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I can't stand doing yardwork...those of you with some names of recommendations your neighbor(s) gave you...please pass them along to me. Send me a direct message if you prefer not to post it publicly.
I need someone to do all the basics and maybe a little bit more.
We do our own yardwork. Hubby did it in Spring and early summer, but I have taken over the mowing from him. We mow, trim, edge, fertilize.
Just FWIW, I am a "power tools" kind of gal anyway... For my birthday one year, I asked for (and got) electric hedge trimmers; for another birthday I asked for (and got!) a gas-powered edger. And now that MIL is living with us, I can also lay claim to the cordless trimmer and the gas-powered blower!
We have not done any planting in our yard yet -- we are a bit intimidated by this hard, rocky clay -- but I do have a front porch full of hanging baskets and we have a couple of large planters on the deck and on the patio with various flowers.
We are thinking about doing a raised plant bed in the back yard, but we have not gone any further than just "thinking" about it...
I used to have a service do the basic mow, edge, and bi-annual fertilize/aerate, but as the family grew the budget for such luxuries didn't
I actually really like doing yardwork, especially landscaping and gardening, although I have to admit that edging is something I really dislike. But it's a balance
But today, I do all the yardwork, fun and tedious both. Although my 13 year old is starting to learn to mow a little, and both the 10 and 13 yr old are getting to an age that they can help me prep(debris pickup, etc) and cleanup which helps a lot.
To each their own, as everyone has different priorities or hobbies/activities they enjoy, but I really take a lot of personal pride in our yard and garden's appearance once it is all put right.
....although if you saw our yard right NOW, it is really an embarrassment.
We've spent more of the last 18 months working on the house than yard, and it shows. But we're starting to get to the yard now a little at a time
I actually really like doing yardwork, especially landscaping and gardening, although I have to admit that edging is something I really dislike. But it's a balance
Al
Al, I'm sorry you are not in my neighborhood... I have an edger that I LOVE to use! I used to edge the neighbors' lawns when we lived in Michigan! I've not been bold enough to ask any of my current neighbors if I could "edge" their driveways...
I do all the yard work and, on occasion, let the husband help
When we moved into our new home here in NC I tore out everything the builder put in and redid it (my husband put in the irrigation system). I plant all my trees, hedges, flowers (even 15-20 gallon containers) mow, edge, fertilize the lawn and love getting out and doing it. I know my neighbors must think I'm crazy digging in the dirt but for me it's a hobby. And for the people that don't like yard work it makes sense to hire someone. Now I wish I could just hire someone to wash my dishes every day.....ughhh!
Last edited by NRaleigh Mom; 01-17-2009 at 07:59 PM..
We do our own, too, and while it's not my favorite pasttime by any means, I would feel like Laziness Personified if I hired someone to come do it (though sometimes I wouldn't mind there being a neighborhood teenager to MOW for me once in awhile).
We, too, had neighbors offer names of landscaping services; the fact that you had so many recommendations makes me wonder whether those folks get "referral fees" for signing up new people. I just wouldn't think "Hey let me tell you about a great yard company!" would be the kind of thing a neighbor would just say, without being asked, unless there were something in it for them. I mean, you don't hear people walk up and say "Hey, let me tell you the name of a great dentist/doctor/masseuse etc."
Quote:
I have an edger that I LOVE to use! I used to edge the neighbors' lawns when we lived in Michigan! I've not been bold enough to ask any of my current neighbors if I could "edge" their driveways
Darn, I would be THRILLED to indulge you if I weren't in Raleigh! ;-)
My husband and i take care of the yard ourselves. We are first time home owners, so it has been quite challenging. We have taken care of the existing lawn and have not attempted at anything else. We spend about 3 to 4 hours every 2 weeks pulling out the weeds (crabgrass among other weeds is driving us insane), trimming the bushes (by hand..haven't bought a trimmer or edger), mowing.. However, weeds are something that we have not been able to control. Many of my neighbors have hired services (their lawns are well groomed with the trimmer and the edger)..Have to admit it is tempting. Perhaps if we find a way to control the weeds, we will find yard work more enjoyable.
Approximately what would one expect to pay to have someone aerate, do weed control, etc? I can handle the mowing and trimming, but just curious as to how much the rest would cost.
We do all our own yardwork except for the lawn treatments. We have a service that comes 6 times per year for weed, fertilizer, etc. Total cost is about $300 for the year and I just don't think you can beat that by buying your own supplies and doing it yourself and finding the time to get it done when it is supposed to be done. This does not include the aerating or the seeding which we will do ourselves.
We, too, had neighbors offer names of landscaping services; the fact that you had so many recommendations makes me wonder whether those folks get "referral fees" for signing up new people. I just wouldn't think "Hey let me tell you about a great yard company!" would be the kind of thing a neighbor would just say, without being asked, unless there were something in it for them. I mean, you don't hear people walk up and say "Hey, let me tell you the name of a great dentist/doctor/masseuse etc."
They might just be trying to ease your workload or maybe get a referal fee, or maybe they are neighborhood busybodies making a comment about the quality of your lawn care. Unless they are good friends it seems kind of a rude thing to say without being asked. If someone I hardly knew told me the name of a good doctor without me asking, I would be looking in a mirror to see if I had a rash or something.
I find it more relaxing to do my own rather than deal with the frustration of trying to get someone to do it right. I am sure there are good services around, but everyone I have hired I ended up having to fire. I swear the last one I hired to aerate, fertilize, weed control and plant grass must have planted weed seeds. I had more weeds the next year than I have ever had.
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