Tag Archives: lawn care business

Avoid These 6 Landscaping Mistakes

Avoid These 6 Landscaping Mistakes

Mistakes in the landscaping business can prove to be time consuming and costly. These 6 landscaping mistakes are made more often than you would imagine. Avoid these mistakes and use our tips to avoid mulchy messes and cutting catastrophes on your next project!

Starting Without A Plan

The art form of planning and designing a landscape is unique because you not only take into account the size, colors, textures, and proportions of the project, but also it’s functionality. Failing to start your landscaping project with a plan can lead to an unattractive end result that doesn’t function properly, won’t last long enough, or even goes over budget.

Using The Wrong Tools

Using the right tools for a project can make all the difference when it comes to saving timing and keeping you and your team safe.

Match your tools to your project. The size of the job may influence the size and type of tools used, this goes for handheld tools and power equipment. Make sure to keep your tools clean and organized. For advice on tools and when to use them, speak to one of our equipment specialists.

 Cutting Grass Too Short

Grass length should change depending on the time of year. In the summer, grass requires more shade so that it doesn’t get burnt to a crisp. During these warmer months, leave the grass a little longer so that the blades can shade the soil and the water doesn’t evaporate so fast. During the colder months, grass should be cut shorter so that sunlight can reach the soil.

(Bonus tip: It’s a myth that if you cut your grass shorter, you won’t have to mow it as often).

Inappropriate Irrigation Systems

A project’s irrigation system ties back into the design of the project. Each plant requires different watering needs, so installing the appropriate irrigation system will save you a huge headache. Sprinkler set-ups and irrigation can tend to be an eye-sore if not done thoughtfully, so make sure to plan for this ahead of time when designing the landscape.

Forgetting About Wildlife

The type of plants and flowers used in your landscaping project can either attract or repel outside wildlife. When planning a project or discussing a project with your client, make sure to ask what critters they’d like to avoid. Deer can be attracted to beautiful flowers, so it couldn’t hurt to add some bitter-tasting plants to the bunch. Once they give those a try, they are sure to keep away from that yard.

Not Recycling

As most landscapers know, large projects can produce large amounts of waste. Rather than trashing branches, clippings, and other recyclable materials, try renting or investing in a quality shredder that can turn that waste into something useful. These debris can be turned into mulch, fertilizers, or compost. Plus, most compost piles can easily be hidden into a landscape.

Now that you know the most common landscaping mistakes and how to avoid them, your lawn care business can have the confidence that your next landscaping project will come out on top. 

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Related Articles:

Get the Right Hand Held Tools and Outdoor Power Equipment to Maintain Your Landscaping

10 Marketing Tips for a Landscaping Business

Honda Dealer Guide to Everything Lawn Care 


Your One Stop Shop for All Your Outdoor Power Equipment Needs!

Our product lineup has a variety of new and used equipment from top brands including Toro, Cub Cadet, Stihl, Exmark, Honda Engines, Honda Power Equipment, Echo, Grasshopper, Hustler Turf, Walker Mowers, Troy Bilt, Scag & Boss Snowplows. We’ll always have something to meet your needs and budget.

More importantly, we never sell anything in a box. Your unit is set up and inspected by factory authorized technicians; plus we top it off with oil or gas at pickup. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your residential or commercial lawn mowers have been put together by professionals.

We service everything we sell.

A well-stocked inventory of approved parts and accessories offers quick turnaround on all requests. Purchase parts online whenever you need them.

Suburban Lawn Equipment
1950 W. Newport Pike Wilmington, DE 19804
302-998-7700

Honda Dealer Guide to Everything Lawn Care 

As your longtime local Honda dealer, we take pride in each piece of Honda equipment we sell and service. Because we only want the best quality and performance for our customers, we make sure that every time we see a product to you, we also make sure you know everything about safety operations and maintenance procedures. 

Whether you’re a homeowner or a you take care of people’s lawns for a living, we want to provide you with the best of the best. If you want to learn more about mowing, lawn care or mower maintenance, you came to the right place! Below are some of your most asked questions and answers that will surely take your lawn care experience to the next level! 

 

Honda Dealer Guide to Everything Lawn Care 

 

Is there a right and wrong time to mow the lawn? 

Any time is good to mow the lawn as long as you have good lighting conditions. In a heat or areas affected by drought, Honda recommends to raise the height of the cut and allow the grass to grow a little higher than normal during those times. 

 

How dry must the grass be when I mow it? 

As dry as possible. If the grass is wet, it won’t mulch properly and the clippings will tend to clump together or stick to the mower deck. It is a good idea to let the dew evaporate before mowing. You should be able to pass your hand over the surface of the grass and not detect free moisture. 

 

What is the rule of thumb for the grass height before it should be mowed? 

The general rule is that no more than one third of the leaf blade should be removed at any one mowing. Another way to think about this would be to mow the grass when it reaches 50 percent higher than the desired height. For example, if you are maintaining the turf area at two inches, ideally it should be mowed when it reaches three inches in height. 

 

What does “going to seed” mean? Is this a good practice? 

This means not mowing the grass and allowing it to go to seed. Some homeowners believe they can thicken up their lawn by not mowing and allowing the grass to form seed. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is true. By allowing the turfgrass to form seed, nutrients normally used for shoot and root growth are diverted to nourish the developing seed. Developing seed always has priority over shoots and roots for nutrients. 

 

What is proper mower maintenance? 

The mower must be carefully inspected at the beginning of the season. Depending on the usage, cables may need adjustment, the blade(s) may need to be sharpened or replaced and engine oil changed. The blade(s) and oil should be checked before or after each mowing. 

At the end of the season, the mower should be prepared for storage as detailed in the owner manual. 

 

What are the signs of a worn mower blade? 

A worn or dull mower blade will tend to shred the grass leaf rather than cutting it cleanly. The result is a jagged tip that turns brown rapidly. This, in turn, gives the entire lawn a brownish or tan appearance for several days. The turfgrass might actually appear to be diseased or stressed, but the green color will gradually be restored as the grass leaves grow. 

 

Got more questions? Make sure to visit Honda for more tips! 

 

Suburban Lawn Equipment has been providing first class service to the outdoor power equipment industry since 1981. Excellent products and outstanding before-and-after-sales service have earned us a stellar reputation. We’re happy to service anything we sell. Bring your zero turn lawn mowers, walk behind lawn mowers, lawn tractors, riding lawn mowers, etc. to us any time you need a tune-up or maintenance and repairs. Our technicians are certified by the Equipment & Engine Training Center (EETC) and stay current by attending all sales and service seminars offered by our manufacturers. For our customers this means experienced trouble shooting and flawless work with no room for complaints. 

 

Don’t forget to visit our SPECIALS page! 

 

Suburban Lawn Equipment | 1950 W. Newport Pike Wilmington, DE 19804 | 

302-475-4300 

 

 

marketing tips for a landscape business

10 Marketing Tips for a Landscaping Business

Any business that offers seasonal services needs to be equipped with tools that will ensure the most exposure, especially, during the off-season. At Suburban, we believe that growing a lawn care business is a lot like growing a garden. You need to nurture it, otherwise your plants won’t thrive.

Are you ready to take your landscaping business to the next level? Consider these 10 marketing tips that will connect you with more customers and bring you more sales!

10 Marketing Tips for a Landscaping Business

  1. Mobile Website – Having an online website for marketing purposes is a must these days for any business. It can be something as simple as a one page design listing your services and contact information. However, since a lot of potential buyers use their phones for making quick purchases, it is inevitable to make sure your website is mobile-friendly as well!
  2. Blogging and Social Networking – Your landscaping business doesn’t have a chance of getting to as many potential customers as it could have if only you engaged on social media in efforts to promote your brand. Your customers want to know more about you, so don’t be afraid to share, post, tweet, and simply have fun with it!
  3. Mobile Apps – They are user-friendly, cost-effective and another fun way to connect with your customers. You can customize a mobile app to your liking and brand functionality by adding features such as a loyalty rewards program, GPS, calculator and more!
  4. Direct mailing – Another successful way to reach more potential customers. Conversion rates are around 1%, so 2,500 would get you 25 responses.
  5. Local Directories and Yellow Pages – Customers will find you better if you are on as many online listings as possible. Think of Google and showing up on top of the search list.
  6. Yard Signs – Professional-looking lawn signs are a great way of showing your business side, especially when your former clients agree to display them in their own yards. Also, potential new clients will know right away what your business is all about – they can see results right in front of them!
  7. Magnetic Signs   Simply put your logo and contact information on the truck (as a bumper sticker) or on a side of the vehicle for free advertising!
  8. Fliers and Door Hangers – Believe it or not, some people still prefer to receive a paper copy of whatever you’re trying to sell! Get fliers and door hangers and pass them out in your neighborhood. Even better if you offer an incentive like a special discount for first time customers. Don’t forget to include a detachable business card for future reference.
  9. Local Delaware Newspapers – More on a traditional side of marketing but still effective and cost efficient when it comes to advertising.
  10. Be kind, work smart, stay humble.  Engage with your clients by showing them you work hard, you appreciate their business and are excited to be connecting with them. After all, you want to build a long-lasting partnership, not to mention – friendship.

10 Marketing Tips for Landscaping BusinessesWinter is that time of year when you might be experiencing a slower business traffic, but it’s a perfect opportunity to try out new ways of reaching your customers! Before you know, spring will be here. Thanks to these marketing tips,  you’ll be more than ready to ease into this busy season.

At Suburban, our goal is to keep you in business. Whether you are looking to purchase new landscaping equipment or need help repairing equipment you already have, we got your back!

ALSO, don’t forget to join us at our 29th Annual Expo, Thursday, March 9th!

There will be huge discounts, refreshments, door prizes, giveaways, demo equipment, factory reps, close outs and more!

How to Promote Your Lawn or Landscaping Business Right

It’s hard to grow any successful business without the right marketing plan and just like any other entrepreneur, you need a variety of promotion tools. Especially, if your business offers seasonal services. If you’re a lawn care or landscaping company owner, you need to think of marketing strategies that will bring you profit during off-season as well.

At Suburban, we believe that growing a lawn care business is a lot like growing a garden; if you don’t spend time nurturing it, your plants will not thrive.  To have a thriving business, consider using some basic measures to make your business stand out!

Here’s 10 things you should consider to spring forward:

  1. Website – An online destination that’s practically a requirement for any business these days. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be extravagant. A simple one page design with a listing of your services and contact information will suffice. Mobile Websites with a quick click to call button would also be a great investment, being that this business is the poster-boy for mobile!
  2. Blogging and Social Networking – If you have a website, you need to promote it right. Start a blog and jump on the social media wagon like everybody else. Share what your company does best, offer specials and tips, and you’ll be surprised how fast and beneficial this online word-of-mouth strategy can be!
  3. Local Directories and Yellow Pages – Get listed on as many online listings as possible. Doing so will help your customers find you better!
  4.  Business Cards – You can get a pack of  250 Avery Business Cards to print out yourself for @ $12-$15 or spend a little more to have them professionally designed. Place your cards around local stores that allow for this promotion.
  5. Yard Signs – Invest in some professional-looking lawn signs to display in front of happy customer’s lawns. You can offer them some discount incentive to do so.
  6. Magnetic Signs   Get your logo and basic information in plain sight, put it on the side of the truck, and you’ll have free advertising!
  7. Fliers and Door Hangers – Pass them out in neighborhoods that you service. You could even offer a special offer for first time customers. Also, make sure you include a detachable business card, so your customers can save it for a future action.
  8. Local Delaware Newspapers – These often free papers can reach a large audience and the cost per ad is generally reasonable.
  9. Direct mailing – Canvassing local residential areas is pretty cheap and connects you to customers you’d never otherwise meet.  Conversion rates are around 1%, so figure 2,500 would get you 25 responses.
  10. Whatever you do, stay professional and friendly and this will take you far in this business.  While you can’t buy referrals, you can ask loyal customers to pass your name on to others looking for your service and offer them some sort of incentive like a discount or free cut for every new client they send your way!

While this is the time of year most landscapers hibernate and refuel, taking the time to set new goals and resolutions may give your business that running start it needs next spring.

At Suburban, our goal is to keep you in business. Whether you are looking to purchase new landscaping equipment or need help repairing equipment you already have, we got you covered!

ALSO, don’t forget to join us at our 28th Annual Expo, Thursday, March 10th!

There will be huge discounts, refreshments, door prizes, giveaways, demo equipment, factory reps, close outs and more!

Suburban Lawn Equipment 28th Annual Expo

Stone stairs landscaping

Encouraging Report for the Landscape and Lawn Care Businesses Going into 2016

Landscape Business to Grow in 2016There is good news on the horizon for the Landscape and Lawn Care business. Many landscape contractors reported solid sales, greater profits and stable labor needs this last year. Thanks to growth in housing starts and commercial construction, the landscaping industry has significantly improved over the last few years and things look good all the way through 2020.

According to IBISWorld, a research firm in New York and Los Angeles, a steady increase in per capita disposable income and an aging population in need of a variety of home services will help the lawn care and landscaping industry to grow.

Over half of contractors supplying installation, maintenance, irrigation and lawn care services have reported an increase in sales for 2015 and many are optimistic for this year. Specialty services, such as hardscaping, tree care, pest control, lighting and natural/organic lawn care have also seen a significant growth this past year.

Many contractors are planning to raise prices. They have cited one reason as an increase in spending levels by customers, especially for outdoor living areas and water features. Many also indicated they had a growing need for non-field personnel.

On the down side, a shortage of qualified laborers has dampened the profit margin, as well as higher costs in health insurance, workers compensation and fuel prices. Other top concerns are low-ball competitors, regulations of or bans on water/irrigation and pesticide/fertilizer use.

Don’t be discouraged by this, as the number of landscaping businesses (according to IBISWorld) will grow a mere 2% or so per year over the next five years. When you compare this to 2010’s 4.5% growth rate, or even 2007’s 16% growth rate, things are looking pretty rosy for the established landscape companies.

What do you think this next year will bring for your landscaping business?

Share with us on Facebook what you think.

Suburban Lawn Equipment in Delaware sells and services quality landscaping and lawn care equipment. We never sell anything in a box. Your unit is set up and inspected by factory authorized technicians; plus we top it off with oil or gas at pickup. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your commercial lawn mowers have been put together by professionals.

Suburban Lawn Equipment | 1950 W. Newport Pike Wilmington, DE 19804 |302-475-4300