Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
As summer winds down and temperatures drop, many of your customers may have a sense of dread as they order their pumpkin spice lattes. It’s inevitable, and for anyone with a lawn, will be an unwelcome part of their weekends for the next few months.
Fall is here. And the leaves are coming down.
Raking leaves might have been the least-favorite chore of many people’s childhoods (and possibly adulthoods) but the task doesn’t have to be the frustrating slog it was in the past. Here are a few tips you can give your customers on cleaning up their yards and how you can help them accomplish it.
Plenty of Rake Options
There’s a tool for every task, and the ubiquitous rake has long been the standby for clearing dead leaves. However, times have changed and technology has updated the rake to the point that consumers have real options when considering their choices.
Telescoping handles, brushes that can change how far they are spread and ergonomic designs are just a few areas rakes have been updated. Make sure to have a diverse number of options and that you know about any special features. A wide range of prices is best, but you should caution customers that investing in a more durable rake will likely work out better for them than buying an inexpensive plastic rake each season.
Beyond the Rake
So is there a way to avoid the whole raking leaves situation entirely? There is and you can help your customers make it happen by carrying mulching supplies. Task-built mulching mowers allow users to push the mower across the yard to mulch leaves in place, while lawn mower manufacturers often have kits available to attach a mulching blade in place of the normal grass-cutting option and close off the area that ejects trimmings or blows them into an attached bag. If the customer is OK with how the leaves look mulched, the mulched remains can be left in place on grass to slowly decompose. If not, there are other options.
Don’t Rake, Reuse
For those looking for the true minimalist option, leaves can be allowed to remain in a yard and decompose naturally. The neighbors probably won’t like it, and mulching makes that process move much faster, but it’s still an option.
Otherwise, if they’ve raked the leaves, ask if your customer is into composting. Dead leaves can make a great composting option for those interested in trying to strengthen their green thumb, and you can aid them in getting started with the range of modern composting products available. Mulched leaves can also be used as insulation in flower beds and around shrubs, keeping the chilly autumn air away from vulnerable roots.
