Gravel beds are becoming increasingly popular, and not just in the front garden. They look attractive and require relatively little care. However, the gravel surface becomes dirty over time due to falling leaves and plant parts. The area can be cleaned relatively easily with a leaf broom. However, a leaf vacuum can make this work noticeably easier and scores points with enormous time savings, especially in large beds.
Can you use a leaf vacuum on gravel beds?
A leaf vacuum is suitable for cleaning gravel beds with a grain size of at least 15 millimeters. It removes leaves and plant parts quickly and is gentle on your back, although electric models are quieter than petrol-powered devices.
What is a leaf vacuum?
These devices work similarly to a standard vacuum cleaner. Leaves and plant parts are sucked in, passed through a long tube (€89.00 on Amazon) and collected in a bag. High-quality leaf vacuums also have a mechanism that shreds the sucked up plant material. This means that around ten times more leaves can fit into the collection bag than before. Unless you compost the shredded leaves or use them directly as mulch, the organic waste bin will not fill up so quickly.
There are electric leaf vacuums and those that run on gasoline. The constant noise from devices with gasoline engines can be annoying, especially in residential areas. Electric models are significantly quieter. However, the cable can sometimes interfere with work.
Advantage:
Leaves and plant parts can be removed from the gravel bed without much effort and in a way that is gentle on your back and faster than before.
Disadvantage:
Very moist plant material is not always absorbed and sometimes remains stuck between the pebbles. Then you have to rework with the fan broom, which should have rounded metal or plastic ends.
Is the leaf vacuum suitable for every gravel bed?
In principle yes, because from a grain size of around 15 millimeters the stones usually have enough weight to not be sucked up. However, the device should be guided over the surface with sufficient distance.
Tip
Instead of composting the resulting leaves directly or throwing them in the trash, you can leave them in a corner of the garden during the winter. It offers many animals a good opportunity to overwinter.
