possible while doing this job.

1. Be gentle on the grass--make this your highest priority. You don't want to be raking so hard in a vain attempt to get every leaf off of the ground that you rip out the grass in the process. It is better to make nice, gentle strokes and not get as many leaves off of the ground than to make violent, brutal strokes and get all of the leaves and some of the grass. Though the lawn might feel irrelevant now as you've probably stopped caring for it as much due to the cold setting in, you will regret not caring for it when summer comes around again. Prioritize your lawn always while raking, it is the most important. 

2. Use good equipment. Rakes with broken tines, bags with rips or holes, or anything else that will impede the job is not good at all. To use the examples from above: if the end of the rake is mangled or some of the tips have fallen off you will not be able to rake effectively (the leaves will not come off the ground as easily) and you might hurt the lawn. If you use bags with holes you won't notice the damage until you pull the bag out of the can but at that point, the stress of being pulled out of the can might cause the hole to grow larger and all of your hard work might fall out onto the ground. These are just two examples of why using equipment that is the best (or at least in the best shape) is always what you should do.

3. Stay safe and healthy while doing this job. Bending over and doing the repetitive motion of raking can be very hard on your back, picking up piles of leaves can hurt your legs and back, and dragging bags and trash cans all over your yard can also hurt you. It is important to take care of yourself before your yard, as raking is one of the most intense yard-working activities you will ever have to complete. Be careful with your back, arms, and legs. 

Now you know the steps to get a clean yard and how to take care of yourself while doing it. You also have some good techniques for how to keep yourself and your lawn healthy--use good equipment, use gentle strokes, etc. Now when you glance out the window on a Saturday morning and see all the leaves on the ground, you know exactly what to do and how to do it safely. 

Published August 4th, 2023.

LaVange, Don. WGLT, 27 Oct. 2017, www.wglt.org/show/wglts-sound-ideas/2017-10-27/glts-grow-to-rake-or-not-to-rake. Accessed 4 Aug. 2023.