Pine cones are a common sight in yards and parks where pine trees grow. As the pine cones fall from the trees, they can quickly litter the ground, making areas messy and hazardous for walking. Raking and picking up pine cones is often a necessary task to keep areas looking tidy. But pine cones can be tricky to pick up. Their rounded, irregular shape makes scooping them up with a normal rake difficult. And picking them up by hand can be tedious and time consuming. So what are some easy methods for collecting pine cones efficiently? There are a few specialized tools and techniques that can make quick work of pine cone pickup.
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Using a Pine Cone Rake
A pine cone rake is a rake specifically designed to pick up pine cones quickly and easily. The head of the rake has wide, curved tines that are shaped to scoop up and hold pine cones as you rake. Pine cone rakes are low to the ground so you can rake right along the lawn or garden bed to grab all the pine cones. The tines are also flexible to help scoop up cones nestled in grass and leaves.
Pine cone rakes come in a few different sizes. A small handheld one is great for smaller yards and landscaped areas. Larger stand-up pine cone rakes with long handles allow you to cover more ground without having to bend over as much.
To use a pine cone rake, simply rake it along the area with pine cones in long, sweeping motions. The curved tines will scoop up the cones and allow you to collect large piles before emptying the rake into a bin or wheelbarrow. Make sure to overlap your raking paths to grab all the pine cones. Pine cone rakes are much faster than trying to collect cones with a normal rake or by hand. They also help protect your back by reducing bending.
Here are some top options for pine cone rakes:
| Pine Cone Rake | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Garden Weasel Medium Pinecone Rake | Durable steel tines, 31 inch length |
| Yard Butler Rocket Rake | Lightweight aluminum, 63 inch length |
| Nisaku NJP550 Tom Rake | Heavy duty steel, 51 inch length |
Using a Leaf Scoop
While designed for picking up leaves, a leaf scoop can also work great for pine cones. The deep basket and sturdy tines allow you to rake and lift cones with ease. Look for a leaf scoop with a wide basket (around 24 inches or more) and tines that will be able to comb through grass and dirt to grab pine cones. Metal or plastic scoops will be the most durable options.
A leaf scoop offers a few advantages over a regular pine cone rake:
– The basket holds much more, requiring fewer trips to empty.
– The tines can be used to actively scoop and lift cones, not just rake them up.
– The shape is ideal for scooping cones out of flower beds and gardens.
Make sure to get a leaf scoop with a handle at least 4-5 feet long so you don’t have to bend over as far while using it. Sweep the tines over the ground to collect pine cones into the basket, then lift and dump into a wheelbarrow or bin.
Some top-rated leaf scoops include:
| Leaf Scoop | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Bully Tools Poly Leaf Scoop | 42 gallon poly basket, 58 inch handle |
| Leaf Life Heavy Duty Scoop | 24 inch steel basket, 53 inch handle |
| Worth Garden Leaf Scoop | 26 inch plastic basket, 48 inch handle |
Blowing Them Into Piles
For large areas with lots of pine cones, a leaf blower can make the job much easier. Use a powered leaf blower on high velocity setting to blow and gather the pine cones into piles or rows. This takes advantage of the light, irregular shape of pine cones that allows them to be pushed by the air stream. Blow the cones across sidewalks, driveways or patios into a centralized pile.
Aim nozzle near the ground to most effectively sweep up cones. Overlap blowing paths for the best coverage. Blow from different directions to get all the cones concentrated into one spot.
Once the pine cones are gathered into piles, you can then collect them into a trash bin or wheelbarrow. Some benefits of blowing them into grouped piles first include:
– Much faster than raking or picking up each individual cone.
– Allows you to quickly clear large areas.
– Consolidates the cones so there are fewer trips to carry and dump.
– Great for gathering cones from a long distance away.
Any high-power gas or electric leaf blower can work. Handheld blowers are best for smaller jobs, while backpack blowers provide more power and mobility for larger yards.
Using a Drop Spreader
A unique way to gather pine cones is by using a wheeled drop spreader. This is a lawn fertilizer spreader that can be adjusted to lightly pick up and collect debris. To use a drop spreader:
– Set the adjustable opening to around 1/4 inch so it lightly brushes the ground.
– Roll it over areas with pine cones so the cones are swept up into the basket.
– When full, pull up the lever to release and empty the load.
The wheels let the spreader roll smoothly over the lawn, while the gentle ground clearance gathers up pine cones. It takes advantage of the small, light nature of pine cones. The spreaders cover more ground than raking or hand picking. Emptying the load is quick and easy as well.
Any small push drop spreader, either handheld or larger wheeled ones will work. Use a spreader with a large capacity hopper so you don’t have to empty it too frequently. These types of spreaders are inexpensive options usually under $50.
Using a Lawn Vacuum/Sweeper
For the ultimate in pine cone pickup convenience, a lawn vacuum or sweeper is a great option. These pull behind yard vacuums have a wide intake head that scoops up debris as you walk behind them. The powerful vacuum suction lifts items like pine cones up into the bag for easy disposal.
Benefits of using a lawn vacuum include:
– Fast, effortless pickup that rivals blowers.
– Can vacuum up even the smallest pine cones.
– Convenient hopper design to empty collected debris.
– Models with chipper shredder blades can break down pine cones if desired.
Walk at a steady pace behind the sweeper to vacuum up all the pine cones strewn over your property. The brushes and vacuum nozzle do all the work so no raking, bending or leaves blowing required!
Some top lawn vacuum models include:
| Lawn Vacuum | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Agri-Fab Push Lawn Sweeper | 52 inch sweep width, mesh hopper bag |
| Ohio Steel Pro Sweeper | 42 inch sweep, 10 cubic foot hopper |
| Brinly STS-427LXH | 42 inch sweep, 20 gallon collection bin |
Conclusion
Pine cones can quickly accumulate and litter your yard. But specialized tools make pickup fast and easy. Pine cone rakes, leaf scoops, leaf blowers, drop spreaders and lawn vacuums are all great options depending on your specific needs:
– Pine cone rakes provide an efficient manual pickup method. Models with long handles are easy on your back.
– Leaf scoops have a large capacity and allow easy lifting and dumping of pine cones.
– Leaf blowers quickly concentrate cones for fast cleanup of large areas.
– Inexpensive drop spreaders gently brush up cones for easy transport.
– Tow behind lawn vacuums offer the fastest and most complete pine cone removal.
Next time pine cones cover your property, take advantage of one of these tools to make quick work of the cleanup. With the right equipment, you can take the hassle out of pine cone removal. Your yard will look tidy again in no time.