Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I was just wondering because in the 5 years that we've been in this house, I've noticed that the woman next door to us NEVER helps her husband in the yard. Ever. She doesn't even bring in the garbage can if she gets home before him.

Meanwhile, I'm always in the yard. DH has a crazy work and school schedule, so I don't mind helping out by raking, mowing, shoveling, trimming, weeding, whatever needs to be done. He does it sometimes too, but really it's mostly me since I have time (currently unemployed but did it even when I was working). DH really appreciates it and feels bad that I do most of it, but I really don't mind. I like the exercise and the feeling of satisfaction when I'm all done and the yard looks pretty. DH really wants to hire someone to do it all for us, but since I'm not working and we're just scraping by with our bills, I figure since I have time and it's not too difficult, why shouldn't I do it? DH says he feels embarrassed that all the neighbors see me doing the yardwork most of the time and he says the neighbors probably wonder why he isn't out there doing it, but he really has so much on his plate right now with school and work and has no extra time for working in the yard. So anyway, this is getting pretty long - I'm just looking for opinions I guess. Should I let DH hire a landscaper even though we can't really afford it? Or just keep doing what I've been doing? I, personally, don't care what the neighbors think, but it seems to be bothering DH.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I don't consider yardwork to be a DH job. Just as I don't consider cooking/cleaning a wife job. If I'm available to shovel snow, rake leaves, etc, then I will be the one to do it. Then next time, it's DH's turn. I don't believe in chores broken up based solely on gender. Now when it came to cutting down the bush in our backyard, that was a DH job, but mostly because I was afraid of losing my fingers, not because I am a woman.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

DW does the garbage, since she's home, it just makes sense. She almost passes by the cans dropping DC off and picking them up from the bus stop.
I do most of the leave cleanup, but DW and DC help. I do all the grass cutting, but DW has helped once or twice when it needed to get done, but I was doing another project. She's helped move a lot of the paving stones from the front yard to the back for our patio that I'm laying.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

i mow the lawn every now and then
i haven't tried the weed wacker that thing scares me!

I trim the bushes with my hand clippers
I shaped and planted all of our flowerbeds
I am responsible for all of the gardening, etc

DH hates it but he's in charge of clean up


I bring the garbage cans/recycling bin in most days


eta: I don't look at yard work as a male/female chore. My mom and dad were always out there doing yard work and I always helped which is why I am more into it than DH is. I don't think your neighbors look down on your or your DH bc you do the yard work, they probably appreciate that you are keeping your yard neat. if it's something you enjoy doing, save the money and buy yourself something nice for your garden, or shoes

Message edited 11/21/2011 3:50:00 PM.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I don't consider yard work a male/female chore, but I DO consider it a DH chore DH knows I am just totally useless when it comes to the yard, so he takes care of mowing the lawn, raking leaves, etc. Just like laundry isn't necessarily a female chore, but in my house, it is MY chore b/c DH is horrible at folding and putting away clothes.

I will help him shovel though (sometimes, lol) and I do take out the garbage on a regular basis though, and do most of the cleaning inside the house.

Message edited 11/21/2011 4:08:08 PM.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I do yardwork with DH.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

DH mows and stuff but I do all the flowers and stuff. We dont rake because we only have 1 tree and its a pine so we dont get leaves

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

We have landscapers for mowing, rake, etc. I went outside this summer to weed and got really bad poison ivy. Never again.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I occasionally helped, but it was really his domain.

When he did yardwork on the weekends, I usually did housework.

We recently hired a landscaper so now neither one of us does anything. Score.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

My dh will mow, weed whack, fertiize. I take care of the flowers. Plant them, weed. Either of us will prune the bushes. We don't get much leaves and he will usually mow them up what there is.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I will help him rake the leaves, he always mows, I never do, he does a lot of gardening-I hate getting dirty and buggy. I take out the garbage a lot too. He does it more in the winter. He snow blows, but I will go out and help him shovel.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

we have a landscaper, so dh doesn't have to do much to begin with. i generally let him shovel the snow bc i have a horrible back - although i did help in the few blizzards we had this last year. i don't weed, AT ALL - that's dh's job bc i am allergic to apparantly everything. i do all the flowers though, he's not allowed to touch garbage is whoever is home to do it.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I do all the planting. He does the maintenance

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I used to do everything with DH... but then we had kids. With 3 kids under 3 I don't help outside nowadays, but its not because I am doing nothing, I am busy inside with the kids,

You never know what goes on in that house. Maybe while the husband does yard work, she cleans the inside of the house. He does outside, she does inside.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

We have landscapers so noone has to do that. Dh does all shoveling and he deals with the garbage and moving the cans to and from the curb. The one job I will not do is touch those garbage cans just like he will never bleach a toilet lol

My mom does all the outside work bc her husband takes way too long and makes a mess. Same with shoveling. Personally bugs me bc she does all the inside stuff and cooking too!

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

Now that you mention it none of the women on my block do outside stuff like shoveling or garbage. Only one home does not have landscaper and the dh does it all.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I do all the yardwork. Until last year, I was mowing but now we have a landscaper.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

I'll help rake and I do the gardening but DH is solely responsible for mowing and snow removal. We have a giant snowblower and I don't think I could move the thing even if I wanted to... and with the mowing he has a certain way he likes the lines to go in the grass so I wouldn't even attempt to mess with his lawn.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

We both do it. Anything that requires exerting yourself, I have to do (moving piles, carrying stuff, etc) because DH has a lung disease which restricts his breathing. For instance - he blows the leaves, I pick them up; he cuts the grass, I sweep up the mess). Anything huge, like major leaf removal or snowstorms, we get someone to help. Minor storms or maintenance, it's all me.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

Honestly - I don't do ANYTHING outside. I will hang some flowers in baskets but that's the extent of it. Oh and I will put out or take in the garbage cans.

DH does all the yard work himself. I take care of the inside of the house.

I have helped snowblow or shovel - especially last year because he always seemed to be at work when we had snow!

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

We have landscapers, but we mainrain our own garden. We both take care of it--I do more of the pruning/watering tpe stuff, DH does more of the digging. We both shop & paln what we are planting. I generally take care of the outsde appearance, like cleaning the patio furniture & sweeping the patio.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

DH takes care of all of it. It's his area of expertise and he enjoys doing it. We pick out flowers together and over the summer I did some weeding with him. If it's nice out i'll hang outside with DD but that's about it.

I also rarely bring in the garbage cans. I usually don't notice them until i'm backing out of the driveway and I don't bother at that point. He's never said anything.

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

We cheat and have lanscappers but we do plant together

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

DH does most of the yardwork after some grumbling... he hates it 'cus he's allergic to grass.

I do it when I get tired of nagging him to do the work.

It's totally acceptable for a woman to do the work if the guy can't. Your DH should be glad you're willing to help out!

Re: Just curious: how many ladies help DH with yardwork?

Once in awhile but he does most. I have no idea how to work the lawnmower