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Thread: How tall is tall enough

  1. #1
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default How tall is tall enough

    I'm trying to get a bit of an idea what you guys call a lawn being tall enough that it needs cutting
    As i only do regular lawn service (no casuals) i usually try to guess the return visit depending on the season and growth rate be it weekly,fortnightly or 3 weekly.

    I have been saying that at 5cm (2 inches) growth it's now due for a cut and this is how i time my return visits.Yes sure some will try to push it further as far as being ankle high and trying to control the service which i don't allow.

    The reason i'm asking is that one can get a little stagnant in there daily routine and lose there way in a business.
    So when do you call it as being ready to cut.

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    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    I'm trying to get a bit of an idea what you guys call a lawn being tall enough that it needs cutting
    As i only do regular lawn service (no casuals) i usually try to guess the return visit depending on the season and growth rate be it weekly,fortnightly or 3 weekly.

    I have been saying that at 5cm (2 inches) growth it's now due for a cut and this is how i time my return visits.Yes sure some will try to push it further as far as being ankle high and trying to control the service which i don't allow.

    The reason i'm asking is that one can get a little stagnant in there daily routine and lose there way in a business.
    So when do you call it as being ready to cut.
    About as tall as a piece of string :-) I just guess too unless they irrigate. It takes time to figure it out but when in doubt I'll ask. I love irrigated lawns, anyone remember those?

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    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    I'll clarify a bit more
    These can be existing customers over a year plus and the current season is now or winter and you have set a repeated return visit and you don't want to see the lawn any taller than ____cm

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    Senior Member GardeningSolutions's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    I cut most jobs at 50mm. Looks the best at 2/3 wk intervals and keeps it a regular cut. I also mulch most lawns to promote better growth. Price is based on regular interval and no more than ankle high growth. If the client messes with the regularity then the next cut will be priced as a casual. If they leave it long enough they can also get a price rise. With the current growth here in SA I have advised some clients of the extreme growth and the cut might not look so good, or they can get it cut a week early. Should someone fertilise during peak growth periods ( and some do!!) I'll hit them with a extra charge for excessive growth.

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    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    Quote Originally Posted by BeetleJuice View Post
    I'll clarify a bit more
    These can be existing customers over a year plus and the current season is now or winter and you have set a repeated return visit and you don't want to see the lawn any taller than ____cm
    Maximum blade height on the honda sp is 75mm. The honda manual states to cut no more than a third off the blade of grass. So tell em you have to cut it at 100mm else it will get scalped. So adding a third to whatever level you cut it at gives you the max level.

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    Senior Member lawn order's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    How to calculate your lawn mowing value.
    1 cut = 1 bag of clippings.
    Never adjusted down. Price accordingly.
    Regular clients appreciate paying for well kept lawns, so with them it is -
    One cut plus neat lawns, plus a jar of home made plum jam = 1 cut.
    I do figjam for less.
    Work it out so that you enjoy the job and be rewarded accordingly.

  7. #7
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    What i've done is allow 5cm-6cm of growth.If i'm cutting a regular lawn and it was cut at 5cm once it grows another 5cm it's now due for another return visit.i have had some try the "leave it for another week or two" which easily takes it to ankle high.
    All the lawns i have are varied cuts due to seasons growth which i adjust not the customer
    At that stage they get told this is now not a regular service more into a casual cut and i don't do casual cuts,it then becomes there choice to go back to regular or the service stops,customers don't control the the regularity of service and the reason i'm ok doing it this way as other contractors are the same in this area.

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    Senior Member GardeningSolutions's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    Your the boss and you dictate what gets done for how much. It annoys me when a client tries the next week crap. they want to mess with your rotation so they can save $2.

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    Senior Member head1956's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    You're lucky that all contractors round your way stick to rotation only Beetlejuice, plenty of mowing dudes round here to jump on any lawn available casual or not

  10. #10
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
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    Default Re: How tall is tall enough

    Most of the guys i know are in there 40's.50's and 60's and they don't put up with any inconsistencies being long term businesses,then we have the temporary Victa boot no catcher no edging operators which take on anything and they can have the so called user bogan households.

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