With longer hours of daylight comes more time for grass to grow — and the arrival of landscaping season.

A quarter of Americans (25%) say maintaining their lawn makes them happy, according to a survey from February 2025, and people are investing in upkeep:¹

• For a typical month, millennials spent $701 on lawn care, while Baby Boomers kept expenses under $500, at only $475.

• The biggest challenges for people are weed control (43%) and not having enough time (36%).

Depending on how people value their time and money, there’s a tradeoff when taking on yard work solo or adding outside help. As of the second half of 2024, prices of outdoor equipment and supplies got a trim — dropping 3.3% year-over-year — while the cost of gardening and lawn care services rose 10.2% over the same time frame, according to the Consumer Price Index.^2,3

Hiring a pro

Despite the uptick in lawn care labor costs, unlocking more leisure time could be worthwhile for many: A third of Gen Z (30%) would pay up to $5,000 per year to save time not doing everyday tasks like cleaning and yard work, according to Empower research.

The amount of outdoor maintenance needed can shift the cost significantly, with each lawn’s specific condition, size, and grass type also taken into consideration:⁴

• Lawn mowing can range from $36 to $105.

• Weed removal could cost between $65 and $120.

• Trimming hedges can range between $48 and $79 an hour, depending on the complexity.

The industry has seen steady growth; there were more than 652,000 landscaping businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, a jump of 3.5% from the year prior.⁵ In May 2023, America had nearly 930,000 landscaping and groundskeeping workers.⁶

Adding automation

The rise of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) has also spread to home exteriors. Sales of robot lawn mowers are expected to top $10.6 billion by 2032, growing 12% per year.⁷

In February 2025, Deere reported equipment sales of $6.8 billion for its fiscal first quarter, following on the heels of a January announcement around upcoming models that will be autonomous.⁸ Among the new designs is a battery electric mower that can operate on its own for up to 10 hours on a single charge, mowing at a rate of five to six miles per hour and adjusting for lawn conditions.⁹

Geared more toward consumers, Sunseeker has developed new robotic lawn mower models that feature AI technology (to dodge obstacles while operating) and can integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home assistants. With retail prices starting at over $2,000, the mowers can map and remember the layout of lawns, accounting for slopes and corners.¹⁰ Being able to pair smart virtual assistants could be an added bonus, as more people could be in the market for one — the product category has seen a 6% price drop year-over-year.

One U.S. city has started to invest in bringing robotics to its maintenance fleet. In late 2024, the city of Dallas spent $250,000 on battery-powered, robotic lawn equipment to work on a 277-acre park.¹¹

Timing the tasks

In addition to figuring out the “how” of lawn care, “when” is another important factor. Spring can be a popular time to clear leaves and debris from winter, as temperatures warm and there’s less threat of frost.¹²

Building off the strong “subscription economy,” hardware chain Ace is banking on homeowners who may want some assistance in getting the timing for their lawns right. The YardRx service packages together season-specific products with the convenience of free delivery or store pickup. With input from local experts, the treatments — sent in spring, summer, and fall — are customized based on input from the customer and the lawn’s specifics, including location, weather, grass type, and problem areas.¹³

Keeping the outdoors great

Spending quality time outside can be a high priority for people, with Empower research finding that 35% of Americans hope to do more gardening when they retire.

Having a clean-cut lawn could also help those looking to put their home on the market: Curb appeal can account for up to 7% of a home’s sale price.¹⁴

Whichever approach people take to maintain their lawns, investing in the outdoors can be a great way to let in some fresh air and spring forward.