uncle asked:

I am a 45 year-old guy with a lot of gardening experience from taking care of my own lawn/garden, but no formal landscaping training. Last spring I started doing lawn/garden help (trimming, mulching, etc - no mowing) for people at $15 per hour. I work alone, do fine work, use all my own tools - hand tools, no power tools. However, I work at my own pace, dress casually, don’t have a truck with company logo or anything… so I don’t know if I can get away with claiming to be a “professional landscaper.” My niece’s husband just told me that he would expect someone to to charge $20 to $25 per hour. I don’t want to price myself out of getting jobs. But I also don’t like the idea of being taken advantage of. Most people who hire help for this are upper middle class at least. Should I charge more? If I do raise my rate, what’s a polite way to inform customers?
(to April) Well, I agree “being taken advantage of” sounds like victim mentality. What I should have said is that I don’t like the idea of selling myself short. It does seem like some customers act like they’re sort of licking their chops and ask if I can do other things too, like paint their garage, clean their porch, etc. I’m afraid I seriously undersold myself thinking that any high school kid can weed a rose garden… but in fact, it’s amazing to find out what seemingly ordinary tasks people are not able or willing to do neatly and efficiently.
(to emerson) Thanks for your advice! I’m not sure, however, if you understand my situation. I am not a trained landscaper - I’m an artist - musician - teacher… This August I leave for a two year contract working at an international school overseas. The reason I don’t like to do mowing is that if I want to go on a road trip or go hiking for a few days, I’m not locked into mowing people’s lawns. I don’t sit on my can all winter - I’m usually teaching children with learning disabilities. Landscaping is really a moonlighting job for me. So you see, I’m not going to get a degree, hire staff, advertise, buy a big truck, etc. I don’t want to deal with anything more than “small fry” level work. Therefore, I leave the big jobs and the bidding and so on to pros like yourself. That said, do you, with your considerable experience, have any thoughts about niche work for individuals like me?

Question posted courtesy of: Debbie

josey asked:

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, except father’s mouse. The computer was humming, the icons were hopping, As father did last-minute Internet shopping.

The stockings were hung next the modem with care In the hope that Santa would bring new software. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, With visions of computer games filling their heads.

Dark Forces for Billy, Doom II for Dan, Carmen Sandiego for Pamela Ann. The letters to Santa had been sent out by mum, To santa@toyshop.northpole.com–

Which now had been re-routed to Washington State Where Santa’s workshop had been moved by Bill Gates. All the elves and the reindeer had had to skedaddle To flashy new quarters in suburban Seattle.

After living a life that was simple and spare, Santa now finds he’s a new billionaire, With a shiny red Porsche in place of his sleigh, And a house on Lake Washington just down the way > From where Bill has his mansion. The old fellow preens In black Gucci boots and red Calvin Klein jeans. The elves have stock options and desks with a view, Where they write computer code for Johnny and Sue.

No more dolls or tin soldiers or little toy drums Will be under the tree, only compact disk roms With the Microsoft label. So spin up your drive, >From now on Christmas runs only on Win98/95.

More rapid than eagles the competitors came, And Bill whistled, and shouted, and called them by name. “Now, ADOBE! now, CLARIS! now, INTUIT! too, Now, APPLE! and NETSCAPE! you’re all of you through,

It’s Microsoft’s SANTA that the kids can’t resist, It’s the ultimate software with a traditional twist - Recommended by no less than the jolly old elf, And on the package, a picture of Santa himself.

Get ‘em young, keep ‘em long, is Microsoft’s theme, And a merger with Santa is a marketer’s dream. To the top of the NASDAQ! To the top of the Dow! Now dash away! dash away! dash away - wow!”

And mum in her ‘kerchief and me in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, The whirr and the hum of our satellite platter, As it turned toward that new Christmas star in the sky, The SANTALITE owned by the Microsoft guy. As I sprang from my bed and was turning around, My computer turned on with a Jingle-Bells sound.

And there on the screen was a smiling Bill Gates Next to jolly old Santa, two arm-in-arm mates. And I heard them exclaim in voices so bright, have a Microsoft Christmas, and to all a good night!

Question posted courtesy of: Ann

CindyLu asked:

I had it laid 2 years ago and until now there have been a dandilion here a clump of grass there at most. This spring I got all sorts of green stuff coming up especially under the over hang of my neighbor’s tree. There is a smal flower bed right near the house but the rest should be nice yellow pebbles and 6 flagstone squares. You can barely see two of the flagstons now for the weeds and grass. I usually pull up what ever stray green pops up but this year I can’t come close to keeping up with it. What can I use to kill this stuff without haveing to take up all the stones and the garden sheeting beneath it? there used to be a lawn beneath and I do not care if it is all killed, except for my flowers . What can I use to kill off the greenery. Im on a fixed income so something do it yourself works best.

Question posted courtesy of: Valerie

dniemi3 asked:

The lawn mower started back up and blew a ton of white smoke. Now it sputters REAL bad and barely runs. It’s getting worse and worse. How do I fix it?

Question posted courtesy of: Elsie

IWIU asked:

For just a small lawn, do you think a reel mower is ok, or will they get rusted up and hard to push after a while.

What do you think, reel, electric, gas.

I need to buy one, but it’s just a small lawn about 20 feet by 15 feet.

Question posted courtesy of: Jeanette

EJ asked:

I am preparing to purchase my first lawn mower. I am looking for a push mower (also known as a walk-behind). The grass in my yard grows very quickly, so I would like something that will last a while and not wear out quickly.
I have heard good things about the snapper company and was thinking I might get one of their mowers.
Do you know anything about snapper or do you have other recommendations?

Question posted courtesy of: Joe

WeedInUrLawn asked:

after i bought some oil (i made sure it’s the right kind), i put it in my lawn mower. I started my mower and it started to shoot smoke out the side a little bit so i stopped and realized i put in too much oil. I then tipped my mower over and took out a large portion of the oil. I started it up again and it still smoked out the side but eventually it stopped after a couple of seconds(30ish). I then proceeded mowing and after a while it stopped so i checked the oil and there wasn’t enough oil. I put in some more oil and then when i started it up again it started to shoot the smoke out the side again. What’s goign on?

Question posted courtesy of: Theresa

Mary W asked:

My lawn mower is a 3.5hp Tecumseh. I have been doing some heavy mowing (tall grass, weeds), and now, the mower will start, and then die after a few seconds of running. I have cleaned out underneath, and it has both oil and gasoline. Do I need a new mower? This is the last season I will need this mower because I am moving to a house with no lawn.

Question posted courtesy of: James