So I guess I have 3 questions and 1 concern.
How much area do you blow off, how deep do your leaves get, and how long does it take you?
I mow about 1.25 acres of leaves, in about 2.5 hours (4 if wet). There are spots if I let it go for a while, easily a foot deep of leaves.
My concern is my septic field. Not trying to put ~3500lbs (tractor plus implement) over my 400ftish septic field with my 3901.
If I could rent one of the PTO blower machines, I'd totally try it out.
I KNOW the CR works very well.
It sounds like we have similar conditions. This is a 12 acre 100 yr old farmstead with stately cottonwood trees galore. Large ash, boxelder, basswood, black walnut, & others. Underbrush of buckthorn, dogwood and unknowns. An adjacent 7 acre parcel owned has an acre or more of grass between windbreaks that I maintain. Between the two parcels I suspect we mow/maintain easily 5 acres or more. The yard and driveway is studded with trees. The rest of the non lawn acres is extremely thick woods.
We first used a pull behind sweeper to collect and dump leaves. What a month long chore as the different trees dropped their leaves at different times. The woods surrounded the grass areas so no matter which way the wind blew those areas were covered!!
One open area (1.5 acres +/-) with the right wind conditions can be cleaned in less than a half hour depending on dry vs. wet leaves, etc. They get blown right back into the woods around the perimeter. Prior to the blower, if winter came early before getting the leaves off........I was reseeding grass the next spring.
For my situation, the benefit of this blower is: Small footprint for maneuverability. Easy on/off so you can hook up in minutes and quickly clear an area of leaves as they fall. No maintenance required other than routine greasing. No aux motor to maintain. Quiet. 30+ yrs with nary an issue, even the drive belts are original still.
In the right conditions with dry leaves it clears an average 10 ft swath as you drive. Depending on wind or moisture it can be more....or less. How long does it take? That depends on conditions. But what used to take me a month of evenings with the lawn sweep now takes a few quick sessions sitting on the tractor as the different trees drop their leaves. Along with a small gas blower for some flower beds along the house, etc., there's virtually no need to touch a rake.
For concerns with your grass covered mound system....they also make gas powered blowers that you push like a lawn mower. They're like a back pack blower on steroids. Since you already have the other leaf collecting system......that might be something to consider for over your septic mound?
I suspect the newer models are even more efficient than my old one. Maybe
@B737 and some of the other users of the new models will chime in.
That would be slick if you could find one nearby to try out!! Each type of system has its place. If you don't actually need to collect your leaves, but can blow them back into the woods.....these blowers rule.
@B737 has a unique way of collecting his stash of leaves and disposing of them with his grapple mod!
