Professional Tips
	The “Pro Tips” chapter of my book contains twelve pages of tips covering all aspects of professional mowing. Here are a few samples: Scheduling: ●   Agree to mow customer’s lawns on seven-day or fourteen day intervals ONLY. Never throw “ten day” lawns into the mix, or you’ll soon be driving to all corners of the city every day. ●   Never share a job, i.e., you  mow it sometimes and the customer mows it sometimes.  This a cheapskate dodge.  When the grass is three feet tall, guess whose turn it is? ●   Never accept “mow it only when I call you” jobs.  More cheapskates, more grass up to your eyeballs. ●   “Deluxe Mowing” (bagging of grass clippings, edging), if offered at all, is reserved for seven-day lawns ONLY. ●   Cut thin, weak lawns early in the day, as dew on these lawns is not a problem.   ●   Cut thick, fast-growing lawns later in the day, after the dew has dried. ●   By law in many communities, residential lawns are not to be mowed before (usually) 8 or 9 AM.  If you like to start at the crack-of-dawn, scatter your commercial jobs through the week. Judging the Turf: ●   It isn’t how much a lawn pays, but how much it pays per hour of labor, that counts.  A $20 lawn that takes 20 minutes is a much better deal than a $100 lawn that takes all day. ●   Because they can be done quickly and easily, thin, weedy lawns are often extremely profitable.  If these lawns tend to burn out in your area in summer, the remedy is to get more of them.  Work hard Spring and Fall and go fishing in August.      Wet weather: ●   To disperse grass clippings when mowing in rainy weather, maximize the air stream coming off the mower deck.  There are two ways to do this: ●   Run the mower engine wide open but move slowly over the ground. ●   Cut a narrow swath of grass. ●   It’s fine to take time off during rainy periods.  But before you do, be sure all of your machines are in top condition, ready to go. ●   When starting back to work after a delay, never skip ahead in the list of jobs. Pick up exactly where you left off. ●   Never edge in wet weather.  You’ll only make a muddy mess. Trimmer Tricks: ●   In normal operation, the trimmer is held so that the line spins parallel to the ground at about the same height the grass is being cut. ●   By elevating one side of the trimmer head so the line spins at an angle to the ground, debris will be thrown away from you.  This is handy (to note just one example) when trimming along a mulched bed.  Mulch is thrown into the bed rather than out into the yard. ●   By elevating the other side of the trimmer head, you can throw debris toward your shins.  Though it can really smart, this technique is handy when trimming near objects that might be damaged, such as a basement window or a parked car. ●   By twisting and turning the trimmer head to control the direction in which debris is thrown, you can trim along walks, steps and patios without getting them dirty.  Thus a trip to the area with the blower is eliminated. ●   With the string fully extended, the trimmer serves as a weak blower – handy for back walks and patios, as you’ll save a trip with the blower. Tractor Tricks: This section of my guide is too long to include here, but includes numerous tips and tricks that show you how to mow all sorts of "small mower" areas with your tractor. Equipment and supplies: ●   Never buy cheap supplies.  Cheap two-cycle oil fouls spark plugs and exhaust ports.  Cheap trimmer line is so brittle it shatters and disappears by the mile. Products we specifically recommend are Echo or Tanaka trimmer line and Opti-2 two-cycle oil. ●   Never use gasoline more than three weeks old  in small engines, as it loses volatility.  Dump it in the truck and start fresh. ●   Due to condensation, the last few inches of gas in a can can be watery.  When in doubt, pitch it.
		Home  Beginner Mistakes    FAQ    Pro Tips   Mowing Safety