Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
She uses cardboard as a first step in killing the existing grass. More times than I can count, I hear "WHUP, WHUP, WHUP, WHUP" as I punch into the cardboard.
In some ways, I approach lawn care as a kind of tribute to my dad. It was important to him, a child of the Depression, to have a nice yard, just as it was a point of pride for my mother to keep our home cheerful and clean.
I strongly identify with this. However, my Italian-American Dad, a child of immigrants, thought lawn-mowing was strictly a "man's job." When I bought my first little house, as well as my first lawn-mower, he insisted on coming over to "prep" me by pouring in the gas and oil and telling me what to avoid. Impatient with his fussing, I insisted he leave me to it, and he could return home assured that I would not mow my foot off. He left (or so I thought), but 5 minutes into my "first mow" I caught him peeking at the back window!
Since then I have mowed my own lawn for 23 years in that little house. When I moved to Kennett Square, I had someone mow the half acre (and I was highly critical of their services since they "blew" the excess grass around instead of raking and much of it ended up in the house on the dogs' feet!)
These days, in another small home, I can not afford to pay someone. I made an exception yesterday due to what I call "shoulder lock"...a weird condition that occurs when I overdo lifting and such in which I literally can't lift my arm without intense pain in the shoulder. I believe it comes from 35 years of dog frisbee with the Dobermans. I hope it makes its usual "comeback" over the next several days as lawn service is NOT in my budget!
Actually you're pay for those services. HOA manages it.
thanks for clarifying for those who didn't know this - meant to post "hoa fees pay for those services" - I get my exercise in other ways every day - but I do enjoy my cooling off beverage while supervising from inside my air conditioned home watching my HOA fees support the local economy ---they do an exceptional job in beautifying the yard/neighborhood ---another benefit of HOA is that you can guarantee your neighbor won't keep his lawn unmowed and poorly kept
I’ve always mowed my own lawn and will continue to do so until I am physically unable to do it. I’m particular about my lawn and don’t trust anyone else to care about my lawn like I do.
I would rethink getting rid of any equipment for awhile. I did that when I retired and moved to Florida and have had to buy new equipment. Not that having new equipment is a bad thing, but still I could have saved money by bringing a lot of my old stuff with me.
The one thing I’m seriously considering hiring out is trimming the palm trees. I’m not so good on ladders anymore and using a chain saw from a ladder causes me quite a bit of anxiety. Last year I hired part of the job out and did the others myself. This year I’m going to try and do it all myself to save money. My wife is all about me hiring it out, but I still think I can handle it for a little while longer.
Listen to your wife. Skinny tree, tall ladder, palm fronds high off the ground and chain saw in hand, what could possibly go wrong?
I think I'm one of the last in my neighborhood that actually mows, trims my own property. Since I'm retired I've divided up the front one day, back another and trimming/whacking another. Each day takes me roughly an hour. Gives me something to do and instead of a 2 1/2-3 hour task I divide it up and take my time. However, the rain gets in the way sometimes lol
She uses cardboard as a first step in killing the existing grass. More times than I can count, I hear "WHUP, WHUP, WHUP, WHUP" as I punch into the cardboard.
I'll start leaving an additional border!
I've tried that cardboard trick in my raised beds and it has never worked for me.
I mow almost an acre without a riding mower, just a regular one and have been doing it for 15 years now. Sometimes it's over 100 degrees.
I'd love to have someone do it for thirty bucks, but we only have commercials companies and $50 to $75 a week is too much for cheap me to justify.
At least now I don't have to spend my few weekend hours doing it. I now have all the time in the world!
My husband used to mow but he had a hip replacement and has quite a time just walking inside so we hired someone. We pay $45 every two weeks for mowing, edging and blowing the driveway and sidewalks. Then we pay an extra $20 if he trims the shrubs using a chainsaw!!
I don't mind spending 45 minutes once a week to mow my lawn five months out of the year. I found time to mow half an acre when I was working. I can surely find the time to mow a much smaller yard in retirement.
I moved to the high desert partly (a big part) to get away from mowing and hearing my neighbors mowing. My old next door neighbor was obsessed with mowing his grass and would be at it about every four or five days -- first one way and then another. I haven't heard a lawn mower in almost five years and it's wonderful.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When I bought my first little house, as well as my first lawn-mower, he insisted on coming over to "prep" me by pouring in the gas and oil and telling me what to avoid. Impatient with his fussing, I insisted he leave me to it, and he could return home assured that I would not mow my foot off. He left (or so I thought), but 5 minutes into my "first mow" I caught him peeking at the back window! 
