What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

--
Cheers,

John.

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"John Rumm" wrote in message
o.uk...
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch fork
would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into a
bigger compost pile in the corner)

--
Cheers,

John.

I find one of those multi-tined forks, as used for mucking out horses, very
good for exactly this purpose. AKA shavings fork. A quick scrape around with
a lawn rake afterwards and it's all gone.
Summat like this perhaps:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Shav...ht_2086wt_1400

All the best,
Nick.

On 02/04/2014 00:01, Nick wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote in message
o.uk...
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch fork
would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into a
bigger compost pile in the corner)

--
Cheers,

John.

I find one of those multi-tined forks, as used for mucking out horses, very
good for exactly this purpose. AKA shavings fork. A quick scrape around with
a lawn rake afterwards and it's all gone.
Summat like this perhaps:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Shav...ht_2086wt_1400

Ah, had not heard of those, sounds like it could be ideal.


--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 01/04/2014 22:27, John Rumm wrote:
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

I've always used a grass rake.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-88801...dp/B000MPRWJK/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:wN2dnQuatNPFsqbOnZ2dnUVZ8iSdnZ2d@brightview. co.uk...
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

--
Cheers,

John.

I find one of those multi-tined forks, as used for mucking out horses, very
good for exactly this purpose. AKA shavings fork. A quick scrape around
with a lawn rake afterwards and it's all gone.
Summat like this perhaps:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Metal-Shav...ht_2086wt_1400

All the best,
Nick.

I use an old muck fork as well.

Mike

On Wed, 02 Apr 2014 01:41:39 +0100, Fredxxx wrote:

On 01/04/2014 22:27, John Rumm wrote:
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

I've always used a grass rake.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-88801...dp/B000MPRWJK/

Yup me too. A gloved hand and a rake.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

mogga scribbled...

http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

10% off divorces !

Making money out of misery

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 8:10:53 AM UTC+1, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 22:27:55 +0100, John Rumm

wrote:



What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut

grass?



Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and

loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the

moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and

lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch

fork would be a better choice?



(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into

a bigger compost pile in the corner)



'Big Hands' garden scoops: http://tinyurl.com/o3c4wnq



--



Chris

What you want is what in Ireland is called a Grape. It is similar in appearance to a garden digging fork except the tines are thin, round and pointed instead of flat. The head also tends to be bigger and the handle longer and thicker. They may be called Manure forks in your neck of the wood

In message , fred
writes
On Wednesday, April 2, 2014 8:10:53 AM UTC+1, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 22:27:55 +0100, John Rumm

wrote:



What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut

grass?

What you want is what in Ireland is called a Grape. It is similar in
appearance to a garden digging fork except the tines are thin, round
and pointed instead of flat. The head also tends to be bigger and the
handle longer and thicker. They may be called Manure forks in your neck
of the wood

I use the *chaff* fork left over from thrashing drum days. Wheat or Oats
used to produce huge piles which was saved for mixing with horse feed.
Tines as above but roughly 3 times the size of a manure fork.

--
Tim Lamb

In article , John
Rumm writes
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

A bit of hardboard in each hand, sized to suit your strength.

Not shovelling I grant you but having tried a few methods of moving
leaves I've always come back to the old favourite of bits of hardboard
used as hand wideners (grippy side in). It'll shift a ton bag size pile
in no time and no worries about the last few bits moving away from the
shovel, you just scrape the sides into a pile again and pinch it up.
--
fred
it's a ba-na-na . . . .

On 02/04/2014 14:29, fred wrote:
In article , John
Rumm writes
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)

A bit of hardboard in each hand, sized to suit your strength.

Not shovelling I grant you but having tried a few methods of moving
leaves I've always come back to the old favourite of bits of hardboard
used as hand wideners (grippy side in). It'll shift a ton bag size pile
in no time and no worries about the last few bits moving away from the
shovel, you just scrape the sides into a pile again and pinch it up.

Yup I have used the technique for leaves etc, but it does not really
suit the layout in this case since I would have to get into the middle
of the pile myself to be in the right position to shift it back into the
corner. Something with a longish handle will work since I can scoop and
then "throw" it either from the front of the pile or the side of it.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 01/04/2014 22:27, John Rumm wrote:
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)


wife

--
UK SelfBuild: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/UK_Selfbuild/

On 02/04/2014 20:43, Rick Hughes wrote:
On 01/04/2014 22:27, John Rumm wrote:
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

Currently I use a large snow shovel, which is ok if its very fresh and
loose, and you have a reasonably firm base to scoop off. However the
moment it starts to compost it becomes difficult to "get under" in and
lift a whole scope at a time. I was wondering if a long handled pitch
fork would be a better choice?

(mainly for moving it a few yards from where the mower can drop it, into
a bigger compost pile in the corner)


wife

I have found sprogs can be quite effective, but they are getting savvy
enough now to expect payment ;-)


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
fred wrote:

On Tue, 01 Apr 2014 22:27:55 +0100, John Rumm
What implement have you find is the best for shifting large piles of cut
grass?

What you want is what in Ireland is called a Grape. It is similar in
appearance to a garden digging fork except the tines are thin, round and
pointed instead of flat. The head also tends to be bigger and the handle
longer and thicker. They may be called Manure forks in your neck of the wood


Bit late to this party (been away), but: Bang on!

I have a Bulldog Muck Fork, aka a Compost Fork: mine is like this:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ngconga

I've had it about a dozen years, and it's been one of my Top Ten Tools
since the day I bought it. It's infinitely better than a garden fork for
the job.

John