13 replies to this topic

[nc211]

I'm curious if anyone here has any experience with using these lawn care services that come to your house periodically and treat your lawn? I signed us up for a year's worth of service yesterday that includes 9 treatments for our new yard. We bought a new construction home, which means the yard is sod. I don't know what I'm doing with sod, always wanted a really nice lawn, and never quite found myself on the right side of the margin of error when it came to lawn care. One thing I've always noticed with those who have that really nice, green, thick yard, is the lawn care truck that comes by their house every now and then. Any of you guys have any words of wisdom on this topic?

[SW03ES]

Yeah we used them (not specifically Scott's, but a bigger chain) when we used to live in Bethesda and had a yard. The quality varies, but overall they do a good job. Be sure to let them know that its sod, it might change the way they approach it...

[smooth1]

I use a lawn care service. Over the years I found a nice family operated business that fertilizes, manages weeds and sprays for insects, mows the yard as it's needed, weed whacks, edges, blows, and maintains the sprinkler system. I pay them $75.00 a month in the summer and $50.00 in the winter. With Carl as my "lawn guy", and under his advise, we switched my front lawn to a new Zoisha? hybrid he loves. And I have to say, it's really nice grass. Stays green and has a nice soft carpet. He really knows what he's doing, and I let him do it.

[LEXIRX330]

All I can tell you is I have three people that live close to me that use them...AND I wish my lawn looked as good. I have a lawn care company that takes care of my home and my commercial property and they do a good job but everytime he starts in with the seeding and blah...blah...$1,200 I am just like no...let's put that off until next year. I need to do something this year though. My back yard has been taken over by some crazy weed that I CAN NOT KILL...I have used everything...even commercial grade (FARMER) products and well now it has started coming in my front yard. Let me know what you think of the Scotts service if you use it NC.

[Paul A.]

We have used a commercial service for several years, and always have a nice yard as long as you get sufficennt rain, or water it often. New sod, such as on a new home constuction needs a lot of water the first year for it to get the roots down deep and established. Again, for new sod, water is key.

Most reputable companies will alternate applications of nirogen fertilizer, broadleaf killer, crabgrass preventor, etc. However, I've never heard of any company proposing 9 applications. That sounds like overkill. We have 6 apps .

[nc211]

Thanks fellas! SW, the guy I spoke with actually talked to Cam last week at the house, and said the same thing you pointed out about it being new sod. He seemed very educated on what not to do to it, including airating it for the first 18 months.

I'm sure they're doing some overkill on the applications to make more of a profit. I'm just not educated enough on this to tell the difference though of what is needed, and what is bogus. I figured for $400 bucks, it'll be an investment to engage me in the learning curve of proper lawn maintenance. I do recall the applications being staggered to what they do. Two applications for weeds and crab grass, two rounds of fertilizer, some bug control, root growth stuff, yada yada yada. I pulled the mechanic's dream answer (I don't know wha's wrong) when he asked me what I'd like to accomplish with this. I said "What do you need from me to produce an exceptionally nice yard?" I was suprised with a $400 answer. I was thinking more along the lines of $1,000. Might end up there though, just too early to tell. In my days, I've killed more grass by trying to understand how to make it grow than I care to admit. And....I might've inhaled in college. Or not. Or maybe, not, sort of, plead the 5th...You got pictures?

[LEXIRX330]

Thanks fellas! SW, the guy I spoke with actually talked to Cam last week at the house, and said the same thing you pointed out about it being new sod. He seemed very educated on what not to do to it, including airating it for the first 18 months.

I'm sure they're doing some overkill on the applications to make more of a profit. I'm just not educated enough on this to tell the difference though of what is needed, and what is bogus. I figured for $400 bucks, it'll be an investment to engage me in the learning curve of proper lawn maintenance. I do recall the applications being staggered to what they do. Two applications for weeds and crab grass, two rounds of fertilizer, some bug control, root growth stuff, yada yada yada. I pulled the mechanic's dream answer (I don't know wha's wrong) when he asked me what I'd like to accomplish with this. I said "What do you need from me to produce an exceptionally nice yard?" I was suprised with a $400 answer. I was thinking more along the lines of $1,000. Might end up there though, just too early to tell. In my days, I've killed more grass by trying to understand how to make it grow than I care to admit. And....I might've inhaled in college. Or not. Or maybe, not, sort of, plead the 5th...You got pictures?

NC...is that $400.00 each time he comes out? My neighbor had the guy come over from Scott's to give him a price on doing his front lawn which is 1/2 the size of mine. Fertilizer, and seeding and it was close to $1,000?

[nc211]

$430 for the entire year! It comes out to around $50 per visit, give or take a few bucks. Figured it's worth the money to see if it works. Our lot is close to 12,000 square feet, with approximately 10,000 of it being grass. (.27 acre)

[LEXIRX330]

$430 for the entire year! It comes out to around $50 per visit, give or take a few bucks. Figured it's worth the money to see if it works. Our lot is close to 12,000 square feet, with approximately 10,000 of it being grass. (.27 acre)

Well if they would do mine for $430 a year I would give them a shot for sure. My lot is almost an acre so even if it was $800 I would do it...like I said my neighbor was just talking seed and fertilizer and it was something like 1200.

[SW03ES]

Yeah that's a great deal!

[smooth1]

They don't mow, edge or rake though right? Just fertilize and bugs?

[nc211]

That's right Smooth, they just toss basically spray a bunch of toxic poop on the yard that the grass loves and bugs hate. I'm wondering if this might be a good opportunity to accelerate the demise of my wife's spawn from hell cat that has hated me from day 1! Kidding PETA (sorta')

[RX in NC]

I've always done it myself. With a little Lawncare 101 education, you can do the job for far less than $430 per year for that size lot, and benefit from the exercise as well....

I assume you have a cool-season fescue lawn, or perhaps a fescue/bluegrass mix. Find out, and read up on it. Cool-season lawns need to be fertilized just three times per year (Valentines Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day should be your targets), they should be aerated once a year in early September, and they should be overseeded after aeration. Mow your cool-season lawn at least 3.5 inches high in the summer. During spring and autumn, you can cut it at 2.5 inches if you prefer a shorter trim look. But blade height is crucial during the hot summer months to give the grass its best chance to get through the heat and drought conditions....

Locate and contact your local agricultural extension service at the universities in your area. They publish a "Homeowners Guide to Lawn Care" brochure for your general area. Get a copy, read it, and study it. Be prepared to take over the responsibility after your one-year lawn care contract expires. By then your turf should be relatively well-established and taking care of it going forward will be relatively inexpensive and easy....

I've followed this basic format for decades. While some of the turfgrass varieties and hybrids have improved and toughened up (I tested a new bluegrass hybrid seed for Scotts in our front lawn two years ago, and it has done reasonably well), basic cool- season grass lawncare remains essentially the ability to follow a tried-and-true schedule of what to do and when to do it. Any homeowner who can run a lawnmower every week during the growing season and rent an aerator once a year can be successful. Running that aerator can be tough for some folks, but it is one of the best aerobic exercises on the planet, especially if you have banks and hills on your property....

[LEX-SV]

Good info here. And the cat-killing option might have some demand too.