Will A Leaf Vacuum Pick Up Mulch? [Can It Remove Leaves From Mulch?]

Removing leaves from mulch seems to be challenging, but it is not. If you use suitable tools and methods, doing the task can be quick and easy. One piece of equipment to do this job is a leaf vacuum. However, do you think it will pick up mulch as you vacuum the leaves? Good thing we conducted thorough research for your convenience.

Fortunately, leaf vacuums can help eliminate leaves in your mulch while ensuring the mulch itself stays in place.

Aside from using leaf vacuums, there are still other options to remove the leaves. Additionally, you need to know the correct way to use leaf vacuums. Keep reading for further information.

Man using a portable vacuum to collect dead leaves, Will A Leaf Vacuum Pick Up Mulch? [Can It Remove Leaves From Mulch?]

Can You Use Leaf Vacuum To Remove Leaves From Mulch?

One quickest way to eliminate leaves from mulch is to use a leaf vacuum. It's a good thing that leaf vacuums won't suck up the mulch in your yard, only the leaves.

In autumn there is a man with a leaf vacuum cleaner in the garden

However, if you want your mulch to remain in place, it would be best to do it carefully. And to achieve the best results, combining it with a leaf blower is excellent. It is the best technique to eliminate those stubborn leaves from mulch.

Additionally, it is highly recommended to use an attachable bagger for the task. With the bagger, you can collect all the leaves neatly. Indeed, this technique will make it easier for you to work.

What are the Other Uses of a leaf vacuum?

Aside from picking and sucking the leaves off from mulch, there are still several things that you can do to make use of your leaf vacuum in gardening, and they are the following:

Cleaning Tool

You can use your leaf vacuum as a cleaning tool for other equipment, such as the lawn mower. After use, the leaf vacuum can suck up all the grass clippings from the mower.

Gutter Cleaner

You can use a leaf vacuum to clean your gutter. When you purchase a leaf vacuum with a blower combination, it would be best to uncover its entire specs. Some leaf vacuums have extra components and attachments that can aid you in gutter cleaning.

Shredder For Mulching

Use a leaf vacuum for mulching. There are available leaf vacuum mulchers that allow you to shred your collected leaves as you vacuum them. After shredding the leaves, it would be best to use them as mulch.

Check out this leaf vacuum, blower, and mulcher on Amazon.

Why Is It Important To Remove Leaves From Mulch?

Removing leaves from mulch is a must. It is because overly abundant leaves can suffocate your garden's vegetation.

Decomposing leaves also act like a sponge that soaks up water and prevents it from reaching the soil. This not only encourages the growth of mold and fungus but also starves and delays the growth of the roots of your plants.

However, a few leaves scattered among the mulch probably won't hurt anything, but a considerable accumulation can be detrimental to your garden.

And, even though whole leaves are bad for your soil, shredding them and using them as mulch can help improve the soil's health.

Therefore, it would be best to make use of all those leaves by making mulch. You may also make your natural fertilizer by adding shredded leaves to your compost pile.

Check the video below for a tutorial:

How To Use Leaves As Mulch?

When Should You Remove Leaves From Mulch?

Garden full of leaves

When you notice that about 1/4 of your garden or yard is covered with leaves, it is time to remove them. In this way, you can still protect your vegetation from harm and damage caused by decomposing leaves.

How To Properly Clear Mulch From Leaves?

Seeing too many fallen leaves in your garden or yard is indeed annoying, most especially if they smother your mulch and plants. It would be best to take action immediately. Plan what equipment or method you should use.

Gardeners sometimes get into trouble when removing leaves from mulched areas. In a few instances, they unintentionally disturb the mulch or even injure the surrounding plants. Aside from using a leaf vacuum, there are still other ways of doing the task successfully.

Utilize a rake

Thick pile of golden leaves and blue rake for cleaning

Most gardeners think of adjustable rakes as their first choice. When choosing a rake, look for one that lets you collapse the head inward. This feature can aid you can get into tight spaces, especially when working in-between plants.

In addition, it would be best to purchase an adjustable rake with bendable metal tines. This type of rake collects leaves without tearing up the mulch in your garden.

Lastly, uncovering your buried plants from leaves is ideal before raking. Doing so will avoid damaging the plants.

Check out this metal rake on Amazon.

Utilize A Leaf Blower

Leaf blower in yard blowing fallen leaves into a pile on a bright sunny autumn day

If you notice that your yard or garden is full of fallen leaves, it would be best to prepare your leaf blower/vacuum combo. It is the quickest way to remove the leaves, especially if they come in piles.

It would be best to use the blower setting correctly. To do so, incline the leaf blower a little upward. With this technique, you won't have to worry about the mulch scattering everywhere.

Check out this leaf blower on Amazon.

Remove by hand

There are instances in which you need to remove the leaves on mulch manually and with the aid of a hand rake. Be sure to use your hand gloves in this method.

This approach applies if the mulch only contains wood chips, hulls, or anything light. This is the ideal and the surest method if you don't want to damage anything, especially your plants and mulch.

In addition, if you keep the fallen leaves out of your mulch or garden right away, you don't need other equipment in the future.

Check out this hand rake on Amazon.

Use A Landscape Fabric

This approach proves that prevention is better than cure. Using a landscape fabric is the ideal method of preventing leaves from covering your mulch in the first place.

It would be best to use one early in the fall and cover the area you wish to protect from falling leaves. However, ensure you cut the fabric in some places with existing plants. You should also use rocks at the edges of the fabric to prevent them from getting blown by the wind.

Once the fabric gets full of leaves, you can easily remove all of them by lifting the landscape fabric out of the mulch. Finally, there's no more need to use a rake, leaf blower, leaf vacuum, and hands to remove those stubborn leaves.

Further, you don't have to worry about damaging your plants and mulch using the landscape fabric. It can still permit air and water to seep through the fabric, which will not hinder the mulch and plants from receiving their needed moisture and oxygen. Moreover, never use a tarp since it can just damage.

Check out this landscape fabric on Amazon.

There is only one key to remember when clearing your mulch from leaves. It is working carefully and gently to avoid any further damage. And once you have got the hang of your selected leaf-removing equipment, you can successfully execute the task.

It's A Wrap!

Leaves being vacuumed up a electric corded machine with a collection bag

Using a leaf vacuum in removing leaves from mulch is possible, as long as you do it the right way. Follow the tips to achieve the best results and enjoy a leaf-free mulch and garden.

We hope you find this post helpful. Please leave a comment if you still have additional concerns. We'd love to hear from you! And to continue reading, you might want to check out these posts!

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