Please advise...

[littlemissmartypants]

I have a farm. The property is covered in huge azaleas. The yard literally grows up uncontrollably because the fertilizer used on the corn crop rolls downhill. This causes the grass to thrive.

In the spring, I let the front yard grow because it's full of wildflowers commingled with broomstraw. I have at least one rabbit family, that I know about. I probably have more and I want them to have a habitat. I also want bees and butterflies to have a place to go, too.

I have been having it bushhogged. My cousin was doing it but I don't like him. He's a creepy, sexual predator. I just don't want any sort of relationship with him. Even though he only charged me $150 to do the yard around the house and barn.

The alternative is a guy who says he can cut back the azaleas with some pinching machine he has, bushog the yard and carry off the debris. Now, he wants $800 for the job. He used to charge to run the bushog by the hour and the job ranged between $190-$200. Which is weird. I guess he had to drive slower and had to charge more. Seems unscrupulous.

He's also somewhat of a jerk. He's rude. Has blown me off for weeks. Doesn't respond to messages for days and can't seem to manage a regular, routine schedule. He just insulted me. Even though I was polite in my reply, I haven't heard anything from him about when or whether he's still interested in doing the job. He just seems to have limited organizational and people skills which comes off as unprofessional. Thankfully, I'm not trying to hire him to do public relations.

There used to be all sorts of flowers here but the first guy I hired sprayed something around everywhere. He said it was because of his weed eating.

Eventually, all the Lantana died. The tulips and lily plants don't bloom anymore. The peach and pear trees died, too. It is sad because it used to be extraordinarily beautiful here. At least the azaleas still bloom spectacularly once a year. But they need maintenance, too.

Clearly, I don't know much about the bushhog business. This will be the sixth person to take care of the yard over a span of more than ten years. It's been an interesting experience. Living in a small, rural town as an older single woman probably puts me at a disadvantage. Thankfully, I'm intelligent, have almost unlimited patience and some money.

Here's the crux. What's a reasonable price for such work? How do I find a new person? Should I just find a landscaping company and go that route instead?

Anyway, I know this is long winded. Thanks for reading it. I'm looking forward to hearing from anyone who has opinions and any suggestions. Please don't hold back. I need help. Thanks again!

❤️pants

[mopinko]

1. can you find some goats?

yeah, it’s hard to get good help these days. expect to pay more when you do.
goats can do a rly good job, tho.

[littlemissmartypants]

8. I've heard of a guy that rents goats. But I'm coastal and he's in the mountains.

But I like the idea. Thanks!

[cyclonefence]

2. I wish I could help

but I don't know anything about brush hogging.

I do know that I cut back my bank of azaleas a couple of years ago, cut them down to six inches. I don't even remember why I did it now, but I know now that azaleas will come back from ferocious pruning. It took a couple of years, but they're back.

How awful that all your beautiful trees have been destroyed! And how awful that you can't get someone honest and not creepy to help you figure out what to do. Is there a state extension service you can consult? Is there an association of Master Gardeners--that's a real thing!--who could advise you?

I hope you're able to get some help. I love the fact that my property is sort of wild, with beautiful shrubs and perennials popping up in beds all over the place, and I truly feel for you.

Good luck!

[littlemissmartypants]

3. Thanks so much for your reply! The extension service is a great idea!

I really appreciate your empathy! What color are your azaleas? ❤️

[cyclonefence]

7. Oh, they're regular old hot pink

They were here when we bought this house over ten years ago. But because there are masses of them, they make a spectacular display.

We had a huge wisteria in the back yard, but I hired a guy (sound familiar?) to help me with the yard, and the idiot dug it all out. I've found a few sprouts (I think it's impossible to really kill wisteria) and I'm going to get him to build me an arbor over the back door--he really owes me this. This same guy ripped out my bed of columbine--twice--and then used the power washer on the wall behind them, for a *third* massacre!

But: he's cheap and amiable and (sort of) willing to learn.

[Quakerfriend]

4. I understand how difficult it is to find good

landscaping help.

Those who will use a bush hog usually have to rent one for ~ $200/day.

It is practically impossible around here to hire someone to just cut grass or just weed. They all insist on a big contract that includes doing the beds for $800 a pop twice per year. And god forbid you don’t want them to spray w/ forever chemicals.

Pick workers up at Home Depot- They want to get paid for a full day & then will work excruciatingly slow 😆.

Sorry, but my advise is to stick with your cousin- atleast he’s reasonable!

[littlemissmartypants]

9. So for $85/hour he could easily recoup the investment in a rented bush hog.

I think, he owns his but I'm guessing he's making payments on it. He drives a big coal roller style pick up truck. That tows a trailer with a tractor attached to the bush hog on it.

I definitely won't be using my cousin. I didn't like being sexualy assaulted in my backyard. He's not an option. Maybe I wasn't clear enough about that.

Thanks for your reply, Quakerfriend.

[Meadowoak]

5. I have a guy that does mine for $100. It's about 2 and a half acres.

[Kali]

6. I'm with mo, get a couple goats for brush, sheep for grass

not sure about fertilizer for corn flowing downhill, but if you have been cutting and removing a lot of plant material for a long period of time the soil may be depleted. that may affect blooming and even fruit trees. I would replant fruit trees for sure if I lost them. they will need some kind of organic matter/fertilizer on a regular basis.

what is the size area you want cleared, is this once per year or some kind of ongoing maintenance? a regular landscape company may actually be what you need, be upfront about sprays and other chemicals. if they can't/won't work with you keep looking.

[jcgoldie]

10. you would have to fence it

And provide shelter and feed in the winter. I'm a dairy goat farmer and I love them, but I always bristle a little when people say... just throw goats out there and it will solve the problem. It is a great natural solution but also requires much more maintenance year round than just mowing.

...also you wont have any azaleas left...

[Kali]

11. I assumed it was already fenced

though I know with smaller livestock, especially goats, that may need much improvement

and I suppose it could be seasonal, depending on management (buy and sell, diet, predators)

[Farmer-Rick]

13. Then there is vet bills and foot trimming

Some even require shearing. And keeping fresh water available at all times isn't always easy.

Not to mention feed and hay for the winter. And bringing out melted water when it freezes.

And what if you want to travel? You got to get a farm sitter.

And keeping goats behind a fence is very difficult. Anyway, it's cheaper for me to get it bush hogged.

[Red Mountain]

12. Don't throw goats in

Azaleas and wisteria are poisonous to them.

How much land are you trying to control?

An acre? 10? More?

[Farmer-Rick]

14. I have about 7 plus acres in pasture

Plus another acre as a yard.

I use a mowing and trimming service for $50 a week for my yard. I don't ever let them spray ever. A lot of amature yard services don't rinse out their sprayers and can get weed killer mixed in with fertilizer.

You don't need fertilizer. I never fertilize because I get run off from pastures around here. I never had a problem. But the service is very bad at trimming. I always have to redo it. But for $50 they are able to get all my hills mowed.

I get the pasture bush hogged about 2 to 3 times a year. I own a tractor and mower attachment that he uses and I pay for diesel. It costs $300 to get him to bush hog. It takes him about 5 hours and he doesn't get all the steep areas.

Once, I had a fancy bush hogger guy come out. He had a low riding mower/tractor that could take the steep hills. He quoted me $300, after he looked at it. But then after he was done he wanted to charge me $400. That would have been $100 an hour it only took him 4 hours. I paid him $300 and never used him again.

Yeah, bush hogging isn't cheap especially with big hills. I imagine if you have flat land, you could let it grow and see if a farmer wanted it for hay. Let them hay it and keep the bails. Then they cut it for free.

[WhiteTara]

15. How big is your property?

That's my first question. It's not long winded at all. I'm sorry you have had non lovers of the earth caring for your property needs. Have you thought of buying a riding lawn mower? I use it to care for my one acre walking garden and then I have a brush hog come in and mow the lower meadow every year or so.

Your property size is the key in my mind. I look forward to hearing about your efforts.