Power rake & over seeding

[dutchman]

Hi,

I have a customer she wants me to power rake and over seed her lawn.The lawn is 23,000 sqft,like to know what to charge. I was alos thinking instead of power rake to aerate the lawn and than over seed and like to know how much I should charge for that.

Dutchman

[rcreech]

Hi,

I have a customer she wants me to power rake and over seed her lawn.The lawn is 23,000 sqft,like to know what to charge. I was alos thinking instead of power rake to aerate the lawn and than over seed and like to know how much I should charge for that.

Dutchman

What does the lawn currently look like?

Are you doing a new seeding or an overseeding?

When you say "power raking" are you using a PTO power rake or a tine rake?

I am not a big fan of core/seeding especially if the lawn has very many larger thin areas.

Get as much soils showing as possible for good seed germination. As mentioned in another post on here (by Marcos), seed to soil contact is all that matters. It doesn't matter how you get it (ie slice seeding, core/seeding, power rake/seeding or hand rake/seeding).

As far as pricing....that is for you to determine, ut here is a real simple formula for you to follow. Most forget how to use it! :laugh:

Time+ Equipment + Material + Profit= Price

[Barefoot James]

$75 to $150 per 1000 sq ft.

Power Rake for sure broadcast the seed, power rake it in, add some ferts (organic with some Mycorrhizae) and top dress with a thin layer of compost.
tell her to water at least 3 times per day during heat of day for 10 mins per cycle - I tell my customers to do it @ 11AM, 2 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM. Frequency over duration. Compost top dressing is key to germination and a great looking lawn.

[dutchman]

What does the lawn currently look like?

Are you doing a new seeding or an overseeding?

When you say "power raking" are you using a PTO power rake or a tine rake?

I am not a big fan of core/seeding especially if the lawn has very many larger thin areas.

Get as much soils showing as possible for good seed germination. As mentioned in another post on here (by Marcos), seed to soil contact is all that matters. It doesn't matter how you get it (ie slice seeding, core/seeding, power rake/seeding or hand rake/seeding).

As far as pricing....that is for you to determine, ut here is a real simple formula for you to follow. Most forget how to use it! :laugh:

Time+ Equipment + Material + Profit= Price

The lawn looks great,very thick grass.

I am doing overseeding.

Tine rake

[rcreech]

The lawn looks great,very thick grass.

I am doing overseeding.

Tine rake

Tat would bring me to my next question.....if the lawn looks great and is "very think" then why seed?

Depending on the type to grass you have, if the areas are smaller then a baseball they will fill in by themselves with a good fertilizer program.

If the lawn looks that good and you still want to seed....I wouldn't use a tine rake. I would recommend core/seeding probably in this case.

Hard to say without seeing it.

Good Luck!

[dutchman]

Tat would bring me to my next question.....if the lawn looks great and is "very think" then why seed?

Depending on the type to grass you have, if the areas are smaller then a baseball they will fill in by themselves with a good fertilizer program.

If the lawn looks that good and you still want to seed....I wouldn't use a tine rake. I would recommend core/seeding probably in this case.

Hard to say without seeing it.

Good Luck!

Well she ask me to that I think it doesn't need it ( overseeding )and there will be some thatch and that good be alot because her grass is groing fast. She uses a sprinkle system every day and she has it also fertilize..With core/seeding do you mean slice seeding?
Thanks for the info.

[rcreech]

Well she ask me to that I think it doesn't need it ( overseeding )and there will be some thatch and that good be alot because her grass is groing fast. She uses a sprinkle system every day and she has it also fertilize..With core/seeding do you mean slice seeding?
Thanks for the info.


#1....TELL HER NOT TO WATER EVERY DAY!!!!!!!!! THIS IS A BIG NO NO!

I can't really understand what you are saying...but if you think it doesn't need seeded then tell her. I am always brutally honest with all my customers. If they want a service and they dont' need it....I TELL THEM.

If they need a service and don't want it....I TELL THEM why they need it.

You will build great trust with your customers this way.

If she has a thatch problem...then dethatch or core aerate it and then if a seeding is needed, go from there.

Hope this helps!

[dutchman]

It helps a lot ,thanks.

See if I can talk some sence in to her.

What is better Aerate or Power rake.

[rcreech]

It helps a lot ,thanks.

See if I can talk some sence in to her.

What is better Aerate or Power rake.

From what I have found it just depends on the amount of thatch you are dealing with.

If it is .5" or more, aeration won't work as well.
I have never had great luck with a tines either because when you have a lot of thatch...it usually pulls out a lot of turf also.

What I have found that works best is a slice seeder (just don't use seed) or a detacther.