It won’t be long before fall is upon us and tree leaves are blowing in the wind. Before it is time to rake and rake, take inventory of what you have in your garden shed.

Leaf Rakes

An A frame leaf rake is fan-shaped with tines close together. All the tines hit the ground at the same time for maximum ground coverage. This is the best rake for big lawns with lots of leaves. These come in a variety of widths and some are even adjustable so you can make the fan’s breadth more narrow to get around tight spots. Smaller rakes are great to clean out flower beds and hand rakes are perfect for really tight spots.

Leaf Rake Handles

Some leaf rakes have periscoping handles that allow you to adjust the length of the handle depending on who is using it. Someone 5′3″ needs a much shorter handle than a 6′2″ gardener. And if you have ever had a carpal-tunnel problem, you might want to invest in a leaf rake that has an ergonomic handle. It is more than a comfortable handle; the whole pole is reconfigured to make raking as easy on your body as possible–beyond the carpal-tunnel issue.

Clam Shell Construction

Once you rake the leaves into a pile, you have to scoop them into your compost pile or leaf bag. A leaf rake that is concave will help you move the leaves to where you want them. Essentially, it is like half a clam shell. Some rakes that emphasize this feature are rectangular shaped instead of A-framed.

Make sure your rake is in good shape and ready for fall–repair it or replace it, if needed. If you have broken or bent tines, you will have extra work, and an extra annoyance if the rake keeps leaving leaves behind.