TL;DR
Get pool and patio gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
A report originally published in 2003 describes gardener Larry Hodgson switching from an electric mower to a manual reel mower for a small Quebec lawn. The mower cuts quietly without electricity, but cannot shred autumn leaves; Hodgson says his electric leaf vacuum takes longer and makes more noise.
A gardener in Quebec replaced his electric mower with a manual reel mower after the electric machine failed, finding that it cut his small lawn quietly without using electricity. Larry Hodgson’s account, originally published in 2003 and republished by Laidback Gardener on October 5, 2026, also describes a drawback: the reel mower cannot shred leaves for mulch.
Hodgson said his front yard no longer had any lawn and his backyard had about 110 square feet (10 square metres) left. Mowing that area takes him no more than 10 minutes, he wrote. He found the reel mower’s cut at least as good as the electric mower’s and described it as nearly silent, with only a faint clicking sound.
The switch complicated his autumn routine. Hodgson had used the electric mower to chop fallen leaves and spread them as mulch in flower beds and a vegetable garden. He wrote that the leaf mulch decomposed quickly and that he had not needed to apply fertilizer to those plantings since he began using it. He also collected neighbors’ bagged leaves, with their permission.
After finding leaf shredders he considered too large and expensive for his needs, Hodgson bought an electric leaf vacuum that shreds leaves as it collects them in a bag. He said the combined cost of the reel mower and vacuum exceeded the price of an electric mower, and that vacuuming took about twice as long as his earlier mowing-and-shredding routine. He also described the vacuum as much noisier than his electric mower.
Small Lawns Change the Trade-Off
Hodgson’s account shows how lawn size and other yard work can shape the practical value of a low energy option. For a lawn of about 110 square feet, a person-powered mower can handle the cutting in minutes, according to his experience. A household with a larger lawn or limited ability to push a mower could face a different calculation.
The leaf issue also matters to gardeners who use autumn leaves as mulch. A reel mower may cut grass without fuel or electricity, but it does not perform the shredding task Hodgson had relied on. His experience suggests that comparing mowers alone may miss the cost, time and noise of separate equipment used for the rest of the yard.
The report does not provide emissions measurements or a life-cycle comparison of mower types. It therefore documents one gardener’s reasons and experience, rather than establishing which mower is most environmentally friendly for every household.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Gas to Manual Cutting
Hodgson wrote that he had previously replaced a gas mower with an electric one. He considered electric power a better fit for Quebec, where he said electricity was generated largely from hydropower rather than from burning nonrenewable resources. The report gives no emissions figures for either mower or the electricity supply.
When the electric mower stopped working in spring, Hodgson opted for a reel mower because his remaining lawn was small. His original article appeared in Fleurs, plantes, jardins in October 2003. Laidback Gardener’s 2026 page identifies the writing as Hodgson’s and says his son, Mathieu, has worked to make his father’s writings accessible.
No Broader Emissions Comparison
The report does not quantify emissions, electricity use, manufacturing impacts, purchase prices, or maintenance costs across mower types. Hodgson’s description of the gas mower as more polluting than a tractor-trailer is presented as a general comparison, without a cited study or measurement in the article.
It is also unclear whether Hodgson later found another way to shred leaves. The account ends with him wondering whether neighbors would object to sheep grazing early on a Sunday; it does not say that he obtained sheep or adopted another method.
The Leaf Problem Remains
The article reports no later equipment change or follow-up. Its final question about keeping sheep is a joke, not a stated plan. For readers considering a similar switch, the account points to practical questions to answer for their own yard: how much lawn needs cutting, whether leaves need shredding, and how much time, noise and equipment cost those tasks involve.
Key Questions
What mower did Larry Hodgson switch to?
He replaced a failed electric mower with a manual reel mower for the small lawn remaining at his Quebec home.
How large was the lawn he mowed?
Hodgson said his backyard lawn covered about 110 square feet (10 square metres); he said mowing it took no more than 10 minutes.
Why did the reel mower create a problem in autumn?
It cut grass but did not shred fallen leaves. Hodgson had used chopped leaves as mulch in his flower beds and vegetable garden.
What did Hodgson use to shred leaves?
He bought an electric leaf vacuum that shreds leaves while collecting them. He said it cost more as part of the combined setup, took twice as long for leaf work, and was noisier than his electric mower.
Does the report prove a reel mower is the most eco-friendly choice?
No. It describes one gardener’s experience and preferences but provides no measured emissions or full environmental comparison across mower types.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
