Mow Lawn Faster (w/ SPEED Tips)
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
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Starting a lawn care business can be challenging. You can use a basic setup to start your lawn business without spending thousands of dollars on the best zero turn mower. In this video I'm showing you the basic lawn care setup I used in the beginning to keep costs down and make money right from the start.
Here are some tips for mowing faster and more efficiently when mowing your lawns or yards.
BEST lawncare channel on UA-cam hands down.
Thanks!
Agrred
I am not even 5 minutes in and I can tell you are a professional.
Thank you
Edit: Mom passed 2 yrs ago and brother last yr. from pneumonia and Covid infection, but I do understand those who think we'll all get through this unscathed.
😊o
Great video. Thanks again. The only tips I can think of that I have picked over the years is that I typically do not take the stick edger to the back yard just to edge a small concrete slab. I will use the string trimmer for the back patio since I already have to take it back there for other trimming. This helps save a lot of steps on larger properties. Also it is sometimes beneficial for the first guy to start blowing go straight to back yard and then sink back up with the other guy in the front. Too many times I grab the second blower and walk all the way to the backyard to help the first blower finish and he is basically done by the time I get here. I just walked back there for nothing! Hope that helps someone.
I am just starting a lawn care business and ur videos are helpful to me alot
Glad to hear it!
He has the best content, and he’s not going to push a product on you. Beware of 95% of other lawn care channels they are just trying to better them selves by marketing products through there channels for money and free equipment. Here you will find excellent advice and real world content.
Nailed it, I am amazed when watching how many can't string trim a yard without doubling back, its a big game of snake, there will be a way to trim without taking even one extra step backwards, it may take a few mows to figure out that path but once u do its so easy, and doesn't matter where u start then as u will always only walk where u need to so I just start from what ever point is closest to my truck
Great tips. This is my/ our first year NO PUSHMOWER, I love it ! 52&36 stand ons. Made the year end purchase 😉. I’m psyched up for 2021. Residential only, close to home. Route density, equipment continuity. Incorporating as many of your pearls of wisdom that I can.
If I bought a house with a small gated backyard,
A larger Gate would be a necessary change.
And that's just as a homeowners perspective 👀
Thanks Jonathan.
Appreciate you 👍
Awesome content! Has helped me allot, came out of finance just like you, now I’m in the second month of my lawncare business. Thanks for the info! Make more videos plz! 😄
No more PUSHING!!!!!! Great advice. As for other tips to SPEED up mowing, we have a good one.......As funny as it may seem, we have noticed that customers do not try to talk to us while we are working if, and when, we are wearing over-the-ear hearing protection. I believe they see the large ear muffs and it deters.......if we forget to wear them and instead use ear buds......the customers come out like zombies on the Walking Dead. Take care bro, and thx again for a very informative video for the community. Kevin E.Lansing MI
Good tip!
The absolute best lawn care business channel on you tube right here. You share so much useful information and you seem like an awesome dude too. Thanks so much for what you do for us !!
Wow, thank you!
When you weed trim, try to go in the right direction so the clippings are thrown into the lawn, not into the beds, or out onto the street, driveway, or other places you'll have to spend more time blowing.
Good advice! Always enjoy watching the videos.
Great logical advice there as allways your channel is on its game, I don't have a lawn car business as such but still learn of your videos
We knock out smaller lawns in 5:00-7-50 minutes per lawn! 2 man crew.
👍🌱👊
That’s what I’m talkin about!
Great information! It was very helpful. I recently got a stand-on mower (Exmark Staris) for back yards. Its like night and day. I hardly use my push mower anymore. I have noticed a real reduction in time. One back yard would take me 20 minutes with the push mower. Now 5 minutes tops to cut it. Saved 15 minutes and a whole lot of steps. Also take advantage of technological advances by updating equipment when possible. Equipment efficiency can reduce time also. I started with old equipment. It takes time but keep investing money back into your business.
This helped tremendously, thanks!
Great Advice! Very Much Appreciated! Hands Down! Thanks!
Thanks for the tips I started a few years ago and you have helped me confirm my choice to go over to riders
Thanks for the vid man. I have a few new clients already this year and I agree with you im done with push mowing but two of the new lawns i just got have only have a 28" opening for their back gate. I also can't really afford one yet but i do plan on buying one in the next couple months probably a cub zero turn the new yellow framed ones they look nice.
Love your videos really helps I have a small business there's lots of things I need to learn as far as business
Thanks!
Awesome tips man, thank you!
Thank you Jonathan! I'm very friendly with other lawn mowing companies. I also want to go over to see what they got, etc. When I see their push mower, I jokingly asked, What is the thing with the handles? I started making money using the push mower from my garage, but once I got a z-turn, no more of that. We don't even have small mowers to fit through small gates. I know you can't do it in other suburbs, but our smallest mower is 60" (&12 mph). I try to learn what I can (a lot from UA-cam (Jonathan, etc.)) and apply as much as I can to our location keeping everything as simple, efficient, cookie-cutter, and scalable as possible. Learn, apply, grow, repeat. Lol.
That's it man.. just keep it simple and keep doing it over and over again.
FINALLY !! A like minded person in the world 😂 GET RID OF THE PUSH MOWER 👊 I argue this point constantly. I just see no money in it. The only time I seen someone making profitable money with push mowing . Was in the Florida Keys. Though the money was not all based on mowing but more maintenance and very little turf management . Great tips Jonathan, spot on 👍
FTP you are a 100% stand-up guy you give it to us no sugar coating
Great video, really like the tips I sometimes trim right to left that throws the extra grass back into the yard and then I'm able to cut it up if the grass is high. Thanks
This dude and Brian are the two best guys on UA-cam with their content. Hands down.
Jonathon, Brian and Jason from Lawn Care Life are my 3 favourites
Great advice. I’ve noticed that neighborhoods with sidewalks add at least $100,000 to the price of the homes. Sidewalks really slow me down. Not a big fan of ditches either. Guys find a great neighborhood(s) without either of these obstacles and market the living daylights out of it. Efficiency will skyrocket.God bless and best wishes to all.
I agree completely.
Well I can't afford to stop pushing mowing right now so got to do what I got to do to feed my family
I think you nailed it.
Great tips brother
Super good advice
I love your videos, they are spot on to make your business excel. That being said, I respectfully, emphatically disagree with tip No. 1. I did it your way for three years. I got distracted one day by a customer and mowed first. Realized after, I didn't have the dirt packed down on the walkways from driving over it. Blower mph seems to be the ticket for fast grass/dirt removal from the paves areas. This is at least my experience here in the Tampa Bay area. Actually, you put it beat by working to find what works best for your area and mowing conditions! Keep up the great videos!
Yes, I understand your point about the dirt packed down on walkways... that's why I literally said in the video: "Hover your tires over the edges so you don't pack dirt down into the walkways." =) Lol, thanks for watching!
Always droppin gems of information that is essential to our business. Thanks man. I gotta do away with the push mower. 😆
Right on! I remember my first year in business this guy wanted me to only push mow his yard, and so I did, even though my big mower would fit in the back. I remember it was like July, and heat index 115 here, and I pulled up to his house... I looked at that push mower, and I looked at my big mower... I knocked on his door and said, "I'm not push mowing your yard again... I can either use my riding mower or you can find someone else to do it." He said I'll find someone else to do it... He hasn't had a consistent lawn service in the last 3 years lol 😂
@@FloridaTurfPros 😂😂😂 you valued your time & efficiency.
I use to raise the price on the yard if I was required to use a push mower instead of my tractor also gates I use to work a deal with the customer and my fence guy
Nice 🏡!!thanks for your helpful videos!!
You’re welcome!
Great video as always we use our edger with the golden edger blade the first mow of the season, and than use the edge it pro on the string trimmer for the rest of the season. It’s faster than going back to get a edger every time, plus to your point it’s consistent nice crispy edge. Have you tried the golden edger blade and the edge it pro? If not I highly recommend. As for the previous comment I read BEST LAWN CARE CHANNEL!!
Earned a subscriber thanks for the tips
Great advice, I haven't trimmed edges for years. Using a edger along with proper wheel placement leaves a nice 90 degree edge which I think looks far better. I agree with not blowing debris on concrete but if you are going for quality you have to switch up routes around the yard (so you don't create tracks over time) which can make that hard to do.
Agree.. you end up getting a much thicker edge with a 90 degree angle.
I alternate clockwise 90 degree rotations. So on one week I’ll mow the horizon then diagonal the next week, vertical the following etc.
Love your content
Let's face it SEMO companies are slow when me and my brother hit a yard he does his thing I do my thing today we did a new yard customer gave us extra $20 we said you don't have to do that cuz we already agreed on a price he said I pay for good work
SEMO ?
Having to push mow the back of 2 lawns rn. My walk behind 36” needed a lot of love to get back up to great shape. Just a bunch of small stuff like $800. Just ordered a gravely 32” pro stance. That’s gonna solve that problem and still be faster then a walk 36”.
Heck ya!
Great advice!
Glad it was helpful!
I agree to everything you said, alot of guys string trim and say it's better but they do it only to look cool and show off lol
Push mowing is a great workout for us weekend beer drinking warrior 💪🏻🏡
i agree with you minus the push mowing, in some areas we have soft soil in southern Louisiana, thats why i have an allwheel drive mower
Good advice, thanks
Thanks!
Good stuff thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Adding mulch kit should've been included. such a convenience with clean up for tall grass clippings
I have a 12 minute average per 1/4 acre yard with ditch 2 man crew
Never leave the dealer without a mulch kit installed
Great tips. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I was going to film a video kinda like this today lol. Great minds like alike.
Thanks!
Time is money for the mow, blow and go crowd!
Good video thanks
More good stuff bro.
Good information you shared. But some of us need the exercise push mowing🤣.
The C Method to mowing the lawn
1. Going around in circles can make you dizzy when mowing the lawn around the perimeter so the best thing to do is mow the lawn in giant Cs. That way you can avoid getting dizzy and it feels much more comfortable too.
2. When mowing the lawn the best thing to do is mow it in long smooth continuous lines without too many maneuvers that make you feel dizzy. Feeling dizzy is extremely uncomfortable and makes it harder to line things up as well.
3. Doing all this will make mowing the lawn far more comfortable and convenient and I suspect it will allow me to mow the lawn much faster.
4. So long continuous lines without making me feel dizzy.
Great info
Don't trim sidewalks has saved me so much time especially on floratam. It looks good too but some guys bounce the weedeater and its more work
Agree. It's nice to bevel the edge every now and then, but it really does save a lot of time by not weed eating all the edges.
Unfortunately at the company I work at, Push mowing is about 80% of the work we do. They are reluctant to purchase stand-on/standard mowers or even zero turn walk-behinds. We do a lot of condos/condominiums and sadly, based on the machines the company owns, we HAVE to push-mow, because there are no ride-on/stand-on mowers that would fit in tight areas like the backyards etc. Makes our job way harder and more time consuming. Hopefully by the next season they will actually buy a stand-on or two. Make's the work much more enjoyable, less stressful and most importantly less taxing on the body. Nice video, keep up the great work brother!
I agree with you 100% on using an edger . A friend of mine I help out can’t stand an edger and uses a weedeater . I tried that 👎🏻. Kills my back . It takes double the time plus you are using more string .
Use edgeit
Mow long ways so you don't have to turn around as much!
Where I'm from, you never mow the same direction twice. It saves the turf, and you end up with a beautiful square or diamond pattern in the yard after a few mowings.
We change direction every week. As many directions as possible. If you’re mowing short ways, and it’s too short to keep turning around, just go forward and reverse until your out of the tight spot. When it comes down to leaving marks, if they are willing to pay the price we will push mow.
Still the same amount of mowing bro… you obviously don’t understand anything.. work smarter not harder
Correct the amount of mowing is the same. But the amount of turning is much more when you got short ways on a yard.
If you're client doesnt mind and the lot allows for it, just start in the center and drive in circles outward. Wont have to make any 90°s until the last past. 😅
Man I envy all that flat land you have there.
Man, every time I start traveling north or west I'm reminded how lucky I am to not have to deal with hills every day. Hill make for beautiful country, but flat land is easiest to mow for sure... Thanks for commenting!
I also agree about the stand on mower is king, but I have some customers with hills so steep I almost flip the Wright, so I am going to add a 54" Trimstar to the fleet. Out of like 50 customers I have 1 that is kind of flat, ,most moderate hilly and some very hilly. That's just Atlanta terrain.
I bought a 52 inch zero turn, biggest mistake for recidential houses. I have a cub cadet push mower and thats the one i use for almost all my lawns i wish i would have known before about those small gates 😓 now im stuck with a big ariens zero turn. Live and learn. 🤷♂️
I use a corded mower (crazy I know) so going in circles isnt possible for me.. I think if I practice I can just go forward and backward to eliminate turning... But I'd have to get better at pulling straight cause when i did it i had wonky lines lol
My question is do you edge the flower beds and how often?
Going solo for the first time today in North Florida, I've got 17 accounts today. My Mondays are the most difficult, 25 accounts solo. I'm used to roofing, painting and building commercial/ residential. Is it possible to complete this amount of work solo? In going to be in the first job by 7am and hope to finish by 5 or 6, is this feasible for a noob? Liked and subbed! Thank you for the tips! ❤
Hey man great video quick question. How do you charge for maintaining the flowerbeds throughout the season?
We don’t offer that as part of the lawn service. We charge separately for spraying the beds as needed.
Is it okay not to bag clippings on every residential lawns? Or it is best practised on weekly subscribers only?
Do you charge extra for trimming with your edger
Thx😎
You’re welcome.
@Florida Turf Pros how do I speed up mowing tract home lawns. Here, the gates to the back yards are super narrow; and on a super steep slope. But, some of these lot’s have huge back yards. Far too much for push mowing. I run a 6.75 hp Self-Propelled John Deere. But, just a few lawns is torture. All of the lawns are front back and two side yards. Any help past the tips in this video would help. I’m subbing for a company on these lawns.
Just a question. I seen your trimming route video before and I has really helped me cut time down, but what about multiple houses in a row? Do you just start at the right corner and do all them at once or one by one?
Patriot Lawn Specialist all at once. No question
In some cities discharging/blowing into the street is illegal
that grass strip is screaming for perennial
Great tips. I do most of those. What do you mean by "hovering" over the sidewalk? Does that mean to raise the deck?
Thanks.
I think he meant with the string trimmer
I mean when using the lawn mower do not smash the edge down with your tire. You can hover the wheels over the edges so your deck can lift the grass up and give it a nice cut. This keeps you from having to string trim edges of sidewalks.
And btw, he said to lower the deck, while doing this. I think he didn't mention why, but maybe obvious, the wheel on the hard surface will be higher than grass side, so lowering slightly will make a perfect cut. That's my observation anyway.
@@stevecarr1992 so ur saying if I usually mow my yard at 3”, hover over the edges with the deck at 2.5” while the rest of the yard is 3”?
How is using an edger faster than using your weed eater? I use a redmax weedeater for everything and I just run through it easy. With an edger you would be adding a lot of time it seems like
My only disagreement would be taking the time to pull out the edger when a string trimmer can do the same job. Obviously the first cut of the year might need a deep edge, but for weekly cuts a weed eater will suffice. That’s not to say it doesn’t come with risks. I’ve busted out two windows in all the years I’ve been in lawn care. However, it’s avoidable if you’re super aware of your surroundings. I’ve had numerous clients complain about stick edgers tearing up their concrete sidewalks but never one complaint about edging with a trimmer. Even after breaking their windows. You could say side discharging when mowing is a liability too because I’ve seen windows busted out that way a few times.
So much more work with that blowie
Do you get any requests for Electric/eco friendly equipment? Up here in Ottawa I have had a couple of separate requests for small lawns.
Na... here in the south every one is driving a gas guzzling suburban or f250.. no one seems to care about eco friendly here
@@FloridaTurfPros pretty much same here in st charles MO
push mowers in new zealand have to be used as 9 out of 10 jobs have trees and objects on the lawn. id love to use a ride on but unfortunately all the ride on stuff gets given to the local councils
🔥🔥🔥
I'm not in the business but I have a question for those that are. Wouldn't a hand held blower be faster for the small quick things like blowing a little grass off the sidewalks than having to get a backpack blower off the rack, start it, strap it on and then go? I totally understand they have more power so to me make perfect sense for the bigger jobs like leaves or big properties.
Handheld blower wears your arm out for anything that takes longer than a minute or so. We use handheld blowers for back patios but that’s it.
Wish I could get away from push mowing but I just can't afford it at this point.
Which is best for edging...straight or curved shaft?
Curved shaft makes it easier to walk and stay on the dry concrete. The only advantage that I have ever found with a straight shaft is clearance of cars in the drive. Good luck my friend.
You will get more power out of a strait shaft. I have a strait and curved with the same power head and the strait will plow through way better
What do you do when there are cars parked on the side where me you are edging?
I hate to get others people cars dirty
I live in Los Angeles so it’s hard to find an empty street like the ones in your videos
We don’t edge that spot if a car is in the way at all.
That is good to know. You have been such a great help in growing my business thank you! 🤗
Yo nice hat .... by the way...... lets keep it real......... you are the fucking best lawn care youtube channel in the world bro.
Many people may think mowing is intuitive, not necessarily. I’ve seen done, what you just described not to do when mowing!
If you slightly angle the edger to the right it gets the grass that typical guys would take the trimmer too "flat" the curbs. In flagler county we dont have side walks,except in the HOAs. We have swales and drain pipes on the sides of the driveways and its less edging but double the trimming. Edging just looks better with a real edger. 90% less liabity. And for tbe guys up north saying its faster with a trimmer,they've never had to try to edge st augustine grass. Lol
Shawn EdwardsGood point.
Shawn EdwardsGood point.
What about when a yard is super wet? Or tends to hold water? I just added an account yesterday and their backyard probably won't be ready for my stand-on until, I don't even know when. Someone I know previously. Why did you have to post this?
I let yards go that are super wet. I can quickly tell when a new yard is going to be a problem when it rains, and I just let the client go or refer them to someone else. We get so much rain in our area that dealing with a yard that holds water causes major problems in scheduling and quality.
@@FloridaTurfPros- BINGO!!
@@FloridaTurfPros And we're no desert in OH. Thanks, bud.
A lot of y’all need to get your health up so you can push mow
String trimmers the way to go!! Don't have to switch, maybe a stick edger first time or something, maintained lawns .. string trimmer! 😁 No switching, and don't trim the edges of the lawn, it's a waste of time. I agree about mowing so that you don't discharge inside..personally I also encourage mowing so that nothing gets in the beds.
Your path video doesn't work for my lawns..I think..one of the suggestions did..but I did find a way that is faster, for me. And on a new lawn I do think you should take a look and make a quick plan so you don't have to walk over somewhere else 5 different times without doing anything.
Yes, great points!
so what do you recommend for getting away from push mowers. If using the push mowers we are talking about small to medium sized yards. We run the commercial 30's which are faster than 22's, but have considered something else that might be faster. What would you suggest? 36 stander? 48 ztr What combo works best for 1 or 2 guys on those yards. Great tips though....hoping to speed things up this season.
Run the 36" until you have to start turning away too many larger yards then add the 52. Every market is different, but a 36 will get in 99% of your gates.
They even make 32" standers.
Oh, I get it. You're on of those get in and out of the truck like an F1 team type companies.
He does a good job. In my area, those guys all do terrible lawn work but charge the same prices. Customers continue to stick with them despite all the damage they do.
Push mowing is a necessity on smaller lawns. Plus it looks terrible to run a huge zero turn over a lawn that only needs a couple of passes. Customers don’t feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.
All sound advice Jonathan, but just watch your gonna get people saying there faster with a string trimmer at edging till you smoke them it wont change bro !
Most likely =)
I see an old man on my route that used a weed whacker with a disk on the head to edge... Leaves a reallllllly thick edge line which IMO just isn't as clean and crisp as a dedicated edger. Old people 🤷🏻♂️
Lol.. edger is safer and more efficient for sure.
I'm slightly confused with tip 3...
How so?
I have ADHD and autism and it still takes me forever to mow. Like if I start at 1 I won't be done till like 5 or 6. Why is that? I have a self propelled Craftsman push mower.
same But I don't have adhd I'm just lazy 😭
Edger is not faster for a solo guy. It’s another step and piece of equipment in the hand.
Is it true you should switch up directions every other mow?
We don't do it every mow, but yes, that is what you should do. We will adjust our mowing pattern if we start to see lines or ruts beginning to form.
Florida Turf Pros ok thanks love your channel