Economy, weather stifle lawn services in their busiest time of year

WESTMINSTER, Md. - Although spring and summer are the best times of the year for lawn service companies, the slow economy, as well as a dry spell, has caused business to lag.

Tim Lawson, whose family runs B & L lawn service in Westminster, says the business has been hurt by a slowed economy.

Lawson, who turned the business over to his son and wife about two years ago but still keeps abreast of how it is doing, says many customers have either walked away from or sold their homes or started cutting their own lawns.

Cutting back on lawn services, he says, is one of the first things people do when facing tight financial times.

"Lawn care is like a luxury," Lawson says.

Bill Baker, of Bill's Lawn Service in Eldersburg, says business is the worst it's been in two years.

Baker, who has been running his business since 2003, attributed some of the slowdown to more competition.

Ken Shoemaker, of Ken's Lawn Service in Emmitsburg, has felt the pinch of the down economy.

He says he's seen his number of customers drop from nine to four.

Shoemaker, who's also a janitor at Robert Moton Elementary School, says he uses the money he makes mowing lawns to supplement his income. However, he says business has been slow enough that he's cutting back.

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