Leaf Removal & Seasonal Clean Up in Harkaway

Leaf Removal & Seasonal Clean Up in Harkaway: Local Conditions

The carriageway avenues of oaks and elms in Harkaway produce one of the most concentrated leaf-fall loads in the Casey region. Estate properties have extended the example set by the Harkaway Avenue of Honour, and the long runs from road gate to homestead mean a lot of canopy over a lot of driveway. Autumn clean-ups run from late April through June. The work is systematic. We start with passes along the driveway avenue, then collect from lawns, and finish by clearing gutters and drains. The timing needs thought. Poplar and liquidambar specimens planted as feature trees near the homestead add a secondary leaf-fall, and it often starts two weeks earlier than the oaks. A single late-May clean-up therefore does not capture the full season, and two or three visits is a more realistic plan. The heritage-scale trees need gentler treatment. Leaf litter accumulating at the base of the avenue trees should be managed with rakes rather than blowers, which avoids soil compaction and root damage in the drip zone. Elsewhere on the property, equipment is fine, and ridge-top wind can help move leaf if it is collected promptly. Leaf also affects other jobs. Sealed driveways under the avenue pick up tannin staining if leaf sits on them, so a pass of leaf clearing ahead of any pressure cleaning is worthwhile. Mowing is easier when the lawn is clear too. We set the visit dates around when your trees drop, and tell you if a later pass is needed.

Working in Harkaway