It’s
not fall but the leaves are piling up
Homes
across the Tampa Bay area are fighting the battle to prevent leaves from
overtaking their yards.
Hope
is not lost if you are considering surrendering to the leaves that repeatedly
take up residence around your home. You will eventually have to rake those
leaves and an article on http://www.pennlive.com provides a bevy of tips to help you get the job done.
1.
Decide to tackle the leaves on a day when the wind isn’t blowing too
much and the leaves are dry.
2.
Have a plan about where the leaves will go once you have that nice pile
ready to go. You can place them in leaf bags, your garden or in the compost
pile.
3.
Select a good plastic rake. The rakes made of bamboo can easily break
and the metal ones are better for yard debris other than leaves. Use one that
has a cushioned handle to be gentle on your hands, has a basket shape to gather
even more leaves than a standard one and one that can tackle wet or dry leaves.
4.
Raking is physical activity similar to exercising so prep your body with
5 to 10 minutes of stretches, particularly when it’s not warm.
5.
Stand up straight when you are raking.
6.
When you need to move the leaves, pick them up and place them in your
receptacle unit, don’t twist your body and throw them to the side or over your
shoulder.
7.
Maintain a posture that allows the rake to stay perpendicular to the
ground. This posture allows your body additional leverage on the rake and
reduces friction between the ground and rake.
8.
Change sides every 10 minutes so muscle pain doesn’t sneak up on you.
9.
Don’t rush and pace yourself.
10. Take a break so that the task doesn’t
overwhelm you.
11. Drink lots of water to make sure you stay
hydrated.
You
must be vigilant when it comes to leaves. Rake at least once a week to stop
them from accumulating.
