Alright, a few days ago I noticed the first professional lawn service advertisement at my door. Time to start going out and advertising your lawn business!

Paper the neighborhood! Oh, and don't forget to reconnect with last year's customers. Shoot them an email or call them to reestablish your business.

This post should give you a good idea about papering the neighborhood with your lawn service:

Advertise Your Teen Lawn Service With Flyers

If you are just starting out your lawn business new this season, check out some of these links:

So You Want to Start a Teen Lawn Mowing Business
How to Start a Teen Lawn Service
Questions to Consider When Starting a Teen Lawn Business

Good luck with your lawn businesses this year, and stay tuned for upcoming posts in the next few weeks!

Labels: business, Spring/Summer

Learning how to edge with your weed eater is an important skill to master. It will give your customers a far more professional cut.

Important!

Make sure you know how to properly and safely use your weed eater before trying to edge with it. For more information, check out my article on weed eater safety.

How to Edge with a Weed Eater

1. Start the unit.

2. Flip your weed eater over (180 degrees) so the guard is facing up. Make sure the trimmer string is at a 90 degree angle to the edge of the grass.

3. Carefully and methodically run your weed eater along the edge of the grass. Lots of grass and dirt will probably fly up. That's normal, although you have to be sure that your aren't scalping the edge of the grass or making cuts into the side of it-- just make sure it looks pretty. If you are edging on the grass that separates a sidewalk from a road, remember to cut both sides of the grass.

4. Edging can be hard on the trimmer. If the grass is especially unruly, you may have to pull the string out several times before you are finished edging. However, don't let this discourage you-- after edging once, maintaining the edge is simple and doesn't take much effort.

5. I can't emphasize enough that you should be VERY CAREFUL while edging. When you edge, you are setting out to make your customers' lawn look nicer. However, if you screw up and run the weed eater all over, making ugly cuts and scalping grass all over their yard, it makes the lawn look very UN professional.

6. Afterward, there will be lots of dirt and grass lying on the sidewalk. You will need to clean this up. A few methods for cleanup that I would suggest are:

• Using a blower is the easiest option. It also creates the most visually appealing effect. However, if you don't need one for the yard or don't want to bring it on the job, there are a couple of other options as well.
• Running your lawn mower over the sidewalk works relatively well, and it isn't too hard, either. However, there will be a few scraps left on the sidewalk, so it's not as nice as using a blower.
• I have never tried this method, but according to Nick Tart's book about running a teen lawn business, you can use your weed eater as a mini blower. This method apparently works with small debris, so I'm pretty sure you can use it for after-edging cleanup.

Edging your customers' lawns gives a more professional feel to their yards, as well as making them just plain look nicer, overall.

Feel free to charge extra for edging. It is another service that you can add to your portfolio. Your customers' lawns could really benefit from edging.

To conclude, you don't need an expensive "edger" to give your customers' lawns a clean look. Your weed eater will work just fine.

Labels: services, Spring/Summer

The other day, my dad, mom and I were sitting at our dining room table eating breakfast. My dad was telling my mom about how there were a lot of new maple saplings sprouting up in our yard, and that he was going to have to take them out.

While listening to this conversation, I saw an opportunity: offer to plant those trees in my customer's yards.

I talked to my dad about it, and he said it would be fine if I did that. I already knew how to replant a tree, seeing as we had replanted a few last year. (More on how to replant a tree later in the post.)

I wrote an email pitching the offer to my clients. It looked like the following:

Hi, this is Ben. I have a few maple trees that have sprouted up in my yard, and was wondering if you would like J and I to plant one of them in your yard.

These are just young saplings, and might not survive. If they don't live, we would give you a full refund.

Just wondering if you wanted another tree or two in your yard. (:

- Ben

I sent it individually, and personalized each message. Notice how I offered a full refund if the saplings did not survive. It is important to give your customers security if they are paying you to do a job.

Out of the four clients my buddy and I mow, I sent the offer to two. Of the two I didn't pitch the offer to, one doesn't communicate by email, and the other is temporarily renting their house.

Both my offers were rejected-- neither of the two customers needed more trees in their yard.

Although my plan didn't work out as hoped, I have learned a couple of things from it:

Don't be afraid to offer

Just because your customer rejects the offer you make doesn't mean that you will lose their business or the customer-service provider relationship you have developed with them.

Be on the lookout for opportunities to further your business

Just learning a small tidbit, like the fact that you have extra saplings in your yard, could help you to provide another service to your customers and to help your business make more money. Always be looking for new ways to help your customers with their lawns: this will turn into cash for your business.

Nick Tart told me recently that Emil Motycka has 40 lawns this summer. (Stay tuned! Emil has agreed to answer a set of interview questions from me, so there should be a post about this coming up in the near future.) Now, if I had 40 lawns, I bet I would have gotten a much better return on my offer than 0%. But you know what? This experience just motivates me to want to grow my business even more. Maybe one day, the same offer will boost my earnings quite a bit.

The post isn't over yet. Although I have told you my own story about offering to plant trees in my customer's yard, I haven't actually told you how to do it. Well, here we are:

How to Replant a Sapling

Important tools:

Shovel
Wheel barrow

Steps

1. Dig a wide hole around the roots of the sapling. Do not break or cut the roots.

2. Place the sapling with the dirt in the roots into a wheelbarrow. Put dirt around the roots in the wheelbarrow.

3. Slog your way to the place where you will plant the tree with your wheel barrow and the shovel.

4. Dig a hole half again or two times larger than the roots.

5. Place the tree in the hole. Make sure you fill in the area around the roots with nutrient-rich topsoil, because then the tree will have a greater likelihood of surviving.

6. The tree has been planted. Congratulate yourself on a job well done. Advise your customer to water the sapling often.

Conclusion

If you have a few extra saplings sprouting up in your yard, it can't hurt to offer to plant them in the yards of your customers. Offering won't hurt your relationship, and it presents a chance of furthering your business.

Labels: business, services, Spring/Summer

When going out to mow a customer's lawn, you must be sure to bring several things, which I will outline in this post.

Water

Photo by Kevin N. Murphy

Water is a very important commodity when mowing your customer's lawn. Drinking it will prevent you from getting dehydrated or having heatstroke when exposed to the hot sun. Also, a gulp of water can really help your stamina when mowing. When I mow, I wear a CamelBak, represented in the picture. All I have to do is grab the tube with my mouth and relieve my thirst. Plus, I don't need to carry around a water bottle, which could get tedious. I suggest getting a CamelBak. If not, however, a normal water bottle should work fine.

Your tools

Your mower is a nobrainer. However, you should make sure it is tuned up and running well. Also, be sure you have more than enough gas to finish the job.

Most lawns need weed eating. Make sure your weed eater is in good condition and working well. Also, bring some extra weed eating string in case you run out.

What to wear

Safety is key when mowing a lawn. (See my posts on mowing and weed eater safety.) Eye protection can be good for mowing, and is crucial for weed eating. Ear protection is preferred. When weed eating, make sure to wear long pants. If you wear shorts, I can almost guarantee your legs will get cut up. A baseball hat is really nice. If you have long hair, it will keep your sweaty hair out of your eyes. Regardless of hair length, the sun will not glare in your eyes so much. Lastly, sunblock will help prevent sunburn. If you are out mowing all day, sunblock is very useful.

Conclusion

Be prepared and use common sense when going to mow a lawn. Bring water and make sure your tools are working well. Also, make sure your body is protected. If you do these things, you should be fine. Go mow the lawn!

Labels: services, Spring/Summer

In August 2008, I wrote a post about the pros and cons of using a reel mower. However, in that post I did not delve very deeply into offering reel mowing as a service to your customers.

Offering a reel mowing service is a great idea for you to expand your business for several reasons, including increasing your client base as well as making more money. This will overall help your business to take steps towards being the best it can be.

This year, a woman called my friend and I about mowing her lawn with a reel mower. We took her on, and now we make $40 pop, which is really only an hour of (kind of strenuous) work. ($40 an hour! Good, huh?) So, with a reel mower, you can get more cash for the work you put in.

Also, a reel mower service may attract more customers to your client base. These kinds of customers include those who may be more environmentally-conscious-- gas mowers are very polluting. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, gas mowers account for 5% of U.S. air pollution (source). Also, you may attract customers who don't like the sound of a loud gas mower. The hum of a reel mower cutting the grass is far more pleasing to the ear than the roar of a gasoline-propelled engine.

Offering a reel mowing service could put you ahead of local commercial lawn care services. I doubt most of them offer reel mowing, so the before-mentioned customers will either have to perform the job themselves, or hire you.

Lastly, reel mowers can be just plain easier to deal with. There is little maintenance involved compared to a gas one. Also, you can mow in the morning, which could increase your productivity.

If you do a reel mowing service, I can guarantee that you will be rewarded handsomely for your effort. It can increase your productivity, make you more money, and lengthen your customer list. These are exactly the kinds of things we are looking for in our teen lawn mowing businesses, right? Good luck filling the full potential of your teen lawn business.

Labels: services, Spring/Summer

It is necessary to perform a lawn mower tune-up every season. This lengthens the life of your mower and makes it run better. Your mower will be getting a good deal of wear and tear because hopefully, it will be well-used every season.

Before you start

Before beginning a lawn mower tune-up, you should let the engine run a bit. After this task is complete, detach the spark plug wire to prevent the engine from starting unintentionally. After you have done these two things, you are ready to begin your tune-up.

Change the oil

The first task is to change the oil. The first step is to make sure the oil you are going to replace the old oil with is the correct type for your unit. Then, wipe off the dirt on the upper section of the oil tank. An old toothbrush works well for this job. Next, you will need to raise up your mower with two blocks. After your mower is raised so that you can work underneath it, find the plug on the bottom of the oil tank. Then, place a container to catch the old oil underneath and unscrew the plug. After the oil is drained, screw the plug back on. Check if your mower has an oil filter. If it does, replace it and clean the gasket, which is what the filter is touching. After this, put your mower back on the ground and pour the new oil in the tank. Next, run your mower and check for leaks, and this task is done.

Sharpen the blade

(update 5/6/09)

Sharpening the blade on your mower is an important part of your tune up. Doing this will keep your mower running as efficiently as possible, and is also better for the grass. First, remove the blade and bring it to your work bench. I like eHow's description on how to sharpen your blade:

Sharpen the blade by moving the file toward the cutting edge with smooth, even strokes. Follow the original bevel of the blade as closely as you can. Make the same number of strokes on each edge. If you take more metal off one side than the other, the blade will be out of balance. An out-of-balance blade cuts unevenly; it also makes the mower vibrate, which can cause serious damage to the engine.

The last thing you should do is to make sure the blade is balanced. You can do this by placing the blade on the end of the screw driver. If one side sticks up, you will need to sharpen that side a bit more. When you blade is all sharpened, refasten it to your mower, and this task is completed.

Spark plug and air filter

The first thing you want to do is to clean the housing around the spark plug. Then, make sure the gap for the spark plug is the right size using a feeler gauge. You are done with the spark plug. (Make sure not to put it back on yet!) If your mower has a paper air filter, replace it. If it has a foam air filter, wash it thoroughly. You are done with the air filter. Now, all you have to do is reconnect the spark plug, and you are finished tuning up your lawn mower.

Tuning up your lawn mower is an essential task every season. It will save you a lot of mower trouble in the future. Good luck cutting grass for cash!

Further Reading:
http://landscaping.about.com/od/toppicks/a/mower_tuneup.htm

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer

Weed eater safety is a serious problem. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that in 1989, about 4,600 injuries were treated by emergency departments as a result of weed eater use. One third of these injuries were eye injuries.

Hopefully you won't get hurt as a result of running your teen lawn service. However, the following 26 tips can help you to keep your body intact.

Weed Eating Safety Tips

1. Wear thick boots while weed eating to protect your feet.

2. Wear eye and ear protection. (Remember those ONE THIRD being eye injuries?)

3. Read the operating manual for your weed eater.

4. Wear long pants to protect your legs.

5. Before beginning to cut vegetation, clear the trimming area stones, sticks, wire, and other debris prior to weed eating.

6. Use a fire-safe muffler in dry conditions.

7. Wear relatively tight-fitting clothing and tie back your long hair-- loose clothing and long hair can get caught in the moving parts of a weed eater.

8. Cut the engine and disconnect the spark plug wire when making repairs and modifications to the weed eater.

9. Wear shoes with good traction so you don't slip and lose control of your weed eater.

10. Wear work gloves while using/working on the weed eater to protect your hands.

11. Make sure to use the correct fuel mixture if the weed eater is gas powered.

12. Wait until the engine is cooled down before putting gas in the weed eater.

13. Stop the weed eater abruptly if someone comes within 30 to 60 feet of you because weed eaters can fling debris violently, up to 30 feet.

14. Be sure your weed eater does not have loose belts or ineffective guards.

15. Periodically check your weed eater for damage or wear.

16. Permit the weed eater's engine to return to idle speed when you are not actually trimming.

17. Keep the weed eater's cutting part beneath waist height.

18. Only allow the blade to rotate as fast as it needs to in order to cut your objective vegetation.

19. Start the engine on firm ground in an open place, holding the weed eater with two hands while having good balance and footing.

20. After use, secure the weed eater in order to avoid gas spillage and or damage when moving the unit.

21. Don't allow grass and other debris to pile up on the weed eater because this accumulation is a fire hazard.

22. After use, make sure the trimmer tool is shielded with the carrying guard.

23. Also after use, allow the engine to idle down for a few minutes so it can cool off.

24. Stop the engine prior to setting the weed eater down.

25. Don't wear headphones if you are weed eating near a road.

26. Don't try to do any mechanical work on the weed eater when it is running.

Like I said in my lawn mowing safety post, just use common sense. Don't do anything dangerous that could hurt you or anybody else. Well then, good luck on running a safe and successful teen lawn care!

Further Reading:
http://www.hoosieruplands.org/NurseArticles/LAWNSAFE.pdf
http://www.securityworld.com/ia-418-weed-trimmers-can-throw-objects-and-injure-eyes.aspx
http://tiny.cc/diusl

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer

Lawn mowers are extremely dangerous to use and operate. A mower's blade can throw debris at a speed of 200 miles per hour, and gasoline has the explosive force of 33 sticks of dynamite. Emergency departments have to treat about 68,000 people with injuries from power lawn mowers every year, more than 9,000 of which are teens under the age of 18. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, injuries from lawn mowing include "deep cuts, loss of fingers and toes, broken and dislocated bones, burns, and eye and other injuries." From the same source, "Older children and adolescents were most often hurt while cutting lawns as chores or as a way to earn money." Well, that certainly relates.

However, all these bad effects can hopefully be prevented by abiding by the following Do's and Don'ts:

DO'S

1. Wear closed-toe shoes, preferably thick boots, to protect your feet while mowing-- most definitely DO NOT mow barefoot or in sandals.

2. Wear close-fitting attire that has little chance of getting caught in the mower's machinery.

3. Wear long pants to protect your legs from objects ejaculating from underneath the mower.

4. Wear ear and eye protection.

5. Wear shoes with good enough traction to help prevent you from slipping. Losing your footing could result in you potentially messing up your body, the mower, and or the lawn you are working on.

6. Read the operating manual for the lawn mower you are using.

7. Make sure that your mower can run over fixed objects around the yard (like sprinkler heads, for example) without the blade hitting them before passing your mower over these things. If it doesn't work out, just mow around the obstacle.

8. Make sure your mower works well and is in good condition before mowing.

9. Shut off your mower if it starts smoking. Smoke means that something is WAY hotter than it is supposed to be or something is burning.

10. Keep all four wheels in contact with the ground, because debris could fly up and hit you. According to a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the majority of lawn mowing injuries occur because of debris being throw from underneath the lawn mower. Many people are hurt by this because not only can the person operating the mower get injured, but also bystanders.

11. Stay with your mower when it is running.

12. Position the wheel height BEFORE you start the mower.

13. Stop the mower when you want to clean out the discharge shoot.

14. Always inform someone of where you are while you are mowing, just in case a problem arises.

15. Search for miscellaneous items lying around the yard before you mow, because these objects (toys, etc.) can be broken up and thrown by your mower if you run over them.

16. Before mowing, search for holes which you might step in. Not only could you twist your ankle, you could also lose control of the mower, causing problems.

17. Be sure that children and pets are far, far away from your mower when it is running.

18. Employ a mower with a control that stops itself when the handle is not in use.

19. Start and refuel your mower OUTSIDE.

20. Keep your mower's blade sharp.

DON'TS

1. Never mow down a steep slope because you could easily slip, causing your foot to get wedged between the fast-spinning blade. Either push the mower up the hill or, the best option, push your mower across, although this pattern isn't always possible. If you think a slope too steep to mow safely, ask your client about it.

2. Don't allow grass or other debris to build up on your mower. The blade or the engine have the potential to light those things on fire.

3. Don't mow with a leaking gas tank. It is a fire hazard to you and to the grass.

4. Never have more than one person on a riding mower. If one of you falls off, major injury could very likely occur.

5. Don't leave your mower running when you are crossing pavement. Objects can be flung WAY faster on that kind of surface.

6. Don't touch a hot engine. Although occasionally fun to pop, blisters get annoying after a bit.

7. Don't empty the grass-catching bag while the mower is running. The grass will go all over the place in a disorderly way. However, more importantly, you never want to put your fingers near a moving blade.

8. Don't use your mower for something it was not made for.

9. Don't alter your mower to boost the engine's power or increase the rotation speed of the blade. This will NOT make your job easier, rather, it will only make your job more hazardous.

10. Never eliminate a safety feature from your mower.

11. Never overfill your gas tank. If you do accidentally spill gas, clean it up.

12. Don't put gas in you mower while it is going. Putting gas in a hot mower could just in general start a fire. Don't do it.

13. Don't mow in the dark. Not only is it dangerous, you probably will do a horrendous job anyway.

14. Don't mow on wet grass because you could slip and fall.

15. Don't mow when there is thunder and lightening.

Lawn mowing can be very dangerous, but if you follow the above tips, you will most likely be fine. Above all, use common sense. If something you are doing or thinking about doing seems like it might be dangerous, stop and reflect on how many fingers could be lost as a result of the action. Good luck mowing lawns safely.

Further Reading:
http://www.juniorbiz.com/lawn-mowing/13-lawn-mowing-safety-tips
http://www.aap.org/family/tipplawn.htm
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/06/17/health-tip-lawn-mowing-safety.html
http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/health-tips/mowing-safety-3-2007.html
http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p1097.pdf

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer

So you are trimming along with your weed eater, trying to get the lawn to look just right. Lah-dee-dah-dee-dah-dee-dah-dee *SQUISH*.

Gross. That is a situation you never want to get into. Don't worry. Although I can't guaruntee it will never happen, these tips and advice will put you on the track of not stepping in man's best friend's leftovers.

1) Ask your customer for help

If your client has a dog that goes bang-chapow in their backyard, it couldn't hurt to ask them if they wouldn't mind picking up the poop before you plan to come perform a job. If your customer complies with this request, then you should be fine, and can mow away with little fear.

2) Offer picking up as a paid service before you mow

This could definitely be an opportunity for you to make some extra cash along with your mowing, and gets the dog poop out of the way. We are all in it for the money, and if there is a chance to earn a bit of extra green, I would take the opportunity.

3)Pay attention

If neither of the above avenues work, or even if the owners say they will pick up after their dog, you should still pay close attention to what you are doing, if your goal is to have clean shoes. My experience is that if you just push the mower over the sham-whow, then it either leaves it lay (meaning just watch out where you put your feet after the mower has passed over the doo-doo); or chops it up and sprays it-- hey, works for me. If you are, say, raking... bring an extra pair of work gloves... ugh that's disgusting. Just... push the jay-shozie along with your rake with the leaves.

4)Just pick it up on your own time

Really, it depends on how much you care. Personally, I would use some kind of combination of the first three ideas. However, if you really hate dog poop that much... pick it up yourself.

Well, that basically covers the problem of dog poop. Have fun taking care of those dog-owning clients' lawns!

Labels: Fall, services, Spring/Summer

Posted by: Ben

While looking around Life and Lawns, I found an article by Allyn Paul entitled:"Mowing Tips: Plain and Simple Advice You Must Follow". I found the advice to be extremely helpful, and I am sure you will too. Here is the gist of it:

• Scalping is BAD! It will cause your customer's grass to have icky brown spots. Scalping is when one cuts more than 1/3 of the grass blade in one go. To prevent scalping, set your blade at the second highest setting and mow regularly, about once a week. If the grass becomes too tall, then your mower won't have a setting high enough to cut less than 1/3 of a blade of grass.
• Another reason to mow regularly is that when grass is allowed to grow too tall and is cut, the discharged blades clump together and can cause thatch buildup. (This is bad.)
• Keep your blade sharp. A dull blade will rip the grass as opposed to slicing it, causing the grass to have an ugly, ripped, whitish-brown portion on top.
• Only allow the grass to spit out the side of your mower if your mower mulches and has a minimum of 5 HP. If not, you should bag your clippings. I recommend discharging because it is good for the grass and recycles nutrients back into the soil.
• Change mowing directions each time you mow. If you don't, the grass will lie on its side, and this is bad.

Although this article is geared toward homeowners, I think teen lawn mowing business owners can really take something from it. The quality of the lawn reflects of the quality of the work done on it, and that is how people will evaluate you and your business. Use these tips to make your teen lawn service the best it can be.

Labels: services, Spring/Summer

Just got a basically free push-propelled mower! Well, my dad may have paid $5 or something for it, but he didn't charge me. It is pretty cool, and I have tried it out on one of my lawns.

One of the things that surprised me about the mower was how much easier a time I had going up hills with it. While with my other relatively light gas mower (no self-propulsion, but I have tried it out and I consider a light gas mower as easy to push up a hill as an almost definitely heavier self-propelled mower, more on that issue here)I have to bend over and put all my weight into pushing it up and down the hill, the reel mower is relatively easy to use going up hills. This is definitely a positive.

Although one might guess that a reel mower is tough to move compared to a gas one, it is actually about the same pushing power needed to maneuver the reel mower on the lawn. So using a reel mower takes just as much energy to push as a gas one.

Another positive is that one can mow any time of day without bothering the neighbors. If you need to do something in the afternoon but can mow in the morning, this can be a definite plus.

However, I had problems with it as well. One of my big issues with it was that I couldn't pull it backwards to get that small section of grass; the mower must be pushed forward every time the grass is cut. Although this may not seem like a big deal, in a lawn with many plants and trees to maneuver around, it gets very annoying.

Another problem I had with it was that since the blade wasn't really sharp, the cut wasn't as clean as it would have been with my gas mower. You basically have to go over the lawn twice if you want a good cut, and this is definitely necessary, seeing as people are paying you to mow their lawn.

But, as we all know, there is one thing that will make us look beyond all the negatives: more money. Although I haven't tried it yet, and probably won't be able to until next season, I am pretty sure that you can charge a heck of a lot more to mow someone's lawn with a reel mower. It's environmentally friendly, and most commercial lawn services probably don't offer it. So instead of making the usual twenty dollars a pop, you might be able to make, oh, fifty dollars a pop. As Borat would say in a Kazakhstani accent, "very nice."

Reel mowers have their pluses and negatives, and can occasionally be preferable to a gas mower, although they can sometimes be a BIG pain in the ass. But, the bottom line is, it can add a fresh element to your business, which can attract more customers and potentially more money. And isn't that the reason we made this business in the first place?

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer

One of the important things to decide for your teen lawn service is whether you should use an electric or gas weed eater. They both have good points and bad points, and in this post I will discuss these.

Electric or Gas?

Most of the time, I think a gas weed eater will serve you best. They don't need to be connected to a power source and you don't have to mess with an annoying cord. You can just use them. (However, you might disagree with this statement when you have to do some kind of oil gas mix to run the dang thing.)

However, if you are in a situation where there are plenty of power sources and it is easy to do, an electric weed eater can be nice. All you have to do is pull a power button harder or softer to make the weed eater go on and be more powerful. You don't have to start it or leave the engine running. It is much quieter. There are also a lot less expenses associated with electric weed eaters. For example, they tend to cost less and you don't have to spend money on gas and oil.

I think that in most situations, a gas weed eater will be better than an electric one. If you live in a neighborhood where everyone has electric outputs everywhere and you don't want to have to deal with some of the issues that gas ones tend to have, then sure, an electric one might suit you better. It always depends on the situation. Always.

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer

Note: This post won't apply to you if you use a riding mower.

When deciding what mower to use for your teen lawn service, some questions come up. Chicken or the egg? The Vikings or Columbus? Big mower or small mower? Although all these questions are important, we will only be focusing on one of them in this post.

Big mower or small mower?

Big mowers that propel themselves may seem like a good idea. All you have to do is steer, right? But consider this: when you are going up a hill with enough grade, the mower may not have the power to push all its weight up. You will have to do a lot more pushing with a big mower because it is so much heavier. Although you have to do all the pushing for a smaller mower, it is lighter, and therefore easier to push. Also, if you are doing a smaller yard, the big mower might be too hefty, whereas a small mower is light and easily maneuverable. Another thing is, how much gas are you willing to buy? The current national average for a gallon of gas is $3.97 (July 2008). That's a good bit, and the big mower will need more gas than a smaller, non-propelled one. Additionally, if you have to push the mower to your neighbor's house, then the big mower could be really annoying. It isn't being propelled when it's not running.

However, big mowers also have their advantages. If your mower is wider, you have the potential to finish a yard faster. Also, if the yard you are cutting is large and flat, with no hills, then you won't have to push the mower up a hill, and using a big one could be less tiresome.

There are pros and cons to each, and I think it really depends on the lawn you are cutting. If you are just starting out, I would try to use a smaller, lighter model, and move on from there. However, if you have been running your business a while, then ask yourself these questions: Which mower will make me use less energy? With which mower will I take less time to mow the lawn? Your answers to those questions will determine which mower you use.

Please share your thoughts in the comments. Big mower or small mower?

Further Reading:
How to Properly Mow a Lawn

Labels: Equipment, Spring/Summer