I founded Duey’s Lawn and Landscape in 1986, but my career started earlier in my life. My name is Duane Culbert and as a young boy I couldn’t wait to get a job. I use to ask my father if I could mow our lawn for a quarter but he would always tell me I was too young and I could get hurt. I admired my father who was self-employed after taking over a business my grandfather had started. Both my father and grandfather displayed tremendous work ethics and taught me that nothing comes for free. My brothers and I didn’t have much as kids and if we wanted something other kids our age had, we needed to work for it. So we did. My two brothers and I each had our own paper routes and of course our father was there to help push us when needed.
By the age of eleven, I was finally old enough to cut grass and started getting request from folks in the neighborhood to care for their yards. For the first couple of years I only had four lawns to cut but it seemed to take me forever to do. I can recall some simple words of encouragement my mother gave me that have stuck with me till this day. She said, “The sooner you get out there and get them done, the sooner you’ll be happy they’re done.” She was so true.
By the age of fifteen, and in high school, I was working several jobs. I still had the paper route (along with the two routes my brothers passed down to me), a job cooking at a sub shop, and my lawn list had grown to about 30 clients. It was time to hire help, so I recruited some of the neighborhood kids. Within the year I had decided that landscaping was going to be my profession. At age sixteen and driving, I purchased a truck and some commercial grade equipment and I was off and running.
As the company grew, I realized that I had to develop systems to help us work efficiently.
By the early 90’s the lawn industry really started evolving. Manufactures were taking note and started offering equipment that would make our life easier. We used the best equipment the industry had to offer but I felt one area was still lacking. How do I handle grass clippings? I theorized for years on how I would want handle that chore but it wasn’t until the mid 90’s that things started to take shape. I met a man from Kansas at a tradeshow in Louisville, KY. He had invented a grass handling system mounted on a trailer that was the missing link for my dream truck. I presented him with my ideas and by 2002, I had designed a one-of-a-kind landscape truck that could handle grass clippings and safely haul our equipment. Implementing systems like this has greatly increased Duey's efficiency, allowing us to keep our fees fair.
Over the years the company steadily grew and so did my knowledge. While in college I studied horticulture and business management, and obtained my pesticide license from The MD Department of Agriculture. Nothing has taught me more than my over two decades of hands-on experience. I continue to learn every day and I share that knowledge with my employees.
Our company is committed to providing a quality service to you for a reasonable rate. We do this through knowledge, experience, and dedication. We understand the value of your time and believe that you have better things to do in your yard than to care for it. I hope you will consider us as your next lawn and landscape maintenance company. Please contact us today for a free no obligation estimate.