Some types of landscape rakes are designed for removing leaves, pine cones, or grass from a lawn. Others might be more suitable for spreading gravel, topsoil, manure, or compost. There are also those that are best used for working fertilizer into the soil in a flower garden. They might be used manually when landscaping small places, or attached to a garden tractor for working in large areas.
Many times, a yard might need to have debris such as leaves, grass clippings, or pine cones removed from it before planting can begin. There are a number of landscape rakes designed for doing this. Most of the time, these models have a wooden handle that is around four feet (1.22 m) long. There are usually fan-shaped tines at the end of the pole made of plastic or metal. These could be spaced anywhere from 1/2-inch to one inch (1.26 to 2.54 cm) apart.
In other instances, a person might need to spread compost, gravel, mulch, or other matter. Landscape rakes designed for this purpose may somewhat resemble a push broom. They normally have a flat head and short tines that are placed tightly together. The tines are normally metal, while the handle might be made of wood or plastic.
Hand-held landscape rakes can be useful for adding fertilizer to a flower bed. These devices normally have very short handles that are slightly curved in order to make them easier to hold onto. They also typically have three long tines that are widely spaced and somewhat fan-shaped. They are normally used while kneeling along the edge of a flower bed, but might also be ideal for use in certain kinds of plant containers.
Some types of landscape rakes can be used manually, while others are designed to be pulled behind a riding lawn mower or small tractor. Hand-held versions are normally used when there is a small area to be raked. Larger ones that attach to lawn equipment are generally used when a heavy load of gravel or dirt needs to be spread, such as when making a driveway or walkway.
It can be easy to find the right landscape rake no matter what job a homeowner might need to do. An associate at a lawn and garden store can usually be very helpful in making a selection. Purchasing this equipment can make beautifying a lawn or garden simpler for many people to do. This is true whether they are a professional landscaper or simply a hobbyist.