Rain

[BufalinoLand]

Its a little too dry for me this time of year, gettin nervous? Anyone else?

[TJLC]

If I didn't have commerical contracts, yes I would be very nervous. It is extremely dry here. Water restrictions in effect. Grass is growing a little. I'm cutting about every 2-3 weeks. We usually start seeing measureable rain in June, then you can't hardly keep up, but I can live with that problem.LOL. I guess this time of year is just the calm before the storm.LOL

[Eric ELM]

I just watched the weather guessers and the only place it is raining is where they don't need it, along the Mississippi River. We are getting dry here too and we might get some rain today.

[Charles]

No rain here either. They were calling for showers here today but none on the radar so far. We need a steady 2 day rain to get things back growing. We havent even reached the dryest time of year--june and july unless there is some tropical stuff going on.

[mowerman90]

Here in Central Florida we haven't had a decent rain (meaning anything over 1/8 of an inch)since March 30.

[HOMER]

Bring on the hurricanes! Bad way to get a little rain but very effective nonetheless.

[1MajorTom]

Yep, starting to need some rain here too.
We are still cutting our customers every 7 days, but I'm geting worried that if this keeps up much longer, we will have to slow down on the cutting.

Those weather dudes have been promising us rain, but no such luck so far. I think our next best chance of rain is Tuesday, but at least the temperature has decreased some. We were way in the 80's these last couple of days, and without rain, that is not good.

[GrassMaster]

Hello Everybody:

I feel it coming again (drought), I can't remember the last time it's rained. I know it's been over 45 days & only 1/4" of rain.

Folks make fun of our Southern Churches praying for rain, but when you've done without it as long as we have you can understand why we pray for it? Rain is so precious to us & we need it so bad.

It's been getting dryer & dryer here for past 3 years. Last year wiped out quite a few in the Lawn Service Business here. Three Lawn Mower shops went out of business in the last year. These are little shops with virtually no overhead because all they did was sell parts & do repairs.

Up until 1995 I worked 4 & 5 Mechanics in back & one helper up front with me & wife, this time of year we always had 100 to 150 repairs waiting on us for Monday. Now just Wife & I up front, not even busy.

In the Back my 2 best Mechanics & they do not have enough work this Monday past Lunch, we got I think about 12 repairs waiting on us for Monday.

The Drought is KILLING US! Yes I've already prayed for rain today, for all around us, Not just where I live either? :-) It's our Livelyhood!

[KirbysLawn]

Rain, what's that? Looks like the only rain I'll see is right here. Enjoy..http://unionturf.com/rain.gif

[racerdave]

I've had almost 3 inches of rain at my place the last two days. Sure wish I could send u guys a little. maybe not the hail and tornadoes tho.:)

[Eric ELM]

Looks like it will rain some place, just look at the radar. :)

http://elmlawnsite.com/images/us_animated_map.gif

[Pauls Mowing]

Seems like we got more than our share of snow last winter, now the rain won't quit. 4" last week, rain all day yesterday and again today. 7 day forecast is for another 4 days of rain starting Thursday. Grass is sure green, may have to bale it soon.

Paul

[KirbysLawn]

Eric, when was that shot? Shows dark blue over my place & it's been clear for 3 weeks, that must be old. Not a cloud in the sky, sure wish it was true!!

[jeffyr]

This year I switched to seasonal contracts with a specified number of maintenance visits. Now if this dry weather continues and we have water restrictions and the growth slows, what is your plan to make your customers feel at ease about paying even though the cutting has slowed and weeks are skipped?
I figured making a visit to the property on the usual day to clean up any fallen twigs, blow off the concrete and just neaten up the property should satisfy them.
Are there any other things that you do in this situation ?

jeffyr

[Eric ELM]

It's just an animated gif like yours. I thought I would just show where your rain is coming from on your gif. :)

[Holloway Lawns]

Had some good rain here two days ago with some Tornado's here and there though but it rained all day I was getting worried.

[Esby]

Well, here in Minnesota we have NO lack of rain. Everyday for the past 4 days it has rained. Good amounts too. In one way its anoying, cause we are getting behind, but in the other I am thank ful. The next three days show precip too. I wish you all could have some! I guess I'm not in charge of that though:)

[Grateful11]

We got an 1.25" in April and nothing so far in May. I cut one customer back to every 2 weeks. It's not looking to good around here this season. It's really clouding up here right now, I'll cross my fingers.

[Eric ELM]

It has been raining here for the past hour, just a nice gentle rain and it could rain until noon tomorrow. Sure a welcome sight and it smells sooooo good. :D

[MOW ED]

Had 2 inches Thurs and Friday. Anyone want some. The grass is growing 3-4 inches in 3 days.;)
Not complaining. Pennies from heaven.

[leeslawncare]

well we just had a good shower here in tn,,(thunder showers ) who know who got them but things are drying up here also.....pray boys pray for rain..rain =$$

[CSRA Landscaping]

Man, I think this is better than doubles!!

[swn]

Strong winds, clouded up, and sprinkled for a whole 5 minutes here in western KY, what a let down. My family farms and I know all about praying for rain. I liked what Eric said "weather guessers." My grandad sure was a lot better at telling me what the weather was going to do than any of the guessers on tv. Maybe they will get it right tomorrow, rain in the forcast.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Very dry here too. I will be skipping some lawns this week.

[Eric ELM]

We got an inch total so far. It may rain more today too. We sure needed it and now it will be cool this week, so this should get the grass growing great again. :)

I sure hope the rest of you get this lucky too.

[swonkeg]

We had 3.5 inches total in Brenham from friday night
thru sunday night. It was perfect timing rained only at night & early morning, was still able to do lawn care
during the day.

[Charles]

FINALLY THE RAIN HAS COME BACK TO SOUTH CAROLINA!!! We had a good rain on part of out city last nite. makes you sick when you are one side of town and its rally raining and you go to the other end where most of you account are and not a drop. But all of the place got some rain this morning hope its enough to jump start the biz. I know the side that got the most is going to green up. Suppose to get more tuesday nite. The rest of SC didnt get much if any at all.

[65hoss]

We had rain for about 1 hour today. It was welcomed.

[Nathan]

Even though we are having a 'dry' year with only 20 1/2 inches everyone is worried about a drought this summer. I sure all of you have hear of the west coast power problem as well. I don't think it will affect the yard maint. biz. The weird thing is that We are over 125% in snowpack in some areas of the mountains. We got almost 20 inches of snow in the mountains in the last couple weeks of april, crazy weather.

[lawnboy82]

no rain here. we havent had any rain now in 3 weeks down where i am. 2 weeks ago where i was workin it had rained real hard for about 10 minutes, however where i cut, there was no precip at all. i am starting now to rework my schedule so i can have work for the summer when the lawns go dormant. i am worried though about doing any forms of planting right now. no rain / no life

saturation- alright
field capacity- good
permanent wilting point- no good

[John DiMartino]

No rain here either-3 weeks and nothing,getting very dry here now.If you didnt have fertizer down last fall-you only got 1 cut in,and most lawns are 1/2 way dormant or more in sunny locations.We are getting lots of wind too,so its drying it out even more than usual.

[Mike (MLC)]

We finally got a little bit of rain during the night last night. I was able to mow today, and then it started raining quite a bit right before dark. It was good enough to help make the grass grow and keep some of the dust down. But, it also made the mosquito's get worse.