Cost to have yard cut (Houston, Katy: buy, maintenance, move)

[dickelfan]

What are some of you paying to have your yard cut? I like doing mine, and am pretty picky about it, but with a 4 month old daughter, and the hours I put in, I'd rather spend the time with her, so thinking about getting someone to cut mine.

Lot is on a cul de sac, so back yard is pretty good size, but front is pretty small. Usually takes me an hour and half to cut, edge, and blow off the entire yard. And that is taking little breaks.

We are in the Cinco Ranch area of Katy, so any recommendations would be good too.

[Cbink]

We're in Cypress, $30 front and back, 0.3 acre lot.

[PedroMartinez]

Lake Houston, $40 front, back and edging. 17,800 sq ft (.40 acres)

[cla]

I was paying $25 to $30 for basic lawn service. I was never happy with the quality - always cut the grass too short (and no amount of reminding them to cut the grass taller did any good - even after adding $5 a week for having to adjust the blades). Finally went to a "all inclusive service" that mows, edges, trims bushes, applies fertilizer, pesticide, fungicide, etc for $200 a month. They do a better job with the grass height as well, but they don't do the little extras that the old lawn guys did. They won't move stuff out of the way, they won't pick up any branches I have pruned, etc.

[crone]

20 dollars for the front to the kid down the street. His dad is supervising him. Mow, edge and remove debris. We have tried all kinds of services from 25 a week for basic to 45 a week for basic plus weed the beds. As long as they stop down on Stuebner Airline to pick up help and not train them, the kid works out way better. The last one brought in some guy who just cut the place down with the weed eater. My neighbor's too. Even her hostas.

DH tried doing it , but a couple of the neighbor's offered to do it for him. They thought that old man should not be out mowing in the heat

Our back has no need for any thing. We have spent 10 years getting it maintenance free.

IMO, just get somebody to do the basic mow, edge and blow. Most of these guys are from the desert and have no clue about taking care of the flower beds. They all trim the shrubs to look like matzah balls. They do a little crape murder and call it done.

[jtothemak]

Every service I have seen cuts the yard to short. St. Augustine to properly cut you should have the mower on the highest setting possible. Do not understand why yard services cannot do this. I prefer a lush green yard instead of a short partially brown yard.

[piyf]

The highest setting? I agree it should be cut high but that seems really high.

[cla]

Originally Posted by piyf

The highest setting? I agree it should be cut high but that seems really high.

St Aug should be cut to 3" to 4". This is the highest setting on consumer mowers. Any shorter and not only does the lawn look bad, but weeds increase and the roots, and thus lawn, will be less healthy. Also, in times of drought, the taller grass helps keep the moisture in and protects the roots from the heat. Whatever the height, you should never cut off more than 1/3 of the blade.

Another thing I can't get anyone to do is keep their mower blades sharpened. When grass is cut, the cut edge should be smooth and sharp, not ragged and torn. A ragged cut will help introduce disease and makes the lawn look whitish on top. I read once that a mower blade should be sharpened after every 10 hours of use.

If I had room for a mower, I would buy one and have my lawn guys use my mower, set at my preferred height with blades sharpened when needed.

I have noticed that most people with irrigation systems water their lawns too frequently. If you water too often and shallowly, the roots won't grow as deep, and shallow roots make for a weak lawn.