Mobile home skirting...

[gogetter]

This question if for you guys that cut grass in trailer parks.
The vinyl skirting around the base of these homes just chips and cracks away when hit with the trimmer.
Any tips on how to deal with this?
What about spraying something like Roundup along the edge about 3 or 4 inches wide? (Of course I'd have to ask the customers to do this as I don't have an applicators license).
Some other thoughts were mulch, stones, bricks, etc. along the edge. However this would cost money and I don't know that I would get everyone to go for it. I think they'd go for the Roundup idea to save thier skirting.

Open to any thoughts for or against the above ideas. Thanks.

[mdb landscaping]

i dont cut any trailer parks, but the round up idea sounds like a good one. it may not look as apealing though. if you put pavers along it, then you can trim right up to the pavers. maybe someone else has some more ideas.

[cos]

That sounds like it would save you and the customer alot of headaches. I would do it. Atleast explain to the customer your rhyme and reason. Who is to know who sprayed the roud up you or the customer. As long as you are not spraying it for whole lot of people and getting paid for it.

[Chopper Lover]

Try switching to a thinner diameter trimmer cord. You will go through more cord in a day, but the thinner, weaker, cord may not damage the skirting.

That has got to be easier than getting an entire park to help you by mulching, roundup, etc.

Mark

[Fine Lines Lawn]

I've bought more mobile home skirting than I wish to think about.
I use "Round-Up" around the base now and no more problems. Provide it at no extra charge and you can do it without an Ap. License.

[Indiana]

North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture told me even if you don't charge for it, you are being compensated for the spraying if you include it with your regular visits.

I don't know about PA. you may not even need license, check with extension office.

I do a few mobile offices outside my commercial accounts and always edge with Round-up. No more problems. Also I took pictures of the skirting befroe I took a couple of these to prove that it was damged before me.

If you can't spray it legally, maybe talk to customer and tell them to spray it. Maybe they won't spray the whole yard and cost themselves a fortune. I don't know about this, some of my customer can't spray a waterhose without causing a problem.

[cos]

I am pretty sure that they are very leanent and there is only one person for a whole district. Even if someone calls, I don't think that he would even bother to investigate unless you were dumping the stuff into a stream or something outrageous.

[RLC]

Don't use Roundup it cost to much. If you use bleach it does the same thing and it cost around a dollar for a gallon. I have tried it and it works for me. Also I have used landscape timbers around the homes. Try it and see what you think .

[cos]

I tied bleach and I think it don't work as well as round up. I heard that rock salt also keeps weeds from growing too. How true that is, I don't know.

[Mowman]

I cut in a trailer park. No problem if you use the right trimmer. I tried to use my HUSKY 332L last year. NOT GOOD!!!
I had been using a Weed-Eater Feather Lite with .065 line with no problems. Went back to using the smaller trimmer in the parks. I angle it so I can get it under the J-Channel, and don't even touch the skirting itself. I hope this answered your question.
If you have any other questions on this subject feel free to e-mail me. My new address is walker_mt@hotmail.com
Mowman

[CSRA Landscaping]

do the roundup deal, it will save several headaches all around, for you and for them. as for the weedeaters near the underpinning, I get nervous just thinking about it.

[cantoo]

Round up is the best and easiest solution. Another solution for the ones who don't want the bare strip of dirt from the round up is to have them put in the plastic bed edging against the skirting, it can handle the trimmer against it. It's cheap and easy to install, just slide it in tight to the skirting. Only small amounts of grass will grow between it and the skirting. With pavers you will still have to do the round up.

[lsylvain]

someone makes a trimmer head that works like a hedgetrimmer. I can't remember what company it was. I had one demoed at a greavely dealer. It worked really good, and it didn't break the trailer skirting.

[Groundcover Solutions]

We just droped all of our trailer park accounts this year. But we used to put this black edging stuff that had metal spicks in it (not the black dimond stuff)but just some cheep stuff it comes in green too. just stuck it in along the edge of them and problem solved. it only cost about $10-20 for the entire trailer. I will find out the name and post it soon.

[Getmow]

I used to do a park and the herbicide is the best way to go. It saves not only the damage to the skirting by the time it takes to trim each week. That is the true savings.

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by RLC
Don't use Roundup it cost to much. If you use bleach it does the same thing and it cost around a dollar for a gallon. I have tried it and it works for me. Also I have used landscape timbers around the homes. Try it and see what you think .

If were looking for cheap solutions gas is $1.51 a gallon and works great.

[Esby]

We mow a rather large property which includes about 400ft of chain link fence. The owner insists that the weeds dont grow up the fence and I dont blame him. The first time we cut it, we tried to trim it, what a mistake, three spools later, I decided that round up was the ticket, he agreed. And that was the end of that. I couldn't imagine trying to trim both sides of that fence ever again. Go with the round-up.

[Robert Pruitt]

I have been taking care of a 51 ac 149 unit mobile home park since 1993 and have about figured it all out. Round-Up is the only way to go. around the underpining under pourches & decks. rocks don't work because they will end up in yard. and yes you do have to a lisence in the state of N.C..

[KD'sLawns]

Spectracide also makes a product called liquid edger. It is much cheaper than round-up. I think Walmart and Kmart carry it. You may talk to a couple of the trailer owners and try one with round-up and one with that liquid edger. See which one works best, then approach the other owners. Hope this helps.