Making it through the winter when the mowing stops and payroll does not

Written for landscapers and lawn care routes, grounds maintenance contractors, tree services and arborists, irrigation, hardscape and fencing installers, and landscape firms that sell snow and ice work, in any US state.

The short version

1. Bill maintenance in 12 equal monthly payments.Put it on autopay so winter months bring in the same as summer ones, and collect snow fees monthly from November.
2. Sell winter work and take lawful deposits.Offer snow, lighting, leaf cleanup and tree work to existing clients. Some states cap install deposits, so check yours first.
3. Set up a line of credit each fall.Keep a 13-week cash forecast, updated every Monday, so you see the late-winter gap coming.

In the North, maintenance runs April to October, installs fill the spring and fall, and snow runs November to March. In the South and West, maintenance runs year-round but slows in extreme summer heat. Either way, late-winter payroll, equipment and materials come before customer payments do, and the gap is yours to fund.

Smooth the money coming in

1. Bill maintenance monthly.Bill maintenance as 12 equal monthly payments on autopay, so the winter months bring in the same as the summer ones.
2. Sell winter work to clients who already pay you.Snow, holiday lighting, leaf cleanup and tree work sold to existing clients fill the gap, and seasonal snow fees can be collected in monthly installments from November.
3. Take deposits on installs, within the law.Some states cap them. In California the down payment on a residential landscaping contract cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less, and in New York money paid before work is done is held in trust. Under the FTC Cooling-Off Rule, a buyer has 3 business days to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at their home, so give the cancellation notice at signing. As of Oct 2026.

Your fixed costs run all year, so the income that covers them should too.

If an install client does not pay

Routine mowing and maintenance usually earns no lien. Installs can: California counts seeding, sodding and planting for landscaping as a work of improvement, and Texas gives a lien to a person contracted with the owner or another listed project participant who supplies labor, plant material or other supplies for landscaping for an improvement, such as a retaining wall or irrigation system. Confirm eligibility rather than assuming every install qualifies. In Florida, a residential direct contract over $2,500 must carry the statutory lien disclosure, or your lien rights are at risk. As of Oct 2026.

See the gap before it arrives

Keep a 13-week forecast of client receipts, payroll, materials, fuel, equipment payments, estimated taxes and sales tax, updated every Monday, plus a 12-month seasonal view. Set up a revolving line of credit in the fall. Match equipment loans and dealer financing to the machine's life, and watch zero-interest offers that raise the price.

For bigger needs, SBA 7(a) loans go up to $5 million for working capital and acquisitions, and 504 loans cover real estate and heavy equipment. SBA tightened its ownership and citizenship eligibility rules in 2025, so check with the lender under the current SOP 50 10. As of Oct 2026.

Service equipment before spring, track hours, repairs and downtime per machine, and replace on cost per hour rather than waiting for a breakdown. Rent rarely used machines such as stump grinders, skid steers and trenchers.

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