Fall's changing leaves may be beautiful, but can be a real chore for gardeners when they start piling up on the ground. Clearing leaves off the lawn prevents suffocation, letting the ground breathe in preparation for spring. And while leaving fallen foliage on beds and borders can eventually generate useful mulch, this creates a slippery mess on driveways, pavements, patios and paths

So what is the best way to clear dead leaves out of your high-use areas?

For a real workout use a manual rake, or get extra clearing power with a leaf blower or shredder vac. Powered blowers and shredder vacs relieve the strain of clearing driveways, paths and lawns, and the latest STIHL models make clearing leaves a breeze.

Use your collected leaves to make valuable compost. Shred them first if possible to speed decomposition, then put the leaves into a black plastic trash bag and water them if dry to help them rot. Secure the bag loosely and punch holes in the side. Leave it for a year or two (preferably in a cool spot), and your garden waste will become useful compost.

Each STIHL blower offers its own distinct benefits, and with a choice of gasoline, electric or battery power there is a model to suit most pockets and garden tasks. STIHL shredder vacs are versatile tools, unique in their ability to shred the leaves finely as they gather them up.

Mowing over leaves is one of the quickest and easiest ways to clear them from your lawn. Your lawn mower must have good suction power and be a collecting model (with a box or bag). The battery-powered, walk-behind RMA 370 STIHL Lawn Mower is ideal for the task; its impressive suction performance, ordinarily used to lift grass upright for a quick, clean cut, makes it an efficient leaf collector. Plus, its lithium-ion technology significantly reduces your carbon emissions.

Tips:

• Blow leaves into a pile before collecting them up with a STIHL shredder vac or by hand.
• Extend the reach of your STIHL blower more than ten feet and clear leaves out of low gutters with the Gutter Kit attachment.
• Ask your STIHL Dealer about the choice of blower accessories available for our powerful gas blowers. Gain extra support for Backpack Blowers with the optional Hip Belt, or convert your STIHL handheld blower to a vacuum by attaching the Vacuum Kit.