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Leaf Blowing Wet Leaves : Top Tips & Techniques

When the autumnal leaves begin to fall, a leaf blower is the perfect tool to tackle any build-up which collects on your lawn and outdoor area. As the cooler months progress the likelihood of the leaves remaining dry are slim. There is much discussion around whether you can use a leaf blower to tackle wet leaves with many gardener’s opting to use a hand rake or wait until leaves become dry before taking on the job. Whilst it is true that wet leaves are trickier to tackle due to their increased weight it is still possible to maintain a garden free from leaves and debris if you follow the below tips!

Damp, Wet Or Soaked Through

There is a difference. If the leaves are damp then it shouldn’t be a problem, a little wet with a powerful jet will still work well but if leaves are soaked then best to leave well alone until they have had time to dry a little.

If you don’t have time to allow the soaked leaves to dry or the weather isn’t letting up, it would be more advantageous to rake the leaves and garden debris into a pile before disposing of them. Wet leaves can become a slip hazard if they are in the wrong place so you may just need to get rid quickly.

Blowing Vs. Vaccum

Wet leaves in general are much harder to work with as the additional water makes them heavier. As a result you would need a more powerful blower vacuum, as the force required to shift them is greater. There is a balance that needs to be struck however as you don't want to damage your lawn underneath the leaves.

There are powerful enough machines available at most retailers so it is just about finding the right one for your needs. The Flymo GardenVac 2700 has a jet vac mode, which is designed to provide an extra boost of suction to lift particularly stubborn wet leaves.

There are even some advantages to using wet leaves with a vacuum as mulching moist leaves minimises the dust that you would get from dry leaves. The trade-off is the additional effort. All Flymo blower vacs can handle wet leaves however for that extra oomph the Flymo Powervac can become a handy tool for the job. Its 86.11 m/s air speed (roughly 192mph) is more than powerful enough to shift even the most obstinate leaves and its 16:1 mulch ratio means it can shrink them down quickly and without much fuss.

What Type Of Leaf Blower Do You Need For Wet Leaves?

Leaf blowers and vacuums come with different propulsion systems so it is important to be aware of the capabilities of each type of leaf blower. Traditionally petrol or 2-stroke blowers are more powerful as they can spin the fans faster. These can be loud and heavy however so for smaller lawns an electric or battery blower would do the job. All Flymo blower vacs are plug-in electric with 10-12m cables so can tackle most small to mid-sized garden. This is likely to be more than enough for most garden requirements however if your leaf build up is quite heavy you may need a more powerful leaf blower.

As wet leaves are heavier it means when collecting, the leaf blower's collection bag can get heavier more quickly. Some blower vacs come with wheel accessories that can make it easier to manoeuvre around the garden. The Flymo Scirocco 3000 comes with a wheel as standard.

GardenVac 2700