"We just can't do anything:" Cold, wet weather costs landscapers big bucks

MEQUON (WITI) -- It seems as though it's always something! If it's not the cold, it's the rain. Even though winter is over, the weather continues to hold back Milwaukee-area landscapers. In fact, one landscaper based out of Cedarburg tells FOX6 News this weather is costing him big money!

Mike Meyer was busy spreading fertilizer on a lawn on Tuesday, April 29th. It's something he says has to be done fast.

"If you do it too slow, the gradulars pour out too fast and you will burn the lawn," Meyer explained.

Meyer says as fast as he was moving on Tuesday -- the weather is slowing him down.

"With the rain, it's put us quite far behind -- a couple weeks at least," Meyer said.

Not only is the rain putting Meyer behind -- it's also shutting him out. This is the time of year Meyer should be swamped with work. Instead, his work is limited to smaller jobs, like what he was doing on Tuesday: fertilizing a lawn in Mequon.

Bigger projects, including anything that involves digging or building is in waterlogged limbo.

"They are on hold until it dries out. It's just too soft for equipment and machines to excavate any lawns," Meyer said.

Meyer says the weather is costing him.

"Probably a good $10,000, $15,000, $20,000," Meyer said.

It's money Meyer doesn't expect to make back. He says he's already trying to fit an entire year's worth of work into just six months!

"With all the cool weather and the wet weather, we can't really get out there. Spring cleanups, getting everything ready for summer -- we're just behind. We just can't do anything," Meyer said.

Meyer doesn't have time to waste between jobs. His window of opportunity is closing faster with rain in the forecast every day this week.