We recently purchased our first home and now have to deal with a lawn and trees. Something completely new to us. It was getting very tall and the person who cuts our neighbors' grass did it for us for $20, although it wasn't a very good job as he did not pull the weeds or anything else. Not even the trees. He wants to do it every other week for $20. Is this too much? We have no clue what a gardener costs. My next step is to shop around...just thought I'd post here first since I also have a question on frugal gardening.
Also, we are thinking of buying a lawn mower soon and doing it ourselves. What do you recommend for first time gardeners like my husband and I? Do we need a weed whacker and blower also? So many things I never thought of before we bought a house! Gosh.
Thanks in advance.
Hardiness Zone: 10a
By crystal from Los Angeles, CA
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I agree if you have the time and energy, do it yourself. Just start off by getting a lawnmower. You can get by without a weed whacker and blower for a while - You can pull up the weeds and extra grass around the edges by hand or clip, and you can sweep where you would use a blower.
We own a small business so we don't have time for the lawnwork anymore. We have been using the guy that does our neighbors yard for 2 years now. It depends on the size of your yard and what services you need. Check with some of your neighbors. We pay our guy $75 a month to come every week. (Sounds in line with your $20 every other week.)
He mows, weeds, trims, blows, rakes and bags leaves and limbs. I have even seen him spraying weed killer in the cracks of our driveway.
$75 a month probably sounds like a lot. My front yard is covered by several oak trees so there is plenty of leaf bagging in late fall and winter. During spring and summer our grass needs mowing every week.
Once the temperatures get over 90 degrees we figure he is worth every penny!!
Tracey in Jacksonville FL
If you all have the time to do it yourself, that's the best way to go. Even if you have to buy the lawn mower, edger & etc. They last a long time. We did ours till we retired then hired somebody to cut the grass. We still have to get rid of weeds & trim bushes if they do extra work they charge more.
Here in Alabama 20 is not bad (you gotta think gas for the mower and gas to get there). And for the weed eating talk to your yard guy and it might be a few dollars more to weed eat and rake. Our days of paying for yard work are over, we have a big strong healthy 14yr old son! I'd skip on the blower, just a mower and weed eater (if you need one) would do. and go ahead and spend those few more dollars for the good rake. and if its a big yard a wheelbarrow always comes on handy. Good luck and congrats on the new house!
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