When a spouse, child or neighborhood kid doesn't deliver on a promise to mow the lawn, you could always do it yourself.
But an app may get the job done faster.
For several years, landscapers have joined other service providers in racing to develop apps that make it easy to reach them from smartphones and other gadgets.
One of the newest providers is GreenPal, which entered the Twin Cities market this month. GreenPal uses existing landscapers to bid on properties based on Google Street, aerial images and other details supplied by the homeowner. What makes GreenPal different is that consumers get to choose which service provider they use, with up to five bids.
"It's one of the first true operating systems for landscaping professionals that's lead generation-based," said Gene Caballero, co-founder of GreenPal.
A number of other apps provide similar service, including Lawn Love, Plowz & Mowz, and Eden Lawn and Snow. It's free to get the apps on a smartphone, and users may also be able get the service from a company's website. The average cost for mowing is $35 to $45 for most lawns, but large lawns or challenging ones run up to $100. The contractor provides the mower and any other supplies such as a fertilizer spreader, weed sprayer and hedge trimmers.
"I haven't had a day off. It's been very, very busy," said Tony Zerwas of Blue Line Property Care in Rush City, which provides mowing services. "It's a good problem to have."
He's gotten referrals from GreenPal as well as consolidators such as Thumbtack and Angie's List.
Most of the apps offer service within a 40-mile radius of the Twin Cities.
Before hiring a provider, experts said, consumers should check reviews online and verify expectations with the local landscaper. Property owners may ask about blade height, weeding, edging and sweeping. Zerwas likes to ask the consumer when the lawn was last cut and about hills, fences, gates and lot size.
After the job is completed, most of the app services will send photos of the completed job.