stripes look unnatural

[casey]

I guess stripes in lawns the size that some of you guys do looks ok but does anyone think a consistant color looks more natural?
I take the back flaps off all my mowers and alternate cutting patterns every week. Gives it a natural look.
Plus I don't like to mow straight lines on smaller res., with all the beds, trees, walks, ect. it would take too much time.
You might be surprised how little customers appreciate the quality work you do.
I've cut back trimming time at least 5 min. at most of my lawns and become less picky about what is acceptable.
3 minor complaints out of 150+lawns.
Some monster mansion lawns excepted.
Those people like to show off.

[sgreanbean]

I call it pride in your work. Some of my customers dont care either way. but i still make their yard look as nice as possible. My name is on the truck

[cclllc]

Originally posted by sgreanbean
I call it pride in your work. Some of my customers dont care either way. but i still make their yard look as nice as possible. My name is on the truck

I agree.I get alot of compliments on my lawns.I think you should try your best each time out.I think it pays off in the long run.

[awm]

IF THATSUITS YOUR CUSTOMERS THATS PAR WITH ME
I THINK WELL DONE STRIPES ARE REAL NICE.
I ALSO LIKE A SMOOTH LAWN CUT PROPERLY WITH NO SIGHN THE
MOWER WAS THERE EXCEPT THAT ITS CUT

[geogunn]

I've never had any complaints about my lawns and my lesco unit stripes very nicely.

I suppose if I did get a complaint, then depending on who it was, I could mow in a clockwise rotation around the lot and that would eliminate the light dark contrast that makes the stripe.

Originally posted by casey

I take the back flaps off all my mowers....

tell us casey, are those back flaps you are talking about on the back of a murray push mower?

GEO

[casey]

No that's LB Commercials and Exmark 36 TTHP. I'll leave the Murray push to you.
I think what customers really want is reliability and a reasonable price.
You're not performing brain surgery.

[joshua]

whether it takes me 5 mins. more to cut a lawn with strips or just go in circles i will take the extra 5mins and make that lawn look the best on the street with the strips i lay down. its well worth it. lay the stripes

[casey]

Who says it looks better with stripes?
I think it looks better without.
More natural

[cclllc]

I had a neighbor tell me that she could see my stripes back in the winter when the grass was dead.It made me feel good all over.

[Premo Services]

Originally posted by casey
I guess stripes in lawns the size that some of you guys do looks ok but does anyone think a consistant color looks more natural?
I take the back flaps off all my mowers and alternate cutting patterns every week. Gives it a natural look.
Plus I don't like to mow straight lines on smaller res., with all the beds, trees, walks, ect. it would take too much time.
You might be surprised how little customers appreciate the quality work you do.
I've cut back trimming time at least 5 min. at most of my lawns and become less picky about what is acceptable.
3 minor complaints out of 150+lawns.
Some monster mansion lawns excepted.
Those people like to show off.

QUANITY NOT QUALITY TO EACH THEIR OWN OPINION ON HOW TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS. Need I say any more?

[casey]

If I spend 30 min and you spend 40 min. on a lawn and we both make the same $$$ and the customer is happy then who's the fool?

[David Gretzmier]

Let's remember gentlemen that many of us get our next client from one of two places. referrals from current clients, and when potential clients see us do our work. If you just meet expectations of the account you are doing, and don't do your best to exceed them, #1 that customer is less likely to reccomend you, #2 it is easier to replace you, and #3 you may not be advertising your business to the descriminating customer who wants the stripes and is willing to pay for it. We get our multiples in neighborhoods we are in by referral and word of mouth. the multiples are our most efficient and profitable lawns.:)

You may make five bucks more an hour on THAT lawn by cutting back on trimming and striping, but you are losing the potential neighbor(s) that holds way more profit. Dave g

[Eric ELM]

Around here, lawns that have stripes in them look like they were professionally cut. Ones with no stripes, anyone can cut, even homeowners.

Everyone has their own opinion of what looks best. I've seen some that guys tried to stripe and they should of just put the homeowner cut in them by going around and around, since it would of looked better.

I have seen several posts by members that think striping looks bad. This is your opinion. I have not seen a thread on members that don't stripe, saying your lawns look bad. If you don't like stripes, don't put them in your customers lawns. Around here, we are expected to do this. If we don't, they will get someone that can do this.

I guess you would not have a lawn business around the Chicago area very long or you would have to find customers that hated stripes like you do.

[casey]

I think things are different here in my part of Toronto, Canada. I work in an upper middle class area and there is no shortage of work. I turn down at least one lawn a day. I can be very choosy on the lawns I take on. If the customer is a problem I don't have to accomidate them. I am fortunate to be able to pick and choose my customers based on their lawns and percieved attitude.
Mabe some of you guys should come up here and provide some competition.
Still think no stripes look more natural.


VINCE AT THE BUZZER!!!

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by casey
If I spend 30 min and you spend 40 min. on a lawn and we both make the same $$$ and the customer is happy then who's the fool?

Casey, just because I stripe a lawn does not mean it takes me longer. In your post you stated "stripes look unnatural", fine, I agree, two tone grass in very unnatural, so is a weed free lawn but I don't let weed in my lawns! Is you post on personal preferance or a time issue?

Striping allows me to mow in the most effecent manner. I just returned from a week in Vero Beach Fla, my father-in-law has a lawn service and he makes no attempt to stripe, he enters the lawn wherever, mows with no pattern and it has the natural look you talk about. HOWEVER, I watched him mow the same areas 2 & 3 times due to having no rational pattern or method and him being unable to tell exactly where he had just mowed, striping allows me to know exactly where I just mowed.

If you don't like stripes, again fine, don't stripe, it's that simple. Don't get pissed because we give resons why we do.

[Eric ELM]

I have no shortage of work either. I turn down lots of lawns also. I too work in an upper class area and I'm expected to put in straight stripes. Anyone can go around and around and put in what we call the home owner lawn cut, even home owners. I realize I am not the only one that can stripe, but most home owners can not put in a striped cut like below. This separates us pro's from the rest.

http://elmlawnsite.com/images/kwasak.jpg

[casey]

Most of the lawns around here are tightly landscaped without the huge open spaces your lawns seem to have. If I tried to stripe like you it would take longer. We're cutting different types of lawns. The "pro look" you so desperately seek is not an issue here.
An yes, we can tell where we have just mowed, the grass actually grows around here in 7 days.
Would be nice if grass was all one color in that pic Eric.;)

[geogunn]

Originally posted by casey
No that's LB Commercials and Exmark 36 TTHP. I'll leave the Murray push to you.
I think what customers really want is reliability and a reasonable price.
You're not performing brain surgery.

casey--I am hoping your post is a troll and that you are not for real.

if your big mower is a 36 exmark and the others are push behind lawn boys, then I don't blame you for cutting the fastest way you can.

as for reliability and price, I dont think you and a herd of your countryman can compete with me. and I'll throw in the stripes for free.

and if you need brain surgery, give me a call next time you come through my area as snowbird your way down to fla. lawn care is only one of my specialtys.

toodles.

GEO

[Atlantic Lawn]

I always thought that stripes sorta grab your eye and enhance the curb appeal of the property. Some may think the checkerboard pattern is a bit much, but that's the way I like it.

[Skookum]

I just mowed an account right before the holiday that did not need mowing due to slow growth this past week. But, it was mowed at the customers request, to have "FRESH STRIPES" since they were having a party over the weekend.

I have had customers ask me to not stripe before as well, but not to often.

It is a real ego booster, as Eric knows from all us here fluffing his, when a customer comments on how we get straight stripes that continue on the otherside of beds and trees and such, as if we magicaly jumped over those areas.

I personally think that even the smallest yard that is striped, shows it was mowed with the intent to look good by a professional or someone that was just not trying to keep the grass under control.

[kris]

Once again Eric.... man i love those pic's . awesome looking work...Casey... To each his own...I happen to come from the Toronto area and know of some very reliable company's that do stripe..in fact..I would say ,all of them. What are you doing turning down a lawn a day???
LOL @ geo ...this snowbird just wants to learn...Have a great week guys!!

[Russ]

We also stripe every lawn and havn't considered that it makes a lawn look unnatural. When a specific blend or mix of seed is planted around a house for a desired astetic effect it is not natural. Adding fertalizer to the lawn does not give it a natural look. Pre. and post emergants do not give it a natural look. Grub control detracts from the natural look. Most if not all of my customers like to see a uniform weed free lawn, maintained in a consistant reliable manor. Howerer having said that, it is the customer that sets the standard of maintainance and we that work to meet there level of acceptance, whatever that level may be.

[casey]

GEO,
I would get 3 lawns done to your 1 if you were using a Z on the properties I do. I told you the properties you do are alot different in terms of wide open spaces. Lots of trees, lots of landscaping, smaller props in my patch.

[Grateful11]

Casey when I saw the heading on this one I knew you were going to get it. I've said before that I think lawns striped to the extent that some of the lawns are striped, look like a big green and white candy cane. But if that's what someone wants or wants to do that's fine with me. As far as the homeowner look is concerned, most homeowners around here think if it's more than an 1" or 2" high and no dirt showing it's too high. I won't cut below 3" around here and now people are starting ask why my lawns stay green during the dry spells. Try and tell them and they look at you like you're crazy. But anyway back to the topic, sorry guys but I think the unstriped look can look just as professional as a striped lawn. As far as Eric's pic, I think the criss-crossed pattern looks much better than the one direction stripes. As soon as I get my photos developed I'll post some of my own.:angel:

[siclmn]

Nobody around here stripes a lawn. I had never even heard of it untill I read about it in this forum. Stripes are only used in the ballpark and people would always ask why they do it there. It looks unatural when you see stripes. A lawn should look even with just lines from the wheels.

[CSRA Landscaping]

C'mon, guys get with it. How many times do we have to say 'to each his own?' :rolleyes:
Casey, I get your point, as I have some smaller properties that I maintain as well, however, there is still something that makes me want to give it a professional look that sets it apart from everyone else. I have been complimented on my stripes by customers, even though they are nowhere near what Eric and some of the others do, like Joshua, etc. Let's try to define what we mean when we say professional. How about these points, to name a few:

-Keeping a neat personal apearance when on the job.
-Having attention to detail.
-Not killing the lawn.
-Doing what's beneficial for the lawn.
-Doing what you like, otherwise it won't turn out as well. (Yes, preference does make a difference.)
-Acquiescing to customer requests when they are contrary to your desires, i.e. if a customer were to ask you to stripe.

The bottom line is that we're not here to tell folks why they're messing up and why our way of doing it is superior but to help one another and to improve on the image of the green industry, while at the same time having fun.
Lighten up! ;)

[Toroguy]

It would look great to see a baseball field not striped. I prefer crooked, undefined patterns myself:)

Large properties would look crap if the mowing pattern was not well defined. Straight mowing patterns look professional and require skill and concentration.

[grassyfras]

casy post some pics of your lawns lets see how they look. dont insult us guys who like stripes

[lawnboy]

sounds like casey needs some competition

[casey]

If someone came in here and started striping like Eric it might generate some interest but in 7 years I've never had a customer ask for stripes.
All my work is word of mouth.
I think proper trimming and blowing the surfaces clean gives the homeowner, around here, at least the look they want.

[pcs]

I don't know what area you are in but I stripe all my lawns. My lawns stand out from everyone else's lawns. I have even had people stop and ask how I do it. They thought the lawn was cut at different heights. I have had a few people say my lawns look like a golf course. I just think they stand out from all the other lawns and draws attention to your work.

[casey]

PCS,
You have some big wide open props in Miss..
Lots of new money.
They like flashy.

[Fantasy Lawns]

let's see some photo's ....I have some on my site without stripes & we think they look Great .....but we can't stripe Augustine .....I DO know that if we could ....we would ..n' the commercial accounts would love em ...;-> ...BUT I agree with you Casey ...small yards do look more natural without em ....but Larger Lots look KILLER with em'

[Administrator]

Striping is so important around Kansas City and Kansas Suburbs companies advertise it.

You see ads like this.. " we specialize in striping", "baseball field look", etc, etc.

150 lawns with a 21"and a 36".... wow, your a workhorse. ;)

[trimmer]

Eric, I don't know how you get a lawn to look so great. Kirby down here it is impossible to strip a lawn. Although I dont just start anywhere I have a have a couple of patterns I mow in.

[sgreanbean]

Originally posted by casey
the grass actually grows around here in 7 days.

OH I FORGOT. our grass only grows high enough to mow every 3rd month or so!
Casy do you have any pictures of your "natural" lawns. Im really interested in seeing one!

[cantoo]

We started this with a yardman mower and "striped" lawns. After we got our first Walker the stripes were more defined and easier to do. Depending on the heights of the grass sometimes it looked good other times it looked like sh*t We still stripe everything and now it is easy to drive down the road and tell which properties we do. We also do the local ball fields and now everyone knows how to do the ballpark look. Every year we see more local homeowners striping their lawns. I agree with Casey, it depends on the lawn size and the grass conditions, sometimes stripes don't look good... we still stripe but do many different patterns. The lots in old Toronto are real small and stripes wouldn't look good but still I think I would at least make the lines straight.

[Scag48]

I like stripes! As a matter of fact, I think my customers do as well. My competition TRIES to stripe but none of them do. I don't know why, but they just can't. They don't come out very well defined and just look like crap. When I start pulling the striping thing across my small town, word will hopefully get out 'cuz those stripes catch your eye and it does show more professionalism. I've had people ask me if it was complicated to do, therefore, people might think that maybe on the very "talented" can do it. ;). I mow a very small lawn with tight landscaping and I can mow it just as fast as I could without striping, although I've never tried it. I'll get some pics of my lawns some time, then you decide what's better. BTW Eric, your stripes get better everytime I see the pics on here. LOL. Keep up the good work.

[swn]

CSRA - That was a very nice post. I liked the last part about having fun. I am having a blast reading all these post, mowing, landscaping, and coming home to see my beautiful wife and 7 month old son.:blob3: I have some lawns that I stripe and some that I don't. Both for various reasons. I look forward each week to the ones that I do stripe, even though mine do not look half as good as most of the ones you all are showing here. But it still is fun.

Remo - not trying to be smart or bossy, but maybe if you striped a few of your lawns it would set you apart from the other guys in your area. But maybe that could work in a bad way if nobody likes it. Just a thought.
Good luck to all stripers and nonstripers. Or is that strippers, who did I wish luck to? This spellin stuff sure is hard for a boy from KY.

[casey]

Sorry no digital cam.
If I pick one up I'll post lotsa pics of non-striped lawns that look like they were cut by a pro. With all the landscaping, beds and trees, I concentrate more on trimming. You can tell it's no "homeowners cut".

[Finecut]

Casey,

The most interesting thing I've seen in your posts, is that you save at least 5 minutes on trimming...at 150 lawns that equates to a 12.5 hour reduction in your work load. Could you elaborate? Even for someone with a third of the lawns you do it would be a half day saved. And we all know, time is money.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

Very nice lawn Eric :)

PS: God likes striped lawns... that's why he gave quite a few of us the talent.

[casey]

"God likes striped lawns"???????????
O.K. I give up.

Guess I'm going to hell.

[KD'sLawns]

:angel: Well, if that is the case then GOD must be a Denver Broncos fan. That's why skies are blue and sunsets are orange.

About the striping, I think to each his own. If it makes you happy and you are making money, then it is not wrong.

By the way, Eric, awesome stripes.

[casey]

Finecut,
I cut down on trimming times partly by edging secondary beds and parts of ditches every 2 weeks.

[jeffyr]

Does it matter if God loves stripes ? God is not paying the invoice at the end of each month. It is the public that likes the stripes. What the public perceives as attractive may not always be (but in this case they are right !). Take the cover of most fashion magazines for example. Each one sports a skinny as can be woman with no cellulite and a perfect smile. Is this how the public perceives beauty or how God intended a woman to look ?

John Q. Public sees a golf course or baseball feld and says that looks "professional". Then the stripes become the perceived beauty--if they can have similar look at their home, they will be on equal ground s the elite countryclub or pro baseball field.

See my point.

:D

jeffyr

[Scraper]

I don't know how I could not stripe...the mower does it all by itself.

[Comet]

Nice cutt Eric ELM, looks good, nice piece of property too,
Is your machine utilizing a rear roller?
thom

[Eric ELM]

Thanks Thom, no I don't have a roller, just a striping kit and you can see pictures of the kit on my website. Just click on striping page after clicking on the blinking gif below. :)

[John DiMartino]

If your lawn is striped here,its mowed professionally,if its scalped into the dirt and mowed in circles,its done by homeowner.99% of all lawns fall into those catagorys.I take pride in my stripes,and if it takes 5 minutes more,so be it,right now there are plenty of competitors waiting to take any account of mine that is not kept tip top evry week,so its not worth one single complaint or lost acount to cut corners.I am also be compensated fairly ,so i feel no need to rush onto the next job,I feel I need to do my best,since Im being paid for my best.

[Premo Services]

Originally posted by John DiMartino
I am also be compensated fairly ,so i feel no need to rush onto the next job,I feel I need to do my best,since Im being paid for my best.

WELL SAID JOHN !!!! I second that. ;)

[curlawngreen]

It is all about control. Can you control how the grass grows? Can you control how the hedges grow? Can you control how the workers perform their work? Everybody wants CONTROL over something.

[casey]

Once more.
I've been cutting residentials for seven years.
Advertised once the first year.
Went from 40 lawns to 150+ in four years.
Turn down more business almost every day.
Charge the going rate or higher.
NEVER STRIPED A LAWN!
NEVER BEEN ASKED TO STRIPE A LAWN!!

[CSRA Landscaping]

Casey, I'm going to risk offending some folks, including you, by being blunt here. Who cares? I don't give a rip if you don't stripe. I don't care if Eric's stripes can recite the alphabet and John's stripes can only smile at you. WHO really cares, besides the customer? And if they're getting what they want, you're getting what you want, so why on earth does it matter?

Again, the point here is not to force others into seeing why our way is the best way but to put forth ideas for others to possibly get some use from. That is one of the main spirits on this site. It's a place for help, not showing up (unless that's in good fun, and this is not).

I can't stress it enough .... Lighten up. You've GOT to have a sense of humor! :alien:

[casey]

CSRA,
I don't care if people stripe if it works for them.
I just find it wierd that people take it so seriously and insist it is so essential when it has never been an issue in my business.

[CSRA Landscaping]

Here's the thing, Casey. You were coming on pretty strong for it not to have mattered to you. So when you say "I just find it wierd that people take it so seriously and insist it is so essential when it has never been an issue in my business," then all I can say is great, let's move on and not make it an issue and I'm glad that we've come to an agreement. :cool:

[Scag48]

I don't know how it is over where you guys are, but here, like John said, competitors will steal jobs if the lawn isn't looking the best it can possible be. STRIPING will give that tantilizing look and shows that it is well taken care of and those lowballers need to back off. I'm the only one in my town that stripes. I'd like to keep it that way because I know that my own personal touch is on each lawn that I mow. And if people see me mowing and say "gee, nobody else makes those stripes like him" maybe that could be new business. It's all in the presentation. The stripes seem to make the lawn jump out at you and have a better look than just the same-o same-o look of the homeowner cut that all my competitors love to do. So just remember, when you're paying for the same service, would you rather have the stripes that actually make the lawn look better, or that natural, kind of boring look? I'm not downing your way of mowing, that's just the way business is here and that's the way I intend to keep it going. I'm starting to wonder if people would pay MORE for me to stripe, but I'm not gonna push it. I'm gonna give them the best job that I possibly can, at an affordable price, and still have one of the best looking lawns in town. That's my .02.

[Comet]

hey guys~!!! I seen some of your pictures,, they look wonderful,I dont have that many cutts to do around here, I slacked off due to (wasnt enough income in cutts><I wont cutt for a dirt cheap price, sorry I just wont>
Im trying to target customers diffrently now and hope to (if not this year) but in future years to come have a better clientel. I like the stripes and I like putting in the time to making a lawn look good.
I had at one time in 99 use to make circles around all the trees when I was finished which I thought added a certain touch,, I guess its just called crazy circles:) but It did add something.
I need bigger and better lawns then what I had been doing. I stopped most of them and been doing trim jobs and retaining walls but I do love to cutt a lovley lawn. My 48" eXmark really hasnt had a chance to work.
Ill practice more on my property too with the stripes:)
thom
they look good guys! nice property too

[KirbysLawn]

Originally posted by casey
CSRA,
I don't care if people stripe if it works for them.
I just find it wierd that people take it so seriously and insist it is so essential when it has never been an issue in my business.

Really, you don't care? We could'nt tell from the repeated post.:rolleyes:

Casey, you should have titled this thread "I mow lawns too small to stripe", and that's fine. However you have repeatedly questioned why some stripe and as I have stated before I find it very hard not to stripe and I find that striping allows me to mow in the most effecent manner. I, as do others, mow large lawns that the "stripes" occur naturally, heck I would really have to go out of my way not to stripe a lawn!

Oh, could you explain the method you use when mowing, say... a 10k lawn, where it does not leave stripes?

Ray

[PrimeGreen Lawn]

casey, are you for real? Obviously it appears that you have NOT been in this business long enough to know the correct way to mow a lawn with a "professional appearance". Not to slam you, but I would really like to see some pictures.....they tell everything. It sounds like you cut just like a "homeowner", and not the "professional" you think you are.

Sorry, Eric.......this just sort of got to me......;)

[jeffyr]

Casey,

My home backyard is a whopping 20x 40 FEET and I cut it with a 21 inch or the 36 WB (whichever is in the back of the trailer). You know, they both stripe. The 36 leaves far fewer lines than the 21, and the 21 is leaving wheel marks as stripes, but nevertheless........they are stripes. If I decided to cut in a haphazard way (as you describe) I would be leaving crooked lines all over, as well as waisting a bunch or time going over the same spot repeatedly.
Are your properties smaller than 20x 40 ?

jeffyr

[casey]

jeffyr,
most props between 2500 and 9000 sq. feet.
I cut the back flaps on my 36 Exmark TTHP and 21", and alternate cutting patterns.
I don't consider wheel marks stripes. They are hardly noticeable.

[jeffyr]

Originally posted by casey
Most of the lawns around here are tightly landscaped without the huge open spaces your lawns seem to have. If I tried to stripe like you it would take longer. We're cutting different types of lawns. The "pro look" you so desperately seek is not an issue here.
An yes, we can tell where we have just mowed, the grass actually grows around here in 7 days.
Would be nice if grass was all one color in that pic Eric.;)

2500-9000SQFT and there are no open spaces and you just sort or go in a random pattern and there is no sign of light and dark areas in the turf ?

whatever dude.

[casey]

Jeffyr,
Im sure everyone is sick of this thread but I want to respond to your comments.
I never said "no open spaces". I never said I go in a random pattern. I said I alternate patterns and yes there is very little sign of "light and dark areas in the turf".

Nice stripes Eric.


The end.

[lawnboy]

hey casey with the number of times you post on this site, I am questioning the number of jobs you have. You have a lot of free time.

[casey]

Lawnboy,
I guess it must take you 10 min. to write a sentence. First you gotta think of all the big words, then you gotta push the keys. Sorry it's so hard for you.

[CSRA Landscaping]

:rolleyes:
Drop it already, guys.

[lawnboy]

maybe casey you should spend more of your free time striping you lines rather then trying to convice us that your work is better. You seem to be one of the only ones conviced about your approach to lawn maintenance, and thats ok. That was a good come back by the way:) ha, ha

[Eric ELM]

I feel this thread has gone far enough and I am closing it.