Same circle for weed eating but i would start at the front left so i do the concrete before the fence so the other team member can blow while i finish

This was actually super helpful. I’ve never done lawn care professionally, and soon will be resigning from my career to start my own landscaping biz. I’m terrified, but the more I research and take advice, the more I can visualize it. I know everything will be fine, but pro tips are certainly needed and appreciated. Thanks for your information, you’re awesome.

Can't disagree with anything in this video. Well done.

I started helping the next door neighbours gardener when I was 7. Been in love with gardening since. One of the most satisfying jobs you can do. Nothing looks better than a beautifully and freshly mown lawn. Love ya work mate. Watching from outback Queensland, Australia :)

You've definitely helped me out a ton man! I started a lawn care company last year and your pointers have helped tremendously!

This was as down to earth and simple to understand as it gets. No excuses for employees! Haha

Brilliant! Trimming counter clock wise.....Thank you, thumbs up for being more efficient even for home owners!

I also trim in one continuous line, but I start at the front left of the property ( lower left of the drawing), from back when I ran crews, and then when I had helpers in my own business; that way while someone is mowing, and another one or two are trimming, the front paved areas will already have been trimmed and ready to be blown off for the first person who was finished ( usually whomever was on the mower ). I also mow first, unless it's a new property, or the grass is high. One of the main reasons being the mower sets the height at which I trim, and it's a little easier to blend and feather the trimming to match the cut height instead of the opposite.

As a part owner of a brand new law care business, these videos of yours are a god send. Thank you for all of the informative videos.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. After reading a bunch of comments you can see that everyone has a different reason for doing the same task differently.

good info, confirms most of my technical MO. Also as an experiment I recently switched from mowing in circles to mowing in lines, though the action of lines takes longer than circles, I keep track of where I mowed easier(not much rain lately) so with less redundant motion it is faster in the bigger picture, at least for me and most of the lawns I have been able to get so far(ie none have proper irrigation systems).

I am definitely going to start Mowing that way! I now realize how much time I am waiting the way I am doing it right now.

Thanks for all your advice. Other vids included. I do other stuff but I was taught this early. Work smarter not harder.

I mow my lawn first, then edge, trim then blow. I’m in the south with St. Augustine grass that I cut at 3 1/2 inches with a mulching blade. If I were to stick edge first, then my crisp edge lines would get flattened down with wheel marks. Any clippings left on the side walk, get blown back in and not even noticeable. I also cut at minimum once a week, often times, every four days.

I totally agree with your theory, are used to debate this with my coworker because he always wanted the front of the house done first that way if I was still trimming after he was finished cutting he could blow off the front of the house which typically needs more blowing than the backyard. I’ll always liked doing it your way and just going in a continuous line

Been watching all your videos and have to say I really like your business model. I don't have the investment capital to get started but I intend to save like a mad man over the next year, year and a half (end of next season) with the hopes that I can pull the trigger and get started. Just had to put that goal down in writing for myself. Keep up the good work. So refreshing to see an honest businessman not only build his business and brand but appears to genuinely want to help others succeed as well.

Wow I never thought I was supposed to trim first thank you for tip! I will do this with my next customer !

If I run out a line under trimmer I've got some in my pocket I carry an extra string in my pocket

ABSOLUTE SOLID VIDEO!!!! I learned all this on my own doing the side hustle thing.😀 I love how some people are still telling me i should be mowing before trimming🤣 errrr no, i like trimming first, so i have a walk through the yard before mowing. Also any new yards, you should really just take a few min to do a COMPLETE walk through, & scout, even before trimming😉 Really enjoying this channel, keep it up please, i need this advise for when i go full-time on my own.😉

Great video dude! I have been cutting grass my entire life here in Clearwater Florida and your teaching some good shit especially for beginners. Your very articulate too! 👊

Very helpful! Thank you! Applying to my personal lawn care.

When i was starting doing landscaping the crew i worked with said mow first then trim so you can trim level ive been going solo for a year or so now and finally started trimming first cause yeah it definitly wastes alot of time blowing clippings around and off the yard. Jobs have been going so much more efficently and yeah i never realized that you should always go one way with the trimmer because somtimes i do get clippings in beds then i gotta lightly blow them out and it wastes alot of time thanks this video will definitly help me be more efficent 👍

Thank you for this definitely will help a lot of people

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge

Great video, I'm going to try the MO. I've been timing myself on my lawn to see if any improvement with the same quality of cut. I'm getting a little better, but need more improvement. Thanks.

The extra Wacker line in the pocket is big, saves a lot of time! Funny story, I was mowing yesterday and my Scag Patriot's front wheels broke off at the welds! Talk about downtime! I'm now using an older Gravely, really makes you appreciate your normal equipment! Thank you for the tips..

Very well put, by far the most efficient way to run a whip!! Exactly how I did it 15 years in buisness. I ran 3 man crew 2 cutters 1 whip man.. "usually me the foreman alot easier for me to stop with the smallest piece of equipment in case of quick chat with our client or potential client." 1st cutter done spent time weeding and cleaning up bed areas 2nd cutter done blew off.. usually reversing the whip mans direction blower pipe always against structure and boundaries.

Good job MIke, thanks!

you are right buddy thank you so much for this video thank you sir

I mow, put the blower on my back, plus carry the trimmer, do my trimming routine, when I get back to the start I blow of everything and I still have the trimmer in my hand if anything needs touching up. I need those crispy fat stripes to start that would otherwise sometimes risk messing up a sidewalk/roadside edge. Works for me, super fast, 2 pieces of equipment in my hand ready to use. That's how i efficiently do a lawn

I just learned how to trim my lawn. lol thanks dude happy fourth to you annd your crew

Thanks very much, great information 👍🏻

Very well said I totally agree 👊👊👊

This is some good stuff thank you

Some more great advice, thank you

Great advice...Also at end of every day gas up and reline trimmers

Well said! Great advice.

Thank you for this video mr. Mike. Very helpful could you make a video on how to trim the to the right height. When I trim first I never get the right hight. Any tips appreciated.

All great points sir 👏👏👏

Enjoyed this one!

Learn to trim with your left hand on the trigger. This keeps your shoulders and hips align and you walk forward. Great video, with good tips!

Thanks for all you do

Starting point is correct I don’t agree counter clockwise, start side walks edging, the clock wise around the house then the fence because either way you have to blow around the house regardless, and if you’re a good weed whacker there’s ways around not getting clippings inside beds, either way I’ve never had anything said for clippings on top of the lawn it just blends in it’s not that serious but that’s how I do things

Great info, thanks

I agree with the trim up to a point, my Red-Max trimmer runs clockwise, if I trimmed counter clockwise I'd be throwing debris against the house.

Love the tips..thanks ..

Hey thanks for the tips Mike 👏 I’ve learned a lot from you 💯

thank you

Hey Mike, why does it matter where you start trimming? If you’re going to do a loop, you’ll start and end in the same spot, so why not just start and end at the truck? Less extra steps. Thanks Mike, I appreciate all you do!

Great video, thanks for the tips. I time myself from start to finish from the moment I start my trimmer until I shut off the blower. If I'm 15-30 minutes off, reexamine my procedure and see what did I do different. was it a double cut or did I forget a spot. Did I have problems with the equipment ect. It makes a big difference 5-10 here or there. Thanks

💯🔥🔥 really smart, and simply. Its does kill alot of time, and time is money.

I do mow 1st .. only the first time tho .. if that makes sense... I like to run the mower around the perimeter , trees ,and so on first mow .. not of the year ..just with new lawns .. shows me or who ever is trimming that day where and how far out to trim .. unlike you I dont even use a push mower anymore . I know it's part of what you do and is the best look. it's just to time intensive..I do find that doing the perimeter helps tho it saves time insuring that they get everything the next time because you know how far out to go and so on.. I also find that it help save time on the first mow also given you dont actually know how close you can get until you try .. alot of the lawns I mow are big and not flat so there is always spots you cant go with a stander or ride on... great videos always good to sit and watch it down right

Good point on the parking.

Fantastic advice

This is gold

Nice. Thanks.

Lock stock video, thanks for the tips.

Thanks 👍🏼

Great tips

On the string trimmer part I actually keep a spare spool for my trimmer in my pocket already loaded so I'll have to do is change out the spool and keep going.

Absolutely!

Great video

Good thanks, from U.S Oregón

For tip #2 here's my exception to the rule. New property, odd angles/obstacles and perhaps you're not sure where your mower can/can't go. In those instances I mow first to figure out exactly what I need to trim there. Otherwise onr could end up doing much more trimming than you need to.

I start at the front door and follow the path you described. I just started doing it that way & it became my standard process.

Can you make more videos like this with other services, like aerating, mulching etc? Thank you!

10%'er here lol. Recently found you and really liking your video's. Def be tuning in more. Sub'd.

Mow, trim, blow. Mow first to set grass height which will leave less guess work for where to trim and how much. Trim second. If you mow properly there shouldn't be much and I believe it makes the edging look better. I believe this is because there is less chance your mower tires will lay grass back down over the edge you previously trimmed and causing you to go back and hit it again anyways. I also walk backwards when I trim. Why? Because typically where I live in Ohio we use side discharge. Being that you want to throw the clippings away from objects you're mowing against, this means the tires on the mowers lay down the grass one direction and by walking backwards when you trim it stands the grass up and lessens the chance for stragglers. Just my opinion though.

Not all trimmers turn counter clockwise. So you have to determine which way your trimmers head turns and go from there.

I feel like a subpar employee getting a pep talk from the “the man” 😂 In all seriousness great video brother. 👌

I edge, mow, trim, and blow.

Tried this one a 2 acre lot today and saved about 20 minutes.

park across the street from the nearest start point. that way when you blow you can get the entire curb and sidewalk in one shot without your truck being in the way

Mike! can you please do a video on HOW TO CREATE SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES IM STUCK ON HOW TO GO ABOUT CREATING THEM???

Found your channel this afternoon. So far I’m very impressed with your tips and suggestions and training to help improve productivity. Do you have a podcast channel as well as you tube?

What about start at the truck and end at the truck. Also best way to edge along of sidewalk?

Ur the man!

They way I do it. MOW > TRIM/EDGE > BLOW > RE-MOW. The last mow is a few seconds to catch any clippings. I do this because the St. Augustine needs to be mowed 3”+. This means if I edge first and then mow over it, that pushes the grass through the edge and makes it look bad. I’ve got to sacrifice for a crispy edge.

I'm downloading this KZfaq gold nugget...

ABSOLUTELY there is a pattern for MOST houses you will end up where you started basically,trim to the left and it looks better and keeps alot of the grass out the beds also,trim to the right seems to put more grass in the beds imo.

Wow another great video

Interesting , I always start at the left but same scenerio

In my opinion I start we’re ever at long as your going the correct way I always start next to my truck an finish at my truck I don’t do all that walking just to start

I usually agree with you except on the order of operation. You should always MOW first because if you miss an area or don't get close enough to say a mailbox, power pole hydrant, etc, it's much easier to fix it with the trimmer. If you trim first and miss an area especially if the mower can't get to it, then you will have to walk back to the truck and get the trimmer again. The only time I trim first is if the lawn is overgrown.

I’ve heard of guys putting a small water bottle of 2-cycle gas in their pocket when weed whacking larger properties.

I’ve had experience breaking 2 glass screen doors last summer with a stihl 94

Hey Mike I love this video but I had to come back to it to comment on it what you say to do is unrealistic. In my area there is backyard and front yards meaning there are fence off so I do the trimming kinda like a figure eight

Hey mike thanks for this always looking for efficiencies. What I do with string since it always wants to curl up like it was around. The spool, is instead of fighting that and trying to stuff it in my pocket, just hold it in my hand curled up in a circle with the handle , and if I run out I have a precut amount with me anywhere

Good advice. But something to think about. If you our topping and trimming/ edging your lawns. Your example is great. But if you walk backwards as your topping/ trimming you'd want to start on the other side of the property. I myself do alot of walking backwards due to minimizing the debri hitting houses windows cars ect. I'd prefer the debri to hit myself versus the other objects.

I’ve learned to trim and edge backwards. Incredibly helpful. It’s so easy to keep a constant pace, see anything you missed, and have incredible control. Very good skill to have.

I'm sorry but I like to edge concrete walks and driveways first and then mow to get any snakes out off the lawns along with any other animals and then I can see where the mower couldn't get to and then trim those areas down to the same height that I just mowed going clockwise. Then I blow it all off and do a last walk around before leaving the property. I'm a solo guy so I do each step. I park my truck on the front right corner of the property and end back there too! I tried to weed trim counter clockwise but it felt like it lifted the grass blades back up and made them stick up after I just mowed. When you mow and outline the property you go clockwise so the discharge chute is pointing and blowing all the clippings into the center before running your stripes. I usually do two perimeter passes to also allow my mower enough room to turn. Whatever works best for the individual that makes it go smoothly for them. I feel going counter clockwise is like if you comb your hair in one direction and then take your finger or trimmer and go back the opposite direction it stands the grass blades up and it looks bad. Just my thoughts from trying out both ways. Great topic though!

Afternoon! After watching this through a couple of times I have a question? Your trim pattern and idea didn't bring into effect a property divided by a front yard/back yard with a fence. Most of our residential properties are divided by back yard fences. Do you then divide the two and do the counter clockwise deal on the front, and then again on the back?

This may be a demographically based message. It can be confusing for the Florida companies, and especially different when you run 3-4 man crews , doing 3-4 properties at a time. But definitely some good insight , find the best formulas for property types , and find a continuous movement. Different demographics call for different details plus size of properties, size of crews, type of equipment and many other variables, but I’m sure there is places where these principles apply. For us, in SW Florida, and for us specifically with our team, we find it’s best for 3 man crews for residential, 1/4-1/2 acre lawns, typically two men trimming, one man mowing, first to finish start blowing, Avg. lawn service 7-12 min, 4-7 lawns an hour depending on proximity. But we have principles we stick to and adjustable formulas per property. But he’s right, proper preparation, uniformed movements, and consistent strategies utilized. Keep dropping knowledge. We love it down here! Thanks

I work for a company that has 1 crew mowing all the lawns. we are nothing close to a new company, been around for 40 plus years.... Still only have 1 crew going out tho doing maintance(cutting and whacking) the rest of guys do pruning and or lawn care. We have close to 200 yards most are upwards of million dollar homes so they take more detail. I am hoping our old boss retires soon so his son can take over and I can help grow and expand company

What if you have like 4 houses side by side? Do you just do the same steps? Or do you finish a house one at a time

When we do the apartments I carry a Gatorade bottle full of fuel line in my pocket

Get some channel lock side cutters to cut line with. Those knives get dull and you can cut yourself if you try to force it. I carry my grandfather's Cutters that are 40 years old. You will thank yourself in the long run.

If you trim first, and you’re at a newer property, and you get done trimming, start mowing and you realize there are a couple places you thought u could mow that you can’t. Then when you’re done mowing you have to go back with the trimmer. Which is more time. Thoughts?

I've read a lot of these comments. I guess I'm gonna be the odd man out. I've been doing lawn care for 22 years and what you're saying makes perfect sense theoretically BUT, what about obstacles such as shrubs, trees, rock features along the fence etc...? Continuous walking/trimming isn't an option. You have to slow down and in some cases, STOP to ensure a quality trim job. Also, what about flower beds around the home? You can't trim and edge at the same time. You have to do one, then come back and do the other. What about obstacles such as trees, flowerbeds and decor in the middle of the lawn? Those have to be trimmed and edged as well. My point is, there IS NO MAGIC FORMULA when it comes to string trimming. EVERY job has it's on challenges. Start where you can and do the best job you can. Time can be saved in other ways such as making sure all equipment fuel tanks are full at the start of the day. Make sure you have sharp blades. That saves MEGA time. Discharge clippings away from concrete surfaces. That saves time with blower clean up. Also, when prudent, use your mower as a blower. It's faster than walking. Good content but the practicality of the info is flawed because, as I said, every job is different and has it's own challenges. God Speed.....

That's y I trim fist If there is a lot of leaves on the sidewalk or driveway I blow everything off 1st then trim then mow them everything up