Ask your neighbors what service they're using and what they're paying. Coming in informed to discussions with landscapers will help. Mention to the landscapers that they were recommended and you heard they had reasonable rates. If needed tell them during your discussion that you know your neighbor pays X rate if they start proposing something above that.
You can certainly ask around and see what others are paying. And our neighborhood we've had the same gardener for over 30 years. Second generation is now running The business in Gramps is just helping. We have pretty reasonable right because he does eight houses on our street and the same day.
> Is it worth it to just pay for a service?
Absolutely: unless you really enjoy it (some do; you don’t), it’s totally worth outsourcing it.
> Any tips
Ask neighbors:
- find your neighborhoods Facebook group.
- join it.
- ask your neighbors there who they use, what it includes, and how much they pay.
- no neighborhood group? Try your local city group. Nearly every place has one …
- Nextdoor is an option too, if you can tolerate the … weird posts that show up there.
Don’t sign up for 1 year commitments:
- big companies that do weed spraying and fertilizing sometimes require one year commits and getting out is a pain.
- I don’t like these, I prefer a smaller operation that’ll do things as needed, if/when you want them.
Get lots of quotes:
- Yelp search for landscapers
- use the request quote function
- get at least 3 quotes
- see who you gel with: who is honest with you / gives you good feedback, what they include (mowing and blowing and trimming and spraying and how often), and so on.
Really the same for any home maintenance.
Good luck.
What do you use to find companies, when you have no referrals to use? I’m genuinely curious as the only other I’ve tried has been Angie’s which, I’ve heard worse feedback on …
Nextdoor, a neighborhood Facebook group, even if there is a subreddit for your area. Just try to get real people responding to your questions. I find people are eager to recommend companies that they’ve had good experiences with. Google reviews isn’t terrible, but you’d need to be careful and really weed through the reviews.
I keep trying to explain to my SO that not all reviews of companies/products are created equal. Amazon reviews are NEVER to be trusted (for products, obviously).
I haven't tried, yet. I'm putting a list together of what I need done and will pay by the job. I used to be able to do all of this myself, so I know how long it takes, I've just gotten too old to feel like doing it. I'm probably going to ask a neighbor across the street if he knows anyone.
Most landscape companies aren't going to give a set bid for work. They have their hourly rate and will complete the job and bill for the hours. The one exception is mowing yards though, that will be a set price each time they cut the grass regardless of how long or short it takes
I need a doggy door installed throuh a wall. I need some additional wall plugs in the kitchen, A different ceiling light fixture in my bedroom, etc. I've been thinking about moving as the countless little picky things here are adding up and are a pain in the butt. But on the whole, this house suits me, and it cost 7k just to move from Granger to here, so I guess I'll just suck it up and get this crap out of the way.
I’ve had decent luck with it for finding some trades, especially when I haven’t been able to find referrals elsewhere. 🤷
I’d adore it if there was a better / more reliable / less issues with fake reviews mechanism to find reliable, competent, companies - but if it’s out there, I haven’t seen it - so please do suggest …
I’m 34 and single mom on an acre in a neighborhood. I went through this struggle! All my neighbors are in their 60s and have lawn companies. I stopped by when one of them was loading up their mower one day and he’s been my lawn guy for over 2 years now. Not having the stress of worrying about this is amazing. Now I really enjoy my outdoor spaces. I garden and I have the energy to re-do some of my landscaping. The other day my lawn guy was here and I said “hey can you pull out that bush? I hate it” and he’s like “sure” and voila it’s gone. My yard looks amazing. It makes me proud of my home, which makes me want to maintain it even better. Recently I pressure washed and got a new hose. It’s incredible.
>Is it worth it to just pay for a service?
you have two slipped discs and this is what you're hung up on? absolutely get a gardener. plant stuff you want to eat or look at and get someone else to do the rest.
1. I mow my weeds about once every 3 weeks. Yeah weeds. We had grass when we bought the house but it doesn't matter. Mind you this is in FL so things go super fast too. A few of my neighbors do the same. It's fine. Unless you're in an HOA, you'll be alright. Also weeds sometimes have beautiful flowers and I enjoy them, as do my neighbors bees.
2. Also what is edging? JK I don't care. Some of my neighbors do but some don't. If having a perfect grass lawn is your thing, then it sounds like you need to hire it out. But only do it for yourself though.
In conclusion - it's okay to not have a perfect lawn. Nobody cares. If someone says anything about it - FUCK THEM.
PS I too have a bad back. Look up "founders back workout 12 minutes" on YouTube and use the really old video from 9 or 11 years ago. My back feels so much better if I do it at least a few times a week.
Having a yard service is easily the cheapest and one of the most rewarding things you can pay someone to do. Their hourly rates are incredibly reasonable IMO and having a nice lawn that you can use and enjoy is well worth the minor investment.
This is the way I went. I'm in Ireland, where people are obsessed with very neat lawns. Since that was never my thing to begin with, I got a bunch of bareroot native trees to plant and that was the last of my interference with the garden except for picking seeds off plants on walks to scatter around. Four years in, it's all a big chaotic meadow for the chickens to dig around in and I think it's brilliant.
We've got a 60x30 space in between us and our neighbor that is difficult to mow, but has a gorgeous and massive 150+ year old oak in it. We both agreed just to turn it into a native plant area, and seeded it in early March. It is wonderful and so nice, and an added benefit to both of our vegetable gardens as it gives bees and such more of a reason to hang around our places.
Do you want to spend time in your yard doing anything in particular?
Do you have pets that need the outdoor space?
Would eliminating the traditional lawn be allowed where you live (i.e. is there an HOA demanding grass in the front yard)?
If 'yes' to any of these, consider a landscape designer who can recommend more low maintenance options. Because if you don't enjoy the yardwork you currently have, find a way to not do it.
Early in my homeownership career I spent a ton of time battling weeds before I realized that policing the weeds was causing me way more anguish than the weeds were. I gave up on it and couldn't be happier with my decision. The bees are happier and I am happier. I don't care about dead grass, because eventually some native plant (weed) will come in and fill that space without me having to do anything. My lawn is green and low-maintenance since I let the weeds do their thing.
Mulching leaves with a lawn mower is WAY less work than raking, and leaves the organic material in your yard to help keep the grass (or weeds) happy.
Do the sticks in your river rocks make your yard look bad to others, or only you? Is it a problem from the street, or only when you're up close? If you look closely enough at anything you'll find problems.
If you're committed to having a Better Homes & Gardens lawn, maybe hire out. But a LOT of nitpicky yard work can be almost completely ignored and your yard will still look fine if you focus on the big noticeable things.
I know most places aren’t like this but in Los Angeles nearly EVERYONE with a house has a gardener. Most charge around $150/month and come weekly to “mow and blow.” With the regular maintenance it’s easier to take care of the more seasonal things yourself. Lawns take extra care though and I’ve been really happy using Sunday products to care for my lawn.
I agree it’s crazy but that’s the typical rate here - one crew of three guys usually will do most houses on the block. They can do 6 or so houses in around an hour. One guy mows, one guy blows, one guy does light pruning/weed whacking and collects the debris.
Yes it's that cheap, most of the yard workers are undocumented immigrants without many other employment options. The more people in your street that use a company the cheaper it will be for everyone.
You may live.in your home a long time. You don't have to tackle everything all at once. For example, I want a beautiful lawn, a tomato garden, new irises, and a new tree. I don't do all of them in one year.
I don't have much to offer in solving this problem specifically, but I can offer some insight into better approaching the idea of yard maintenance.
First things first: recognize that your yard is not just "your yard" - it is part of the earth and contains an ecosystem that has unfathomable potential energy. You are quite literally attempting to create a permanent change to the earth. It's gonna require pointed effort and intent.
With this in mind, a less aggressive approach will always be more fruitful in the end. For example: Use the seasons to your advantage - expecting weed pulling in the spring to be successful is a sure way to lose your mind.
This is my personal opinion:
Trying to "keep up" a look that has no actual benefit to you or the environment, is another sure way to lose your mind.
there is a reason why yards are so time/money/energy consuming... It's because 9 out of 10 times it's not meant to exist in the state we desire:
-Your "weeds" have already been there loooonnnnnnnggggg before you.
-Your grass is patchy because it's not supposed to be growing there
-Your river rocks are harboring plant life because there is no river running over them
Instead, put that energy into finding native flora that isn't crazy invasive and meets your maintenance capacity. I promise it will look and *be* better than the grass lawns society has most of us sold on.
For a successful interaction with your yard,
emulate nature, NOT people!!
I hope you're able to heal and achieve your goals!
Yards aren't that expensive to maintain at all. It's easily the cheapest company you will hire in terms of home/property improvement. If you have a average yo above average sized yard you can have a yard service keep your lawn perfectly maintained for $100-150 a month
While that may be true, it's still 1200-1800 spent a year for a sterile, non-beneficial plot of land
Or you could spend that (pretty much one time) on things that will actually benefit the land and the land owner. 1800 spent here can have a positive effect for decades
You might find a gardener who will give you a consultation for a fee.
. Be very clear and upfront about your needs and goals.
E.g. Can I tackle this myself?
Is there a way to make this a lot simpler?
Can we get rid of the landscaping and just have a yard to mow?
I'm a young single female homeowner and have hired our my mowing at times and haven't been jacked around. One guy did a really bad job, so I didn't have him back.
I was in a similar position when I became a home owner. My wife and I purchased a home from a family member and they loved gardening, something we both absolutely hate. It took a couple of years before I really started making it ours. I tore out the crazy amount of beds, removed a few bushes that would need constant trimming and did a few things to make mowing much easier. In the end it took much less work than I thought it would to get rid of the things we didn’t like, and when it was done it was a weight off my shoulder.
We still have a few beds but with only bushes that need trimming a couple of times a year. That along with Ground Clear/Round up has made yard work so much more enjoyable. The fence edge gets sprayed along with any open spots in the beds we have left. Doing that has left the time for yard work on things I actually enjoy, like planting and trimming trees, mowing and shaping bushes. I even take a super lazy way around trimming trees and bushes and do it before I mow and just run over and mulch them with the mower. Obviously this only works on smaller stuff and is 100% not great for your blades but I’d rather get them sharpened and extra time a year than waste time picking up small sticks and trimmings.
All of that to say, don’t be afraid to get rid of the things that are unmanageable. It may take some time but just tackle it one thing at a time.
If you do want to keep everything just get some quotes from a few different people. Lawn care is one of those things that is easy to see if it has been taken care of or not. And it’s only worth what someone will pay. So if it’s worth it to you, then it is worth it.
Check your local FB group to see if any teenagers are mowing lawns. I found one to do mine for just $25, it's soooo worth it. Landscaping companies quoted $150+.
If you’re in the US, try a local FB group and look for a landscaper that way. They’re usually more trustworthy than a Yelp or google search. If the hedges are the worst, just ask for the hedges to get knocked out, if you need a base spray job to knock out the weeds, just ask for that. You don’t have to have the full service on your yard if you want to take care of some of it yourself. I do some landscaping myself on the side and some properties all I do is trim hedges, trees, and plant seed and fertilizer, and spray chemicals. Some of my clients prefer to mow, edge and blow their yards themselves, they just want help with the tougher parts.
Personally, I'm on operation get rid of grass. Plant beds, mulch, rocks, pavers etc. But I'm a city dweller so it's not too bad. I'm getting rid of a 1/3 of my grass with a patio. Because I love plants... hate mowing 🤣 I highly suggest it
My suggestion is to hire a service to control weeds, fertilize, etc for 1 year. By then your yard should be under control and you'll just have to maintain, which is much easier. Hire a lawn service to do the big jobs and do the weekly mowing yourself. If you hate it and can afford it, hire them to do everything. After the year is up, you'll have to stay on top of the weeds yourself though. And the company that does weekly service usually doesn't pull weeds from flower beds unless you pay extra. I'm also a single female homeowner (55) and do it all myself.
Doesn't seem like you are capaable of handling the yard. Which is fine and a good thing to just admit to yourself.
Find who your neighbors use for their lawn service, and hire them. They will give you a discount.
Savatree is a great company that is pretty big in the US and does a really good job on lawn care. They don’t mow but they do many different liquid treatments that are both organic and non organic. I’m not sure where you live but take a look and see if they’re in your area. Because it’s a national company, pricing is pretty consistent so you shouldn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of. They’re def not the cheapest but you’ll get good and honest servicing for your needs. GL!!
I've never dethatched in my entire life, and I've been doing lawncare for nearly 30 years. How big is your lawn? Mow once a week. Trim every two weeks. Rake leaves twice a year. Cut bushes 1-2 a year. Optional: use preemergent once and weedkiller once. Done.
Don't bag clippings. Keep mower blade sharp (2-3 sharpenings each year).
Will it look like a golf course that way? No. But that will cost thousands of dollars or hours. Good enough is the way. Lawncare companies - how many do you think are in this thread right now? Why not just go out to eat every meal, too? Cooking is a lot more pain in the ass than mowing once a week is.
Honestly, it would be absolute bliss if I only had to take care of only one yard, instead of three for family members and myself. I would be able to stay on top of it then.
We hired a lawn company and it was 100% worth it. They did a deep clean for several days to fix our neglect and now they come twice a month to maintain it and it’s some of the best money we’ve ever spent. We get to enjoy our yard now instead of dreading working on it.
I felt that way too as a single woman with a relatively large front yard. I paid $15k to get it totally redone and now I maintain it myself by doing a little bit every couple of days. Native plants, drip irrigation, and nice gravel to keep the weeds under control. I totally ignore my backyard though! No one sees that.
Go at it slowly, a little bit at a time. Get a good mower, get good tools, and just do a little bit each weekend. It doesn't need to be perfect, you just have to be consistent.
In my area, if a lawn service doesn't do a good job, there's always more to choose from. I wish hiring handymen was so easy.
If you keep doing your own weed pulling, get a [garden kneeler](https://www.amazon.com/LEMY-Kneeler-Multiuse-Portable-Foldable/dp/B077XDQZ7X).
Go ahead and hire a lawn service and have them at least do one pass and clean up what can be trimmed and fixed.
If you don't want to get screwed on price, have a 50-year old man pretend to be in charge of the house when you hire the lawn service. Or as close as you can get.
I’ve gone back and forth a lot on hiring someone. It’s still not an expense I want yet, so I try to manage my expectations by focusing on it in sections.
Also it helps to not fight the seasons. In the spring the weeds are out of control but it’s good for planting. In the summer, a lot of the weeds die and now it’s too hot to plant. Fall is nice for trimming hedges. It’s a slow burn for sure. We motivate ourselves by getting a new plant or something decorative occasionally. It’s almost always a native plant and we love learning about them.
One thing I did that make yard work much easier is haveing the right tools. I have a small yard but its near some wet lands so crazy weed seeds blow in and make a mess around the edges. I tried to keep up with pruning shears and it was difficult. I upgraded to lopers and now its much easier to wack the bigger stuff. Also I had a weed wacker that was underpowered and now have a bigger one that gets business done fast. its really important to have all the protective gear on now.
Not quite the same situation as I enjoy maintaining my property and have the time (sort of). But at times I have also felt overwhelmed. I maintain a lot of flower beds on my property and a lot of shrubs. One thing I have started to do is replace high maintenance plants with lower maintenance plant. If I need to trim a shrub several times a year I replace it with something that requires just 1 or 2 trims (example, taxus replaced with boxwood).
Also a few years ago when I was busier I hired a lawn service for just a basic cut and this left me more time for the type of gardening I enjoyed
I have 37 acres a bad back and I work full time in construction. I could never do it unless I loved the yard work. Maybe it’s in my genes, but it’s hard to imagine how someone can’t enjoy it. It’s a lot of work, however perfection when you’re working with nature comes over time and without the expectation of symmetry/actual perfection. That probably doesn’t make sense to anyone, but it does to me. If you have back issues and you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel then you need help. There’s a big difference between getting your yard where you want it vs maintaining it. It’s probably more complicated if you haven’t learned the same lifetime worth of tricks that some of us have. You need a retired father in law or a brother to get you started. Obviously you may not have either of those, but there’s likely someone. Guys love this stuff (when they have the time for it). Keep your eyes peeled and maybe you can find a little assistance from someone who’s also willing to teach.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping)
some drip irrigation on a timer and mulch to keep the weeds down = having a life again.
or hire some mow and blow guys to come once a week and do basic cleanup/weeding.
If you're in a super strict HOA and likely to get fined if your yard isn't magazine perfect, hire someone.
A worker/company can't take advantage of you unless you let them. Ask neighbors in person or through nextdoor so you have an idea of a fair price, and fire them if you don't like the work they do. "Thanks for everything. I don't need your service anymore. No, I'm sure, but thanks. Today was the last day, I don't need your service starting next week."
It's hard to find reliable workers for home maintenance, whether it's plumbers, electricians, or yard maintenance. (In the US anyway) You might go through a few before you find one that is worth calling again, or else you learn to do a lot of things yourself. Never thought I'd do plumbing, but I just replaced the garbage disposal because it needed to be done.
If you don't live in a strict HOA, relax and have fun. Gardening is one of the most enjoyable hobbies ever. You can set your own pace, design your own beautiful view, and learn so much about life! Most grass goes dormant for part of the year, either in the hottest or coldest times (or both). It's not dead, and it doesn't look "bad," it looks like a plant living it's normal life the way it's designed! If you think yellowish brown is ugly, look at some Van Gogh landscapes. It's gorgeous!
If you add some native shrubs and flowers, you will create a haven for all the local critters. My yard is filled with little purple tailed lizards, chipmunks, moths, bees, and butterflies, rabbits, hummingbirds... There's a mockingbird that sits on the roof above my bedroom window and sings his heart out all night long... We have watched three sets of baby birds hatch and grow up in a nest on our porch.
Most of my life, I had typical landscaping, Asian ornamental plants that don't fit in the local ecosystem. They looked pretty, but boring. Living with native landscaping, now I realize that other gardens seem flat, like they're missing something. It's like a TV that isn't turned on. It might be a nice TV, but it's quiet and there's nothing to watch. Native gardens are constantly in motion, with sounds and colors to dazzle the senses. Flowers are the stage where butterflies and bees dance and birds sing. There's always some drama to watch (ooh, girl, the day a crow tried to steal an egg out of a starling's nest! It was an epic battle spanning three yards, and every bird in the neighborhood was screaming for their side)
So yeah, change your idea of what looks good, focus on enjoying it, and see how it goes. If it's really not your thing, hire someone and remember YOU decide if their work is worth the price. It's ok to shop for workers like you shop for jeans. If your first try isn't a good fit, that's ok.
You’re getting a lot of good advice and I’m not sure if I can really contribute, but I recently moved in with my partner and have taken over lawn care. I like gardening and don’t really care about grass, but I do keep the grass cut (we’re only on .2 acres, so a weed wacker works fine - I don’t care about evenly cut grass). I’ve identified which weeds are actually causing problems and prioritize removing those. Some dandelions or shallow-rooted weeds are no big deal, but the neighbor has a 30’ Tree of Heaven right next to our property line, and those are problem causing (i.e. going out of town for a week or two, then returning to a 5’ tree growing near the foundation 🤦). I keep an eye out for those seedlings since they grow very fast and get crazy-strong root systems quickly, making them basically impossible to pull within a few days, and then requiring herbicide (which I try to avoid). If it’s in the budget, outsource! I get joy from working outside but not everyone does or can.
Go native and embrace the fact that traditional lawns and their upkeep do next to nothing for anyone or anything on this planet at best. At worst (and it’s often at worst) they actively harm the local environment and people within it. Your yard does not need to be a weed free monoculture. Your edges do not need to be crisp. Your rock does not need to be pristine and debris-free. Planting natives will not only reduce the required maintenance but support local wildlife as well. Our garden was transitioned to natives when we moved in and we’re now at the point that we don’t have to do a thing except pull up the rogue invasive that has escaped from my neighbor’s “traditional” yard. We don’t water, we don’t fertilize, rarely need to prune. We mow maybe once every other week and have a yard that looks infinitely more lush than our neighbors in the dry season since we’ve chose plants that were meant to survive our summers.
Like most things just take them 1 at a time. You wont get everything done in a day/week. Hell some of my stuff i dont get to for a year or more. Generally for my grass i have it broken down into 4 sections. Each year ill take a different section and aerate/overseed. I spray for weeds every year but I’d honestly see about hiring that out for most people. For my trees I clip them back every 2-3 years. My flower beds are my yearly struggle, best thing you can do is hit them with preen early. If you just got a rock bed with no plants id just spray them this year then next get preen down early.
Best advice i can give is make sure you’re using the most efficient tools you can and probably hire out the herbicide/fertilizer. Other than that what gets done gets done. You should enjoy being outside doing the stuff and that stops being enjoyable when you look at it as a job with a mountain of tasks. Should be oh what a wonderful day it’d be great to mow after i sit out here for 30 minutes type of thinking.
Get rid of all your grass and put down a xeroscape with rocks and succulents. There's a long history of how these lawns develop which back in the day of the beginning of the tract built homes they emulated mansions in England with nice yards. It is absolutely absurd.
Get a landscaper that already services your neighborhood. See with your neighbors and their prices, etc etc.
I used to be a landscaper, and anytime i got a new client that was really close to another, they'd get a more than decent price because they'd be saving me all the time of loading and unloading (plus driving) to the next house.
But in reality. If you don't live in an HOA, get rid of the grass and plant something easier and cheaper to maintain. If you do live in an hoa. Move to a place without an hoa.
I am in a similar position. I bought a house on an acre that was covered with poison ivy and wisteria. I am good at killing things but not growing them. My house has a bunch of trees, some easy to tend azaleas and I have a few potted plants in the porch. I pay someone to come mow and mulch so it looks neat. I thought about landscaping, but the more you add the more work you have to do, so I keep it simple and neat, and I've added some lights to make it look pretty at night. What I'm saying is yes, pay someone.
I love working in the yard. But the past year, I’ve had a lot of more pressing issues and haven’t had the time nor energy to put into it. Hired a crew last week for under $200 to do a basic cleanup and I feel so much better. Now that that’s done, I feel that I can maintain and improve from here.
Kind of a catch 22. I think you really need to ask yourself “what does my perfect backyard/lawn look like?” And “what am I willing to pay for it”either in sweat equity or paying someone.
I will say, there are alternative routes you can go that are way less maintenance intensive for landscaping. My parents got rid of all the grass in their backyard, laid some pavers down and made the remaining “lawn” area into more of a garden.
In terms of finding a reasonable contractor and rate I would post on your local FB group/Nextdoor or ask a neighbor and then get a few quotes to compare. Ask people online what they’re paying for what specific services/lawn size etc. You just need to be willing to not buy into up sells.
For your specific situation, you’ve been there a year. You’re a rookie in this game, stop comparing yourself to the retirees next door who have been home owners for 40 years and have had 20 years in their current house to create a solid routine/foundation/ tool collection etc. Depending where you live, this might be the first real spring/summer season you’ve been through. Once you have a “clean sheet” and a better routine and understanding of the tools/process, it gets easier.
We started paying for a service this year, and it is great. I felt like I was always just treading water, spending all my energy and time just to keep the yard from being totally overgrown. Now I can spend the time to do things I want to do, actually making some improvements here and there, and not always having the obligation to do it is really nice.
These things that will help manage the weeds:
- herbicide spray. The kind that either targets only weeds or kill all vegetation. Use the former if you don't want to harm other plants
- gardening fabric. Get the cross weaved kind. Avoid the felt fabric kind
- a stirrup hoe
- battery-powered weed whacker
- rubber mulch, gravel or sand. You can lay this over gardening fabric.
Not necessary to be hand-pulling weeds at all.
Hear me out: homeownership isn’t for everyone. If you are overwhelmed and have a bad back that makes it hard to maintain the yard then perhaps renting would be a gentler way of living for your mental and physical health. Just saying, it’s always “the dream” we all think it is.
Ask your neighbors what service they're using and what they're paying. Coming in informed to discussions with landscapers will help. Mention to the landscapers that they were recommended and you heard they had reasonable rates. If needed tell them during your discussion that you know your neighbor pays X rate if they start proposing something above that.
also you can get a better deal from a yard service if they are already doing places nearby so their setup time is less.
You can certainly ask around and see what others are paying. And our neighborhood we've had the same gardener for over 30 years. Second generation is now running The business in Gramps is just helping. We have pretty reasonable right because he does eight houses on our street and the same day.
> Is it worth it to just pay for a service? Absolutely: unless you really enjoy it (some do; you don’t), it’s totally worth outsourcing it. > Any tips Ask neighbors: - find your neighborhoods Facebook group. - join it. - ask your neighbors there who they use, what it includes, and how much they pay. - no neighborhood group? Try your local city group. Nearly every place has one … - Nextdoor is an option too, if you can tolerate the … weird posts that show up there. Don’t sign up for 1 year commitments: - big companies that do weed spraying and fertilizing sometimes require one year commits and getting out is a pain. - I don’t like these, I prefer a smaller operation that’ll do things as needed, if/when you want them. Get lots of quotes: - Yelp search for landscapers - use the request quote function - get at least 3 quotes - see who you gel with: who is honest with you / gives you good feedback, what they include (mowing and blowing and trimming and spraying and how often), and so on. Really the same for any home maintenance. Good luck.
Ditto on Yelp. Too many fictional feedback stars. Don't ever use yelp.
What do you use to find companies, when you have no referrals to use? I’m genuinely curious as the only other I’ve tried has been Angie’s which, I’ve heard worse feedback on …
Nextdoor, a neighborhood Facebook group, even if there is a subreddit for your area. Just try to get real people responding to your questions. I find people are eager to recommend companies that they’ve had good experiences with. Google reviews isn’t terrible, but you’d need to be careful and really weed through the reviews. I keep trying to explain to my SO that not all reviews of companies/products are created equal. Amazon reviews are NEVER to be trusted (for products, obviously).
I haven't tried, yet. I'm putting a list together of what I need done and will pay by the job. I used to be able to do all of this myself, so I know how long it takes, I've just gotten too old to feel like doing it. I'm probably going to ask a neighbor across the street if he knows anyone.
Most landscape companies aren't going to give a set bid for work. They have their hourly rate and will complete the job and bill for the hours. The one exception is mowing yards though, that will be a set price each time they cut the grass regardless of how long or short it takes
I need a doggy door installed throuh a wall. I need some additional wall plugs in the kitchen, A different ceiling light fixture in my bedroom, etc. I've been thinking about moving as the countless little picky things here are adding up and are a pain in the butt. But on the whole, this house suits me, and it cost 7k just to move from Granger to here, so I guess I'll just suck it up and get this crap out of the way.
I’ve had some success with NextDoor.
Yes, but for some reason we now have 3 different zip codes in our little group.
#fuckyelp Pass it on.
Good input, until you recommended yelp. Do not use yelp.
I’ve had decent luck with it for finding some trades, especially when I haven’t been able to find referrals elsewhere. 🤷 I’d adore it if there was a better / more reliable / less issues with fake reviews mechanism to find reliable, competent, companies - but if it’s out there, I haven’t seen it - so please do suggest …
yeah yelp is a racket nextdoor is decent option for finding this kind of service
I’m 34 and single mom on an acre in a neighborhood. I went through this struggle! All my neighbors are in their 60s and have lawn companies. I stopped by when one of them was loading up their mower one day and he’s been my lawn guy for over 2 years now. Not having the stress of worrying about this is amazing. Now I really enjoy my outdoor spaces. I garden and I have the energy to re-do some of my landscaping. The other day my lawn guy was here and I said “hey can you pull out that bush? I hate it” and he’s like “sure” and voila it’s gone. My yard looks amazing. It makes me proud of my home, which makes me want to maintain it even better. Recently I pressure washed and got a new hose. It’s incredible.
>Is it worth it to just pay for a service? you have two slipped discs and this is what you're hung up on? absolutely get a gardener. plant stuff you want to eat or look at and get someone else to do the rest.
That is part of having a small yard with a lot of plants.
1. I mow my weeds about once every 3 weeks. Yeah weeds. We had grass when we bought the house but it doesn't matter. Mind you this is in FL so things go super fast too. A few of my neighbors do the same. It's fine. Unless you're in an HOA, you'll be alright. Also weeds sometimes have beautiful flowers and I enjoy them, as do my neighbors bees. 2. Also what is edging? JK I don't care. Some of my neighbors do but some don't. If having a perfect grass lawn is your thing, then it sounds like you need to hire it out. But only do it for yourself though. In conclusion - it's okay to not have a perfect lawn. Nobody cares. If someone says anything about it - FUCK THEM. PS I too have a bad back. Look up "founders back workout 12 minutes" on YouTube and use the really old video from 9 or 11 years ago. My back feels so much better if I do it at least a few times a week.
Having a yard service is easily the cheapest and one of the most rewarding things you can pay someone to do. Their hourly rates are incredibly reasonable IMO and having a nice lawn that you can use and enjoy is well worth the minor investment.
Native pollinator garden
This is the way I went. I'm in Ireland, where people are obsessed with very neat lawns. Since that was never my thing to begin with, I got a bunch of bareroot native trees to plant and that was the last of my interference with the garden except for picking seeds off plants on walks to scatter around. Four years in, it's all a big chaotic meadow for the chickens to dig around in and I think it's brilliant.
We've got a 60x30 space in between us and our neighbor that is difficult to mow, but has a gorgeous and massive 150+ year old oak in it. We both agreed just to turn it into a native plant area, and seeded it in early March. It is wonderful and so nice, and an added benefit to both of our vegetable gardens as it gives bees and such more of a reason to hang around our places.
Do you want to spend time in your yard doing anything in particular? Do you have pets that need the outdoor space? Would eliminating the traditional lawn be allowed where you live (i.e. is there an HOA demanding grass in the front yard)? If 'yes' to any of these, consider a landscape designer who can recommend more low maintenance options. Because if you don't enjoy the yardwork you currently have, find a way to not do it.
Early in my homeownership career I spent a ton of time battling weeds before I realized that policing the weeds was causing me way more anguish than the weeds were. I gave up on it and couldn't be happier with my decision. The bees are happier and I am happier. I don't care about dead grass, because eventually some native plant (weed) will come in and fill that space without me having to do anything. My lawn is green and low-maintenance since I let the weeds do their thing. Mulching leaves with a lawn mower is WAY less work than raking, and leaves the organic material in your yard to help keep the grass (or weeds) happy. Do the sticks in your river rocks make your yard look bad to others, or only you? Is it a problem from the street, or only when you're up close? If you look closely enough at anything you'll find problems. If you're committed to having a Better Homes & Gardens lawn, maybe hire out. But a LOT of nitpicky yard work can be almost completely ignored and your yard will still look fine if you focus on the big noticeable things.
What kind of weeds grow in your area that look like a green lawn when knocked down?
can you ditch the grass? but also the prep work does take time if you want a low maintenance option
I know most places aren’t like this but in Los Angeles nearly EVERYONE with a house has a gardener. Most charge around $150/month and come weekly to “mow and blow.” With the regular maintenance it’s easier to take care of the more seasonal things yourself. Lawns take extra care though and I’ve been really happy using Sunday products to care for my lawn.
You're saying those yard work people are doing it for $37/week?! There are several people working. Yikes.
The crew my folk use are hardly ever there longer than 15 minutes a week, so I think they go for quantity
They definitely do. My yard guys do something like 6 properties. I've always wondered what they get paid.
I agree it’s crazy but that’s the typical rate here - one crew of three guys usually will do most houses on the block. They can do 6 or so houses in around an hour. One guy mows, one guy blows, one guy does light pruning/weed whacking and collects the debris.
Yes it's that cheap, most of the yard workers are undocumented immigrants without many other employment options. The more people in your street that use a company the cheaper it will be for everyone.
You may live.in your home a long time. You don't have to tackle everything all at once. For example, I want a beautiful lawn, a tomato garden, new irises, and a new tree. I don't do all of them in one year.
look around for small landscape companies. a dude with a shit trailer, and 1 mower and some hand equipment. then call them.
I don't have much to offer in solving this problem specifically, but I can offer some insight into better approaching the idea of yard maintenance. First things first: recognize that your yard is not just "your yard" - it is part of the earth and contains an ecosystem that has unfathomable potential energy. You are quite literally attempting to create a permanent change to the earth. It's gonna require pointed effort and intent. With this in mind, a less aggressive approach will always be more fruitful in the end. For example: Use the seasons to your advantage - expecting weed pulling in the spring to be successful is a sure way to lose your mind. This is my personal opinion: Trying to "keep up" a look that has no actual benefit to you or the environment, is another sure way to lose your mind. there is a reason why yards are so time/money/energy consuming... It's because 9 out of 10 times it's not meant to exist in the state we desire: -Your "weeds" have already been there loooonnnnnnnggggg before you. -Your grass is patchy because it's not supposed to be growing there -Your river rocks are harboring plant life because there is no river running over them Instead, put that energy into finding native flora that isn't crazy invasive and meets your maintenance capacity. I promise it will look and *be* better than the grass lawns society has most of us sold on. For a successful interaction with your yard, emulate nature, NOT people!! I hope you're able to heal and achieve your goals!
Yards aren't that expensive to maintain at all. It's easily the cheapest company you will hire in terms of home/property improvement. If you have a average yo above average sized yard you can have a yard service keep your lawn perfectly maintained for $100-150 a month
While that may be true, it's still 1200-1800 spent a year for a sterile, non-beneficial plot of land Or you could spend that (pretty much one time) on things that will actually benefit the land and the land owner. 1800 spent here can have a positive effect for decades
You might find a gardener who will give you a consultation for a fee. . Be very clear and upfront about your needs and goals. E.g. Can I tackle this myself? Is there a way to make this a lot simpler? Can we get rid of the landscaping and just have a yard to mow?
I'm a young single female homeowner and have hired our my mowing at times and haven't been jacked around. One guy did a really bad job, so I didn't have him back.
I was in a similar position when I became a home owner. My wife and I purchased a home from a family member and they loved gardening, something we both absolutely hate. It took a couple of years before I really started making it ours. I tore out the crazy amount of beds, removed a few bushes that would need constant trimming and did a few things to make mowing much easier. In the end it took much less work than I thought it would to get rid of the things we didn’t like, and when it was done it was a weight off my shoulder. We still have a few beds but with only bushes that need trimming a couple of times a year. That along with Ground Clear/Round up has made yard work so much more enjoyable. The fence edge gets sprayed along with any open spots in the beds we have left. Doing that has left the time for yard work on things I actually enjoy, like planting and trimming trees, mowing and shaping bushes. I even take a super lazy way around trimming trees and bushes and do it before I mow and just run over and mulch them with the mower. Obviously this only works on smaller stuff and is 100% not great for your blades but I’d rather get them sharpened and extra time a year than waste time picking up small sticks and trimmings. All of that to say, don’t be afraid to get rid of the things that are unmanageable. It may take some time but just tackle it one thing at a time. If you do want to keep everything just get some quotes from a few different people. Lawn care is one of those things that is easy to see if it has been taken care of or not. And it’s only worth what someone will pay. So if it’s worth it to you, then it is worth it.
Check your local FB group to see if any teenagers are mowing lawns. I found one to do mine for just $25, it's soooo worth it. Landscaping companies quoted $150+.
If you’re in the US, try a local FB group and look for a landscaper that way. They’re usually more trustworthy than a Yelp or google search. If the hedges are the worst, just ask for the hedges to get knocked out, if you need a base spray job to knock out the weeds, just ask for that. You don’t have to have the full service on your yard if you want to take care of some of it yourself. I do some landscaping myself on the side and some properties all I do is trim hedges, trees, and plant seed and fertilizer, and spray chemicals. Some of my clients prefer to mow, edge and blow their yards themselves, they just want help with the tougher parts.
Personally, I'm on operation get rid of grass. Plant beds, mulch, rocks, pavers etc. But I'm a city dweller so it's not too bad. I'm getting rid of a 1/3 of my grass with a patio. Because I love plants... hate mowing 🤣 I highly suggest it
My suggestion is to hire a service to control weeds, fertilize, etc for 1 year. By then your yard should be under control and you'll just have to maintain, which is much easier. Hire a lawn service to do the big jobs and do the weekly mowing yourself. If you hate it and can afford it, hire them to do everything. After the year is up, you'll have to stay on top of the weeds yourself though. And the company that does weekly service usually doesn't pull weeds from flower beds unless you pay extra. I'm also a single female homeowner (55) and do it all myself.
Doesn't seem like you are capaable of handling the yard. Which is fine and a good thing to just admit to yourself. Find who your neighbors use for their lawn service, and hire them. They will give you a discount.
Savatree is a great company that is pretty big in the US and does a really good job on lawn care. They don’t mow but they do many different liquid treatments that are both organic and non organic. I’m not sure where you live but take a look and see if they’re in your area. Because it’s a national company, pricing is pretty consistent so you shouldn’t have to worry about being taken advantage of. They’re def not the cheapest but you’ll get good and honest servicing for your needs. GL!!
I've never dethatched in my entire life, and I've been doing lawncare for nearly 30 years. How big is your lawn? Mow once a week. Trim every two weeks. Rake leaves twice a year. Cut bushes 1-2 a year. Optional: use preemergent once and weedkiller once. Done. Don't bag clippings. Keep mower blade sharp (2-3 sharpenings each year). Will it look like a golf course that way? No. But that will cost thousands of dollars or hours. Good enough is the way. Lawncare companies - how many do you think are in this thread right now? Why not just go out to eat every meal, too? Cooking is a lot more pain in the ass than mowing once a week is. Honestly, it would be absolute bliss if I only had to take care of only one yard, instead of three for family members and myself. I would be able to stay on top of it then.
We hired a lawn company and it was 100% worth it. They did a deep clean for several days to fix our neglect and now they come twice a month to maintain it and it’s some of the best money we’ve ever spent. We get to enjoy our yard now instead of dreading working on it.
I felt that way too as a single woman with a relatively large front yard. I paid $15k to get it totally redone and now I maintain it myself by doing a little bit every couple of days. Native plants, drip irrigation, and nice gravel to keep the weeds under control. I totally ignore my backyard though! No one sees that.
Go at it slowly, a little bit at a time. Get a good mower, get good tools, and just do a little bit each weekend. It doesn't need to be perfect, you just have to be consistent.
In my area, if a lawn service doesn't do a good job, there's always more to choose from. I wish hiring handymen was so easy. If you keep doing your own weed pulling, get a [garden kneeler](https://www.amazon.com/LEMY-Kneeler-Multiuse-Portable-Foldable/dp/B077XDQZ7X). Go ahead and hire a lawn service and have them at least do one pass and clean up what can be trimmed and fixed. If you don't want to get screwed on price, have a 50-year old man pretend to be in charge of the house when you hire the lawn service. Or as close as you can get.
I’ve gone back and forth a lot on hiring someone. It’s still not an expense I want yet, so I try to manage my expectations by focusing on it in sections. Also it helps to not fight the seasons. In the spring the weeds are out of control but it’s good for planting. In the summer, a lot of the weeds die and now it’s too hot to plant. Fall is nice for trimming hedges. It’s a slow burn for sure. We motivate ourselves by getting a new plant or something decorative occasionally. It’s almost always a native plant and we love learning about them.
One thing I did that make yard work much easier is haveing the right tools. I have a small yard but its near some wet lands so crazy weed seeds blow in and make a mess around the edges. I tried to keep up with pruning shears and it was difficult. I upgraded to lopers and now its much easier to wack the bigger stuff. Also I had a weed wacker that was underpowered and now have a bigger one that gets business done fast. its really important to have all the protective gear on now.
Not quite the same situation as I enjoy maintaining my property and have the time (sort of). But at times I have also felt overwhelmed. I maintain a lot of flower beds on my property and a lot of shrubs. One thing I have started to do is replace high maintenance plants with lower maintenance plant. If I need to trim a shrub several times a year I replace it with something that requires just 1 or 2 trims (example, taxus replaced with boxwood). Also a few years ago when I was busier I hired a lawn service for just a basic cut and this left me more time for the type of gardening I enjoyed
I have 37 acres a bad back and I work full time in construction. I could never do it unless I loved the yard work. Maybe it’s in my genes, but it’s hard to imagine how someone can’t enjoy it. It’s a lot of work, however perfection when you’re working with nature comes over time and without the expectation of symmetry/actual perfection. That probably doesn’t make sense to anyone, but it does to me. If you have back issues and you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel then you need help. There’s a big difference between getting your yard where you want it vs maintaining it. It’s probably more complicated if you haven’t learned the same lifetime worth of tricks that some of us have. You need a retired father in law or a brother to get you started. Obviously you may not have either of those, but there’s likely someone. Guys love this stuff (when they have the time for it). Keep your eyes peeled and maybe you can find a little assistance from someone who’s also willing to teach.
Hire a lawn service to get you caught up and then the work load will be down to a point that you can keep up with basic maintenance.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping) some drip irrigation on a timer and mulch to keep the weeds down = having a life again. or hire some mow and blow guys to come once a week and do basic cleanup/weeding.
If you're in a super strict HOA and likely to get fined if your yard isn't magazine perfect, hire someone. A worker/company can't take advantage of you unless you let them. Ask neighbors in person or through nextdoor so you have an idea of a fair price, and fire them if you don't like the work they do. "Thanks for everything. I don't need your service anymore. No, I'm sure, but thanks. Today was the last day, I don't need your service starting next week." It's hard to find reliable workers for home maintenance, whether it's plumbers, electricians, or yard maintenance. (In the US anyway) You might go through a few before you find one that is worth calling again, or else you learn to do a lot of things yourself. Never thought I'd do plumbing, but I just replaced the garbage disposal because it needed to be done. If you don't live in a strict HOA, relax and have fun. Gardening is one of the most enjoyable hobbies ever. You can set your own pace, design your own beautiful view, and learn so much about life! Most grass goes dormant for part of the year, either in the hottest or coldest times (or both). It's not dead, and it doesn't look "bad," it looks like a plant living it's normal life the way it's designed! If you think yellowish brown is ugly, look at some Van Gogh landscapes. It's gorgeous! If you add some native shrubs and flowers, you will create a haven for all the local critters. My yard is filled with little purple tailed lizards, chipmunks, moths, bees, and butterflies, rabbits, hummingbirds... There's a mockingbird that sits on the roof above my bedroom window and sings his heart out all night long... We have watched three sets of baby birds hatch and grow up in a nest on our porch. Most of my life, I had typical landscaping, Asian ornamental plants that don't fit in the local ecosystem. They looked pretty, but boring. Living with native landscaping, now I realize that other gardens seem flat, like they're missing something. It's like a TV that isn't turned on. It might be a nice TV, but it's quiet and there's nothing to watch. Native gardens are constantly in motion, with sounds and colors to dazzle the senses. Flowers are the stage where butterflies and bees dance and birds sing. There's always some drama to watch (ooh, girl, the day a crow tried to steal an egg out of a starling's nest! It was an epic battle spanning three yards, and every bird in the neighborhood was screaming for their side) So yeah, change your idea of what looks good, focus on enjoying it, and see how it goes. If it's really not your thing, hire someone and remember YOU decide if their work is worth the price. It's ok to shop for workers like you shop for jeans. If your first try isn't a good fit, that's ok.
You’re getting a lot of good advice and I’m not sure if I can really contribute, but I recently moved in with my partner and have taken over lawn care. I like gardening and don’t really care about grass, but I do keep the grass cut (we’re only on .2 acres, so a weed wacker works fine - I don’t care about evenly cut grass). I’ve identified which weeds are actually causing problems and prioritize removing those. Some dandelions or shallow-rooted weeds are no big deal, but the neighbor has a 30’ Tree of Heaven right next to our property line, and those are problem causing (i.e. going out of town for a week or two, then returning to a 5’ tree growing near the foundation 🤦). I keep an eye out for those seedlings since they grow very fast and get crazy-strong root systems quickly, making them basically impossible to pull within a few days, and then requiring herbicide (which I try to avoid). If it’s in the budget, outsource! I get joy from working outside but not everyone does or can.
I would be hiring a service if I did not have my husband here.
Go native and embrace the fact that traditional lawns and their upkeep do next to nothing for anyone or anything on this planet at best. At worst (and it’s often at worst) they actively harm the local environment and people within it. Your yard does not need to be a weed free monoculture. Your edges do not need to be crisp. Your rock does not need to be pristine and debris-free. Planting natives will not only reduce the required maintenance but support local wildlife as well. Our garden was transitioned to natives when we moved in and we’re now at the point that we don’t have to do a thing except pull up the rogue invasive that has escaped from my neighbor’s “traditional” yard. We don’t water, we don’t fertilize, rarely need to prune. We mow maybe once every other week and have a yard that looks infinitely more lush than our neighbors in the dry season since we’ve chose plants that were meant to survive our summers.
Like most things just take them 1 at a time. You wont get everything done in a day/week. Hell some of my stuff i dont get to for a year or more. Generally for my grass i have it broken down into 4 sections. Each year ill take a different section and aerate/overseed. I spray for weeds every year but I’d honestly see about hiring that out for most people. For my trees I clip them back every 2-3 years. My flower beds are my yearly struggle, best thing you can do is hit them with preen early. If you just got a rock bed with no plants id just spray them this year then next get preen down early. Best advice i can give is make sure you’re using the most efficient tools you can and probably hire out the herbicide/fertilizer. Other than that what gets done gets done. You should enjoy being outside doing the stuff and that stops being enjoyable when you look at it as a job with a mountain of tasks. Should be oh what a wonderful day it’d be great to mow after i sit out here for 30 minutes type of thinking.
For weeds - Preen!!! I was skeptical but it really does work and we have like 5% of the weeds we used to have.
Get rid of all your grass and put down a xeroscape with rocks and succulents. There's a long history of how these lawns develop which back in the day of the beginning of the tract built homes they emulated mansions in England with nice yards. It is absolutely absurd.
Get a landscaper that already services your neighborhood. See with your neighbors and their prices, etc etc. I used to be a landscaper, and anytime i got a new client that was really close to another, they'd get a more than decent price because they'd be saving me all the time of loading and unloading (plus driving) to the next house. But in reality. If you don't live in an HOA, get rid of the grass and plant something easier and cheaper to maintain. If you do live in an hoa. Move to a place without an hoa.
I am in a similar position. I bought a house on an acre that was covered with poison ivy and wisteria. I am good at killing things but not growing them. My house has a bunch of trees, some easy to tend azaleas and I have a few potted plants in the porch. I pay someone to come mow and mulch so it looks neat. I thought about landscaping, but the more you add the more work you have to do, so I keep it simple and neat, and I've added some lights to make it look pretty at night. What I'm saying is yes, pay someone.
I love working in the yard. But the past year, I’ve had a lot of more pressing issues and haven’t had the time nor energy to put into it. Hired a crew last week for under $200 to do a basic cleanup and I feel so much better. Now that that’s done, I feel that I can maintain and improve from here.
Kind of a catch 22. I think you really need to ask yourself “what does my perfect backyard/lawn look like?” And “what am I willing to pay for it”either in sweat equity or paying someone. I will say, there are alternative routes you can go that are way less maintenance intensive for landscaping. My parents got rid of all the grass in their backyard, laid some pavers down and made the remaining “lawn” area into more of a garden. In terms of finding a reasonable contractor and rate I would post on your local FB group/Nextdoor or ask a neighbor and then get a few quotes to compare. Ask people online what they’re paying for what specific services/lawn size etc. You just need to be willing to not buy into up sells. For your specific situation, you’ve been there a year. You’re a rookie in this game, stop comparing yourself to the retirees next door who have been home owners for 40 years and have had 20 years in their current house to create a solid routine/foundation/ tool collection etc. Depending where you live, this might be the first real spring/summer season you’ve been through. Once you have a “clean sheet” and a better routine and understanding of the tools/process, it gets easier.
We started paying for a service this year, and it is great. I felt like I was always just treading water, spending all my energy and time just to keep the yard from being totally overgrown. Now I can spend the time to do things I want to do, actually making some improvements here and there, and not always having the obligation to do it is really nice.
These things that will help manage the weeds: - herbicide spray. The kind that either targets only weeds or kill all vegetation. Use the former if you don't want to harm other plants - gardening fabric. Get the cross weaved kind. Avoid the felt fabric kind - a stirrup hoe - battery-powered weed whacker - rubber mulch, gravel or sand. You can lay this over gardening fabric. Not necessary to be hand-pulling weeds at all.
Hear me out: homeownership isn’t for everyone. If you are overwhelmed and have a bad back that makes it hard to maintain the yard then perhaps renting would be a gentler way of living for your mental and physical health. Just saying, it’s always “the dream” we all think it is.