Grass in the cracks

[Jerrys Lawn Service]

We saw a lawn service cutting a local bank the other day and they were doing a nice job or so I thought, I mean there line were straight trimming looked pretty good but when they were all done there was still 3-4 inches of grass sticking up from the sidewalk ckacks. I feel it killed the finished appearence they were trying for. What do you goys do trim'em,spray'em leav'em? We always
try to hit them with a weedeater,I think it just makes the job look complete.
Jerry

[guntruck]

Jerry, we too hit the grass in the cracks with a trimmer, but only when it gets too shabby. If you do it once they'll expect it all the time and technically we do offer that service so if we do do it all the time we are defeating the purpose of the removal service.

[gusbuster]

They should spray the cracks with round up or at least nail it with the string trimmer or even a spade shovel.

John

[joshua]

jerry, i don't know you but do you like to give away services for free? wait better yet, you sold yourself on getting this job, no do yourself some good, (in a nice tone) explain to the bank that that service was a 1 time freeby but next time you have to charge alittle extra for that service. chop those weeds down, spray the cracks, and collect for your services.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

Crack and crevis is part of my mowing service. Just adjust the price and do it. It looks so much better.

We have some LC around here that don't do it and I have seen cars actually bend the weeds over cause they are so tall.

[65hoss]

Joshua he said another LCO did this, not him.

If its bad I spray it. But always trim it at least with trimmer.

[mdb landscaping]

sometimes if theres weeds growing in the curb or the sidewalk, ill get them out with a shovel. when i mail a bill ill say that i removed the weeds, but next to it i put no charge. just another way i think, to keep your customers happy. they feel they are getting a free service, even though it takes little time.

[HOMER]

You noticed the grass in the cracks......................surely everybody else does too.

I think it should be done regardless if your maintaining the property..............especially if they get that high! I hit them with the weedeater while I'm trimming, spray them when I have some round-up with me.

Your right...............it would take away from the "good" job they had done.

[rixtag]

I believe that how the property looks when I finish is the most important. I couldn't really justify charging for that. I look at it like this...If i want people to know what I do then I would also want them to know what properties are mine. I would be afraid of the same thing that Homer talked about...if you see so will they. It doesn't really matter to me who sees it, what matters is WHAT they see.

I do a lot of "extras" for free because it make my work look better. For example, I had renovated some badly overgrown beds at a residence and there are always some cats using the mulch for a catbox. They leave the mulch in big piles over the course of a week and it looks bad. For me the decision is: Do I offer this as a charge service for weekly upkeep or do I rake them down so that when I leave the property it looks the best it can. We are only talking maybe 5 minutes but a huge difference is made. Same with the weeds in the cracks. I do whatever it takes to make my work look the best it can even if I don't get paid for every little thing. This is just me and how I work.

Rick

[AltaLawnCare]

I'm with RixTag. I always ask myself what if another LCO came by and looked at this yard (after I've finished) - what would they think?

On small sidewalks, I use the trimmer to blow off the clippings any way, so I get the grass in the cracks then.

Maybe someday I'll have an app. lic and do it the rght way.;)

[cantoo]

Does anyone use those hand held blow guns that use propane to burn the weeds off? Do they work on big weeds, the trouble with Round up is that the weed is still there for days. Pulling or chopping is a pain, burning might be better.

[65hoss]

I have a torch that is for that purpose. I use it mainly in the very early spring when the turf grasses are still dormant. I can attack the weeds without spraying chemicals. I works, just pass the flame over it and keep walking. The extreme heat burst the cells in the plant and kills it.

[cos]

I like to hit the cracks as I go. If I miss them than they must have not been that noticeable. I try to hit the curbside too.