Business Growth

Landscaping Business: Surviving and Thriving Through Seasonal Swings

A month-by-month playbook for landscaping businesses to stay busy year-round, manage cash flow, and smooth out seasonal peaks and valleys.

Sarah Johnson

December 3, 2024

11 min read

Landscaping is one of the most seasonal businesses out there. You're slammed from April to October, then watching the phone go quiet as temperatures drop. By February, cash flow is tight and you're wondering if customers remember you exist.

It doesn't have to be this way. Here's the month-by-month playbook that successful landscaping companies use to stay profitable year-round.

January-February: Winter Strategy

Revenue Focus: Snow removal (if applicable), hardscape projects, interior plant services

Marketing Focus: Early-bird spring cleanup specials, annual maintenance agreements

Push snow removal contracts if you offer this service—recurring revenue when nothing else is coming in
Offer hardscape projects (patios, walkways) that can be done in winter
Reach out to commercial clients about interior plant maintenance
Send early-bird spring cleanup offers at a discount for booking now
Heavy push on maintenance agreement renewals and new sign-ups

March-April: Spring Ramp-Up

Revenue Focus: Spring cleanups, mulching, bed prep, first mowing

Marketing Focus: New customer acquisition, dormant customer reactivation

Execute all the early-bird cleanups you sold in winter
Reach out to last year's customers who haven't scheduled yet
Run targeted ads for spring cleanup and lawn prep services
Hire and train seasonal staff before you're desperate
Set up automated texts asking satisfied customers for referrals

May-June: Peak Season Begins

Revenue Focus: Recurring maintenance, planting, landscape design

Marketing Focus: Capture and convert all inbound leads efficiently

Focus on answering every call—this is when most leads come in
Upsell planting and design services during regular maintenance visits
Ensure your scheduling is maximizing route efficiency
Document work with photos for testimonials and marketing
Start collecting reviews while customers are seeing results

July-August: Summer Maintenance

Revenue Focus: Irrigation, drought management, regular maintenance

Marketing Focus: Fall services pre-sell, maintenance agreement acquisition

Offer irrigation system checks and repairs
Provide drought management guidance to protect customer investments
Begin marketing fall services (aeration, overseeding, fall cleanup)
Convert one-time customers to maintenance agreements while you're top of mind
Plan for fall aeration scheduling before the rush

September-October: Fall Push

Revenue Focus: Fall cleanup, aeration, overseeding, leaf removal

Marketing Focus: Pre-sell snow removal, holiday lighting

Execute fall cleanup and leaf removal services
Heavy focus on aeration and overseeding for lawn health
Pre-sell snow removal contracts before the first snow
Market holiday lighting installation as a premium add-on
Final push for maintenance agreement sign-ups before season ends

November-December: Transition Period

Revenue Focus: Holiday lighting, late fall cleanup, snow prep

Marketing Focus: Stay top of mind, plan for next year

Complete holiday lighting installations
Final leaf cleanups and winterization
Service and prep snow equipment
Send thank-you messages to all customers for the season
Analyze the year's data: which services were most profitable, which customers are best

Building Year-Round Revenue Streams

The best landscaping companies don't just manage seasonality—they diversify to reduce it:

Snow removal: Turns your slowest months into revenue generators
Holiday lighting: Premium service with great margins in November-December
Maintenance agreements: Predictable monthly revenue spread across the year
Hardscaping: Can be done in shoulder seasons and some winter months
Commercial contracts: Often include year-round components

Cash Flow Management

Even with diversification, cash flow varies. Smart landscaping businesses:

Save 20-30% of peak season revenue for winter months
Structure maintenance agreements with even monthly payments
Offer early-bird discounts for cash flow in slow months
Time equipment purchases for winter tax advantages
Build a 3-month cash reserve to cover fixed costs in slow periods

Automate Your Seasonal Marketing

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See How

The Bottom Line

Seasonality is a fact of life in landscaping, but it doesn't have to control your business. With the right service mix, smart marketing calendar, and cash flow management, you can build a landscaping company that's profitable all year—not just during peak season.

The key is planning ahead. The work you do in February (selling spring services) and September (selling snow removal) determines whether your slow months are painful or just slower.

landscapingseasonalcash-flowmarketing-calendarbusiness-planning

About Sarah Johnson

Business growth specialist with a focus on service businesses. Former operations manager for a multi-location plumbing company.

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