Landscaping · Winter Operations
What Do Landscapers Do in the Winter?
In winter, landscapers plow snow, hang holiday lights, build patios and walls, prune trees, and service equipment while the office books spring. Some keep the crew on reduced hours instead of a layoff.
Add SimplyWise as a preferred source
What do landscapers do in the winter?
What do landscapers do in the winter? A landscaping company does not close between the last mow and the first thaw. Crews move into snow and ice contracts, holiday lighting, hardscape and tree work, and shop time. The office books next season’s jobs. Some companies keep the full crew on payroll; others scale down and lean on a state program instead of a straight layoff.
Snow and ice contracts are the main winter bridge
Snow work keeps revenue moving for a company with plow trucks. A crew that already knows the properties can run it as the season’s main bridge. Contracts run per push, billed each storm, or seasonal, a flat rate regardless of snowfall. A seasonal contract shifts weather risk to the company; a per push contract shifts it back to the customer.
Snow rates are set contract by contract. Price yours from your own truck, fuel, and labor costs, not a website average.
Holiday lighting fills the gap between the last mow and the first plow
Holiday lighting fits neatly in that gap. It is a service line for the weeks when mowing stops and snow has not started. Crews string lights in November and service outages through December. They pull everything down in January, using the same ladders and labor pool as the summer crew.
Hardscape and tree work often move faster in the off season
Patios and walls move fast in winter. There is no live turf to protect, so a crew can run hardscape and tree jobs through a mild stretch. Frozen ground can slow excavation in the coldest weeks. Tree work often picks up too. Bare branches make storm damage easy to spot, and a dormant tree takes a hard pruning cut better than one in leaf.
Turn a winter job site photo into an itemized estimate, free →
Equipment maintenance and shop time
What do landscapers do in the winter with no snow and no lighting job booked? They service the fleet. Mower decks come off for sharpening, plow trucks get inspected, and small engines get oil changes. Skip it and mowing season starts with breakdowns instead of billable hours.
Estimating and booking next season’s jobs
Winter is also bid season for the office. Staff walk properties and build the spring list of new beds, hardscape, and contract renewals. A photo from a winter walkthrough works the same way it would in July. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns it into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds.
How landscaping companies plan a winter income mix
-
Lock snow and ice contracts before the first frost
Sign agreements before the first storm. Per push or seasonal, both work.
-
Book holiday lighting install and removal dates
Schedule installs in November. Service calls run through December, removal in January.
-
Push hardscape and tree jobs into the off months
Move patio and tree jobs into winter. There is no live turf to protect.
-
Estimate and bid next season while the crew has room
Walk properties and photograph the job. Build next season’s bid list so the crew starts spring already booked.
Seasonal layoffs or keeping the crew on
Not every company fills the whole winter with billable work. Two paths show up. A seasonal layoff lets hourly crew go until spring. A reduced schedule keeps people attached instead. New York’s Department of Labor describes its Shared Work Program this way: “employees work reduced hours while collecting some unemployment benefits, allowing businesses to save money and retain knowledgeable, productive staff.” It adds that “full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees are eligible.” Rules differ by state.
Pay is part of that math. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a $20.33 mean and $18.82 median hourly wage. First line supervisors earn more, $29.31 mean and $28.09 median.
| Occupation | Mean hourly wage | Median hourly wage | Mean annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | $20.33 | $18.82 | $42,290 |
| First line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers (37-1012) | $29.31 | $28.09 | $60,960 |
Figures are national estimates. Source is BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Keep reading
SimplyWise Cost Estimator for winter landscaping bids
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. That covers a holiday lighting layout, a hardscape job, or a tree job booked in January. Every line is editable, and you send a branded quote the client signs to approve. It is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, with a 7-day free trial.
Sources
Wages
- BLS OEWS, May 2025 national estimates. Occupation codes 37-3011 and 37-1012, verified 2026-09-26.
State unemployment program
- New York State Department of Labor, Shared Work Program. Captured 2026-09-26.
Product
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the App Store. 4.8 rating, verified 2026-09-26.
Frequently asked questions about what landscapers do in the winter
The work
What do landscapers do in the winter?
They move into snow and ice contracts, holiday lighting, and hardscape work. The office books jobs for next season.
Do landscaping companies lay off their crews for winter?
Some do, and hourly crew file for unemployment until spring. Others keep a core team on reduced hours through a state program like New York’s Shared Work Program.
Pay and staffing
How much do landscaping workers get paid?
Landscaping workers earn a $20.33 mean, $18.82 median hourly wage. Supervisors earn $29.31 mean, $28.09 median (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Can landscapers collect unemployment in the off season?
It depends on the state. New York’s Shared Work Program lets seasonal employees draw partial benefits on reduced hours. Rules vary by state.
Estimating winter work
What is holiday lighting installation as a landscaping service?
A seasonal add-on. The crew strings holiday lights in November, services them through December, then removes them in January, using the same ladders and labor as mowing season.
Can I bid a winter job from a photo?
Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job site photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, and every line stays editable.
Turn a winter walkthrough into a bid that holds margin.
Snap a photo of the job. Get an itemized estimate with editable lines. Free to try, then $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr after a 7-day trial.