Scarifying!! !!!!!

[IVECOKID]

Well I was gobsmacked this morning 8 o'clock when I drove past one of my Garden jobs too see a Lawn treatment company Scarifying the garden which was frozen solid.

Are these companies that desperate!

 

Ste

[tractorboy1]

Had a customer on Monday tell me the GT chap was coming tomorrow to hollow core the lawn. Expect he left the cores as fertilizer

[Sussex Groundie]

I like the bit in the brochure which says we can come in while your gardener is not around to treat your lawn yer right!

 

Had a company treat a lawn before the client's daughters wedding, it turned blue, the client was not amused as I had spent weeks getting the garden in tip top shape. The Manager of the company had to come out and respray the lawn.

[Hobbsurf]

Franchised Businesses.........

 

Russ

[Starscream]

At the company I work for, we scarify lawns as part of the winter program for our regular maintenance customers, and, yes, we do do the odd frozen lawn. Obviously it doesn't give great results but what can we do? We all got bills to pay. We can't just say "well I'm not scarifying that lawn, it's frozen. I'll just go home and lose a days pay". Nah. We are predominantly a garden company and I do the tree work for him, but if there's no trees to do then I do whatever. Winters a hard time of year for us and I'm just happy to still have a job. Having said all that, I do have a conscience and if the lawn is too bad I'll talk to the customer and opt to do something else for the cost of their job. Ie prune a small fruit tree, thin out shrubs, reduce a hedge etc.. I understand what you're saying but I don't think it's desperation, more necessity.

[Starscream]

Also, I'd see those guys scarifying your customers lawn as taking money straight from your pocket! Get yourself a scarifier and offer that service! Hayter scarifier for about £400, they're pretty good.

[Hobbsurf]

The winter is where the Lawn Treatment companies don't really make a lot of money - that's true. Scarifying on a frosty day is a total no no however, doesn't matter how hard up you are.

 

TBH - the best times are when the ground is warm enough for the grass still to be growing & the grass seed (which a properly sacrificed lawn will require here & there) to germinate.

 

Ideally Sept - Oct.

 

As said before - Franchised Businesses............

[IVECOKID]

Also, I'd see those guys scarifying your customers lawn as taking money straight from your pocket! Get yourself a scarifier and offer that service! Hayter scarifier for about £400, they're pretty good.

 

I have a large petrol scarifier but I refuse to do the job when frozen because I am the one who has to pickup the pieces later on when there are great big bald patches that that I have to sort out

 

We all have bills and mouths to feed but in my job we have to learn to keep hold of some money for the lean times ahead .

 

 

Ste

[Cheesy pete]

i hate all lawn treatment company's full stop !

there just leeches plaguing the garden maintenance business !

there all about the money nothing to do with doing a good job

 

lawn experts my arse

[Richard 1234]

I don't see how anyone can justify doing it when it's frozen. There is always other work that could be done in a garden. And if there isn't any in that garden there should be somewhere else. And you are not helping yourself by doing it as it will ruin it and probably lose you the customer. You need to be charging enough through spring summer and autumn to set enough aside for the winter. Just my opinion.