more efficient at trim + blow

[lilyrose]

So Today I found out that it takes me a lot longer to trim than to mow.

I cut a lawn today, front side and back yard in 8 minutes. Trim, edge and blow took me dam near 30 minutes. All I trimed was a bed in the front yard a bed in back yard and two trees in front. And sidewalks/driveway. Now I know why the heck you guys are charging 30-40 per lawn. I thought it was just the mow.

Another example, large yard took 20 minutes to mow 30 minutes to trim blow.

How can I be more efficient at trimming and blowing? When I blow the **** flys just about every where. When I see other people do it their done in like two seconds. Take me ten minutes. I honestly think I should blow the clippings up into a pile and pick them up with a broom. I must be doin soemthin wrong.

Thanks

[Phillip Baker]

speed

Trim first then mow over what you trimmed with the clippings shooting back on the lawn. Then blow, but if your not using a back pack blower, your always gonna have problems blowing. Also if you havent taken the gaurd off your weed eater take that off it will allow you to see the string easier and speed up your weed eater time because you can move faster.

[Jack D.]

Please do not trim before you mow, it will almost allways be more time consuming.

Please consider a mower w/ deck offset if you have many landscape beds to deal with.

Trim so the clippings are thrown back at you...usually walking backwards depending on the rotation of your trimmer's head.

Sell your Murray 21" push mower & purchase a commercial mulching mower.

[tulsa lawn guy]

What brand trimmer do you use?

[Dazed&Confused]

my thoughts

I wouldn't remove the guard it's there for your protection.

The problem with edging with a trimmer is the akward angle at which you must hold it .which slows you down

I find it easier and faster if you have a 2nd trimmer reposition the head an guard at the angle you need an you can hold the trimmer normaly, easier and quicker .

[sharp]

Use stick edge first, much faster than weed eater. then mow, then weed eat then blow. Blow our in front and work walking back and forth side ways working a line of debrie like a "windrow" most important hustle and practice.

[lilyrose]

My equipment is top of the line
Equpiment
Trimmer: Shindaiwa Straight Shaft String Trimmer
Edger: Shindaiwa
Blower: Shindaiwa EB 630 (can move a brick on asphalt)
21" Mower: Toro
36" exmark

I don't see how edging the sidewalk first takes more time. I'll have to try that out. Also adjusting the angle of my trimmer head. I'll look into that and see if its possible. And I will try blowing walking backwards

Thanks for the tips.

[Phillip Baker]

What??????

Are you guys one man crews or something? we always weedeat before or during the mow, with this practice we mulch any thing that get slung back in the yard, Also no one that i know uses the guard on thier weed eaters here in TX. And walk backwards, huh which way does your weedeater head turn, we walk forward and it throws everything away from you, walking backward throws it back at me, just did it to make sure and ya it throws at me!!!! we can finish 1 yard in town in less than 12 min with this practice , I know i timed us last season, bear in mind were a three man crew, dont know about the rest of you?

[Jack D.]

Most if not all straight shaft com. trimmers turn couterclockwise which means you should be trimming from right to left, walking backwards or "moonwalking". This keeps clippings out of hard surfaces & landscape beds & also cuts the grass blade easier & cleaner. The trimmer should be utilized w/your left hand on the throttle to minimize twisting, which can take some getting used to for righties.

Most curved shaft trimmers rotate clockwise which is better suited for left to right trimming.

Most if not all edging should be done/w a trimmer unless your market demands specific edging requirements.

[Phillip Baker]

Jack, I use Redmax, Echo, and Stihl all of which are staight shaft, walking backwards pulls agianst the rotation of the head in my opinion, thus throwing debris back at us. We also use stick edgers to edge Echo, and Stihl. It still throws debris back at us but walking backward seems to throw more debris than walking foward, and it seems to grab the head and pull it down thus driving into the ground. How does anybody else do it?

[Jack D.]

Hello Phillip, better the debris be thrown back than in landscape beds & hard surfaces. All the trimmers you mentioned will cut much better in a left to right pattern. If you can retrain your employees & or yourself to use your left hand on the throttle you will be even more efficient.

All our props are edged w/string trimmers which is much less time consuming than reloading w/an edger.

[Easy Way Lawn Care]

lilyrose

You didn't say how big the yard was sq foot wise. Start taking notes as to how long everything takes how big the yard is and how much you need to make. After a while you will get better with your productiveness and bidding. If you want let me know the size of both your yards square footage wise. I will run it through a formula I divised and see how long it should take for one man, this would be a good test for me if you dont mind.

[Phillip Baker]

Bob I'll give it a try with the left hand on the trigger .....but I think it's gonna be weird! lol On another note why dont you post your formula for fig time on yards.

[Easy Way Lawn Care]

formula

Phillip, I did it didn't go over too well its not that bad just kidda hard to explain, and its based upon my times so its just a general guideline. I would be curious to see how well it does with others.

[Phillip Baker]

Formula

A residiential lot measures 70' x 100' or 7000 sq ft by myself were talking 35 min for everything how does that compare to your formula. Im curious to see if it works out then couldnt you divided by the number of employees thus figuring the time fo say three people? This would really help in bidding lrg properties.