Love Working Outside? You Can Buy These 3 Lawn Care Franchises for Less Than $100,000. If you've been itching to put your green thumb to work, here's how.

With so many industries put on hold since the spread of COVID-19, many people have found themselves out of work. But not all businesses are shut down. Lawn care and landscape businesses have largely remained active. In several states, these businesses have been deemed essential services. And in Michigan, where they weren't deemed essential, local officials even said they'd let them operate anyway. "I'm not going to support giving any citation," one Detroit-area mayor told The Detroit News. "We have a large number of senior citizens, and many of them have special needs. They don't own lawnmowers; they rely on commercial services."

If you're in the market to finally own your own business and you've been itching to put your green thumb to work, then buying into a lawn care and landscape franchise might be just the opportunity for you.

Here are three lawn care franchises that made our Franchise 500 list, with starting costs of less than $100,000.

RELATED: How to Start a Lawn Care or Landscaping Business

1. Weed Man

• Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list rank: 102
• Initial investment: $69,790 to $86,850
• Initial franchise fee: $20,000 to $33,750
• New units in 2019: 2 units (0.6 percent)

Founded in Canada in 1970, Weed Man has been franchising since 1976 and in the U.S. since 1996. Franchisees offer services including lawn fertilization, weed control, insect control, seeding, and more. The company says franchisees may start independent locations or convert existing operations into Weed Man franchises. And once you've got a customer, you're likely to keep them: The company says it has a 75 - 80% customer retention rate.

2. NaturaLawn of America Inc.

• Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list rank: 242
• Initial investment: $47,500 to $112,650
• Initial franchise fee: $9,500 to $29,500
• New units in 2019: 1 unit (1.1 percent)

NaturaLawn of America Inc. uses organic-based fertilization in conjunction with an integrated pest management program. The company prides itself on providing personalized service — starting with a soil test, to identify a yard's individual nutrient needs. The company has been franchising since 1989, and says it has grown to serve more than 80,000 customers in 25 states.

3. U.S. Lawns

• Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list rank: 295
• Initial investment: $39,800 to $81,300
• Initial franchise fee: $29,000 to $34,000
• New units in 2019: 9 units (3.6 percent)

If you live near a considerable number of commercial properties such as hospitals, apartment complexes, and shopping centers, then U.S. Lawns might be the franchise opportunity for you. The company specializes in commercial lawn care, which makes it a valued service for its community's business leaders. (That's one of the reasons the company's tagline is, "Improve Your Community. Improve Your Life.") Franchisees offer services including landscape maintenance, lawn care, irrigation, tree care, and snow removal.