Do you think this yard guy was pompous and rude? Full of himself?

He’s just trying to make a sale. Just say “No,” and get a new yard guy.

Sorry to hear about your husband.

I’d say, “talk to me about using chemicals in January then. In the meantime, I need my yard kept tidy.”

Good replies but here’s the problem keeping me from being smart Alec to him. There are less than a dozen yard crews in this desolate neighborhood. They dump you without notice if you lift an eyebrow at them. In fact, I’m not sure he’ll even mow tomorrow with some stuff I said. lol

What’s changed? Who previously maintained the yard?

A trick that a neighbor with a impeccable front yard told me years ago and that was to keep reseeding the lawn ( mixed with topsoil and water it). And the Grass crowds out the weeds every time.
No kidding his lawn looked like a nice green carpet. ( it was real , of course and we saw him mowing his lawn etc)
My older brother used to work for WEED Man and he told me that HE HAD to up sell always..so a polite no thanks would get him off the hook.

@stanleybmanly some idiot mowed it before. I can’t remember what I said over email but he dumped me. I did not say anything horrible at all. As I said, it takes next to nothing to be dumped around here.

@Inspired_2write I believe that because I did the same thing in 1972. lol. I was super surprised what it did to that lawn ! I dont know what overcame me that I would throw down grass seed (which was cheap back then) instead of fertilizer.

@Aster
Just a note: Most weed man employees were transients looking for short time work..and the first time someone complains they quit.
The neighbor who had that beautiful lawn only fertilized once a year, but reseeded in Spring and again just before Winter as he told me that the grass grew all winter underground.

Aster!!! We were worried about you! There’s a question somewhere in Meta hoping you were ok. I’m so sorry you lost your husband. Hugs.
I totally get what you are saying about your grass guy dumping you. It’s the same way here. Apparently I have made 2 different ones mad and they quit in mid season. The guy I have now is throwing grass on my air conditioning unit. My brother wants me to say something about it. Nope. I’ll just put up some kind of little fence.
I’ll follow this question to see if someone has an answer.

He’s just trying to upsell. Nothing rude about, it’s just a typical business practice. Just politely decline, no need to take it further than that.

^^^^^ Thanks but I did not decline. He’s the most popular yard man around here and he actually speaks English! That will be quite a relief.

@chyna thank you so much! I’m fine, really. Have a lot of time to myself now.

I have no idea what your lawn or yard entails, but have you considered tackling the job yourself? If your yard has been neglected for months, relegate the first cutting to an expert. But there’s something fulfilling in mowing the lawn.