Lawn Mowers

Lawn care service prices vary a great deal depending on what work you need to have completed, how often you will be having the lawn mowed for example, how large your property etc. The property shown in this picture is going to require a lot more time to maintain it. Compared to someone who has a small lot that is the standard 50 foot by 100 foot lot. How do you find out whether you are potentially going to pay too much for lawn care service prices? You also get what you pay for. If for example you drive the price so low that the lawn care company feels they are losing money they may not deliver good service.

They will begin to cut corners just to be able to make a small profit. Your  lawn will begin to suffer. Still, you cannot blindly pay for things without verification and some negotiation. Otherwise you could end up paying much more than you should be.

Ask for Quotes for Lawn Care Service Prices

By far the best way to determine how much you will need to pay for lawn care is to ask for several quotes from several different companies. Make sure that the quotes are for the exact same services. Make sure there is no difference based on the scope of the work that needs to be done. Be very specific about your needs so that there is no room for misunderstanding.

You may also want to compare prices with neighbors if they have similar sized lawns to be maintained . Again you are going to have to compare specifics. Make an apples to apples comparison. Once you have this information you can make a much more informed decision regarding the price for the work that is being completed.

Note that if the company is really busy and really does not want or need the business, they may still quote, but they will quote high just in case they win the business. At least they get paid well for their efforts! This is a fairly common practice in the industry and also why you need to ask for several quotes from several different companies.

Lawn Care Service Prices and Reputation

While price is important, so is the quality of the work. Consumers may want to ask for references regarding punctuality. Also how well the work is completed and whether they clean up after they are finished. The last thing you want is grass clippings all over your driveway or sidewalk. They not only look bad, but can get tracked into your home as well.

Talk to other customers as well to get a feel for the quality level of the work that is being done by each contractor. Factor this into your decision. Lawn care service prices will depend on all of these factors. Finally during the first few times they work on your lawn, it is a good idea to observe the level and the quality of work. You will want to make sure that they are doing all of the things that you asked them to do as part of your contract. You also want to confirm the quality level that you were expecting. Finally there may be small issues that you need to make the foreman aware of in terms of your lawn. Focus on how various elements are to be looked after.

For some people, landscaping and lawn care is act of love. They enjoy it so much and are really proud of the work that they do to keep their lawns and the landscaping of their property looking great. They also want the neighborhood to envy them and will strive to have the best lawn in the neighborhood.

But most people either do not have the time or the desire  to do their own landscaping and lawn care. They may not want to pay the money to a landscape company, yet they really do want to have a great looking property. It is a dilemma for these people because once your lawn begins to look bad it can take a lot of work to get it back. There are alternatives to spending a lot of money and still have a really nice looking lawn, that you and your spouse can be proud of. As long as you are prepared to spend an hour or two each week, you can have a great looking lawn without too much work or money being spent.

Landscaping and Lawn Care the Easy Way

The basic rule is hire people to do the hard work and you look after the easy stuff. Planting shrubs, digging up lawns and planting gardens is probably more difficult work than what most people want to tackle. Mowing the lawn, applying fertilizer and applying weed applications are in the middle of what some people consider easy and others consider hard work. Watering your lawn is very easy to do and just takes time to make sure that your lawn gets enough water to keep it healthy. Many people will even have automatic watering systems installed to water the lawn for them at the prescribed times.

Decide what you like to do and are able to do and then make your decision regarding how much you want to spend. You may also need to budget for some trimming of the shrubs once a year as well or more often if you plant fast growers. Some consumers will cut their own lawn, but hire someone to add fertilizer and weed killer for them so they do not need to contend with this task.

Budget for Landscaping and Lawn Care

Ask for several quotes so that you have some idea of what the work you are planning to do is going to cost. Planting shrubs and gardens can be one set of costs, while trimming etc can be another.

Next you need quotes for weekly lawn mowing, fertilizer four times a year and weed control as needed. Once you have these costs you can quickly decide whether this kind of landscaping and lawn care fits into your budget. Evaluate the costs. Then determine if you can fit this into your budget vs. how much work you want to take on yourself. Don’t forget to factor in the tools that you may need to do the work yourself. For example you obviously need a lawnmower and a fertilizer spreader if you plan to do these tasks. A fertilizer spreader is not too expensive, while lawnmowers can cost a hundred dollars or even much more if you purchase an expensive  one.

The last point we want to leave with you is that when you do the work yourself and see the results, the sense of satisfaction can be very enjoyable as well.

The only real way to find out how much is lawn care service is to ask a lawn care company to come and prepare a quote for the services that you need. In fact you really should be asking for a minimum of three quotes and comparing them before making a decision. Consumers will also want to request references from other customers. They should be verifiable to ensure that not only the price is good, but the level of service and the quality of service also meets your requirements. You also have to decide what services you will need and which services you will perform yourself.

The real cost of lawn care service depends on the size of your lawn. How often it will need to be cut. Whether you need the edges trimmed and all grass clippings disposed of. You may want to add fertilizer and weed control to the list of services to be considered along with raking of leaves and general care of shrubs and flower beds.

Many consumers are scared of hiring a lawn care service provider because they feel that they think it is going to cost too much or they will not be satisfied with the level of service and will be afraid of having to fire the provider. It is just business and these companies understand that some customers will not be completely satisfied with their service. However they do prefer that their customers will give them an opportunity to correct whatever problem there is before being terminated.

Document and use a Contract

This is the most appropriate method to manage contractors. Also to ensure that you obtain in this case the best lawn care services. Document everything in a contract. Each service should be listed, when the service will be completed. Make sure you include how often it will be provided. The quality level of the service along with any specific items that you feel should be included.

For example the grass will be cut once per week. A mulching lawn mower will be used and any grass clippings will be blown or swept off of driveways and walkways. This approach should be applied to edging, leaf and debris clearance. Any other service that is needed including fertilizer and weed control. If the service is not completed to your satisfaction and it is included in the contract then this can be discussed in the context of the contract.

Get to Know Your Contractor

Getting to know your lawn care service contractor is also a positive step to take. Explain details of what you are looking for, offer a coffee. Provide a reward to the folks that are actually doing the work in terms of a small bonus at the end of the month for work well done. Provide positive feedback to their boss will often go a long way towards being provided with superior service.

This may go against the grain for a lot of people. However we tip lots of people for doing good work, waitresses, bar tenders etc. Why not consider the same thing for people who provide lawn care services as well. Something to think about in terms of getting better lawn care service even if it costs a bit more.

We did a little research about what lawn care services cost and found that the prices are all over the place and it really depends on what services you actually want, the size of your yard and even the time of the year. We will discuss each of these topics in a bot more detail. However, we recommend that you get a couple of quotes. Then obtain some recommendations or references before making a decision. In the end, it is really how satisfied you are with how your lawn looks. Are you proud of your lot and the way it looks on the street.

Lawn care services cost – Size of Your Yard

Size does matter. The cost of lawn care will depend on travel time. How much time they actually have to spend at your home looking after your lawn. A large lawn takes more time to cut and to trim. Lots of gardens and trees will also influence lawn cutting time due to more trimming. It will also impact the fall clean up of leaves and other debris. The first time your lawn is cut in the spring is also a factor. Especially if there is a lot of leaves, twigs and even garbage to remove. These are the sorts of reasons why your lawn may cost more than your neighbor’s lawn to maintain and care for. Take this into account when requesting quotes from various landscape companies.

Lawn care services cost – Services that You Require

Cutting your lawn, edging your lawn, removing debris, removing leaves in the fall, adding fertilizer at appropriate times and weed control are all typical services that may be needed. The size of your yard will also impact the total cost of all of these services. You may want to add shrub trimming, flower bed preparation etc to the overall services that are needed.

Ask for a quote for all of the services you may need and compare. Make sure that the comparisons are for the same services so that a valid comparison is completed. Also if you are considering doing some of your own work, have the quotes break out these costs so that you can make a decision in this area for lawn care services.

Lawn care services cost – Time of year

Even the time of year will make a difference in the cost of lawn care services. For example, the first time the lawn is mowed in the spring may take longer of leaves and twigs must first be removed before the lawn can be cut. If it happens to be a bit longer, mowing the lawn will also take longer as well.

In the fall there may be a lot of leaves that need to be removed and disposed of before the lawn can be cut. There may be a separate price for leaf removal especially if there are a lot of leaves that take several hours to remove.

Compare and select the company that will provide the best services at the best price!

Basic lawn care maintenance can be pretty easy and straightforward as well as routine if done properly. You can of course pay someone to look after your lawn. They can do the basic maintenance, however, you’ll miss the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Also, the exercise that you get being outside working in your yard. We know lots of people who enjoy this type of work. They prefer to take their time to complete the lawn maintenance exactly in the manner they like. They also pay attention to the details. Here are some of the basics for having a great looking lawn that you will be proud of and your neighbors will envy.

Steps to Easy Lawn Care Maintenance

Cut the lawn once per week at a minimum, and whenever the lawn has grown by 1/2 inch. This is the optimum time to cut your lawn. It will do the minimum amount of damage to your lawn and also if you’re using a mulching lawnmower, the blades of grass will be cut into tiny pieces and will disintegrate adding nitrogen to you a lawn. Always make sure that your lawn mowers blades are sharp so they cut the grass cleanly. A good practice is to have your blades sharpened at least once per year.

Fertilize at least four times per year. Fertilizer should be added in the spring, early summer, late summer, and early fall. Depending on the time of year you are adding fertilizer, you will want to use the proper mix of fertilizer to ensure maximum growth of both the roots and the grass. Your local hardware store can provide advice regarding the type of fertilizer to use depending on the time of year that you are applying fertilizer.

Apply Grass Seed

Apply grass seed and top-dressing in the spring to add additional nutrients to your lawn, as well as to thicken up your lawn . Make sure that your lawn receives adequate watering, especially if you are experiencing a dry period.

Water your lawn at least once per week providing a thorough soaking. If you’re getting sufficient rain, you will not need to add additional water. A thick lawn that is well maintained will prevent the grass from drying out as quickly as it would during dry periods and make lawn care maintenance that much easier. A thick lawn protects the roots and helps them dig deeper to find the nutrients and the  moisture they need.

Pull weeds on a regular basis to avoid weeds taking over your lawn and
also to avoid having to use chemicals on your lawn. Many people use chemicals because it is easy. However it only takes about five minutes a week once you get your lawn in shape to deal with any weeds that you may have.

Summary – Lawn Care Maintenance

This is the basic level of maintenance that you must follow to ensure that you have a really great looking lawn. It will be the envy of your neighbors. Your wife and family will be happy as well with your efforts . They will certainly let you know if it is not in good shape. An hour or two a week is all it really takes to have a nice looking lawn. Your neighbors will also pick up on this and keep their lawns looking better as well. A great looking lawn will also increase the overall value of your home and make it much easier  to sell when the time comes.
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It is time to start thinking about our lawns and getting them ready for the season. Winter is almost over and our lawns need lots of attention first thing in the spring to make sure that they stay healthy and look fantastic throughout the spring summer and fall. Chemical free lawn care takes a little more work then using chemicals, however it is much better for the environment and it’s much better and safer for your family.

Chemical Free Lawn Care – Initial Considerations

Clear winter debris from your lawn as the first step to getting your lawn ready for the season. There may be leaves that have fallen from the trees over the winter. As well as branches from trees, and other debris that has been blown in by the wind over the winter season. When the lawn is dry you may want to give the lawn a light raking. Remove any thatch that is preventing the grass drying and protecting mold that could be just under the surface.

Complete repairs in many areas where the lawn has been hurt by Winterfrost. Or perhaps by animals that have made of your lawn a home over the winter. You will see these visible areas quite easily. They can be repaired by either placing new sod in large areas. Or spreading grass seed and topsoil in those areas that need to be reseeded.

Add grass seed and top-dressing to thicken your lawn. This will also provide additional nutrients for the existing grass. Use a rake to spread the topsoil on your lawn so that it does not become clumpy.

Chemical Free Lawn Care – Fertilizer

Fertilize with the proper kind of fertilizer that is suitable for spring environments. You will want to make sure that it is well spread so there is no chance of the fertilizer burning your lawn.

The chemical free lawns also means that you cannot use chemicals to kill any weeds that may be in your lawn. This is where the extra work comes in. Hand pick weeds making sure you get the roots, and make a habit of once each week going over your lawn. Pull out any weeds that you see. After a few weeks you will notice that there are less and less weeds to be concerned about.

Your lawn will be the envy of your neighbors, and you will have no weeds to be concerned about. While this may take a bit of work to get your lawn into top condition, once it is their routine maintenance takes only a few hours a week. Many people like to have someone do this work for them. But then think about the fresh air you are missing. The exercise and the satisfaction that you get from having a really great looking lawn.

Continuous daily care of your lawn will ensure that you have a healthy weed-free lawn. It only will take 10 minutes for the average homeowner every day to look after their lawn.

Affordable Lawn care service prices really depend on the deal you can negotiate, the services that you require, the size and shape of your property, the number of shrubs and things to cut around, and the current condition of your lawn. Perhaps you and several other neighbors can band together. All of you could hire the same lawn care company. You may also be able to negotiate further discounts. Someone needs to take the leadership to enable savings from further negotiation.

Lawn care service prices depend on many variables.

Services- include cutting your lawn and trimming your lawn. Removing grass clippings, trimming shrubs, adding mulch around the shrubs, Trimming trees and shrubs, and other miscellaneous services that may be required. You may have several individual quotes for services that are required at different times of the year. Cutting your lawn may be part of one quote for weekly activities. Whereas fertilization and weed control might be part of another that is completed on a quarterly basis for example.

Size – smaller lawns take less time to complete whatever services that you require, however, travel and set up time are the same for all sizes of lawns, that is why if several neighbors can go together, you can sometimes negotiate a lower cost.

Materials – usually consist of weed control material, fertilizer, and mulch around shrubs and trees. Larger lawns will require more material than smaller ones. Applying mulch can take many bags depending on how thickly it is spread.

Frequency – healthy lawns, that are fertilized regularly and watered properly will grow faster than lawns that are not given the same treatment. Healthy lawns should be cut more often with no more than 1 inch of grass removed at any one time. This will keep the lawn looking healthy.

Overall time period

Depending on the location where you live, lawn care services can be for 12 months of the year or a very short season from May through to September. Take this into account when you are negotiating a lawn care contract.

Discounts – can be obtained using a number of different methods. For example if you have several neighbors agree to work with the same lawn care company, it reduces their overall cost and they will pass along a discount to you. Signing up early for a lawn care contracts in the season might also garner a discount. Using the same company for lawn care and snow removal might also give you a discount. Use your negotiating skills to negotiate the best deal that you can.

Consumers should comparison shop to find the best price. However, make sure that you’re comparing apples to apples in terms of services and materials. One company may have a much lower price. However if they are not providing the same services, you may not be obtaining what you are looking for in terms of lawn care.

Care must be taken to compare the same services etc. For example one company
may not be cut your lawn as often as another company that you’re comparing. They might only fertilize three times a year instead of four times. If you want your lawn trimmed at the edges, this is something to make sure that is included in the contract. A sign of an excellent lawn care company is one that clears the sidewalks and driveway of any lawn cutting debris after they are finished. You might pay more for this service but you will appreciate that everything looks great when they are finished.

Consumers are looking for a good price for lawn care so it can be affordable and not hurt their pocketbook too much. By far the most inexpensive way to look after a lawn is the do it yourself method. This may not be an option for many people who are busy with careers. Or physically are unable to look after the lawn. Many people would just like to have someone look after the lawn for them and keep them looking fantastic all year around.

Evaluate The Lawn Care Services you Need

Decide which options for lawn care you wish to have. The basics are cutting your lawn, trimming your lawn, adding fertilizer, and adding weed control. Watering your lawn at regular intervals is also considered a basic requirement. However most lawn care companies would prefer the homeowner looks after lawn watering. This can be automated with an automatic water sprinkling system installed under your lawn. Remember the more you do yourself, the  lower the cost of lawn care maintenance will be. Also, frankly if you just stick to cutting the lawn once a week without trimming etc, you can lower your overall cost a great deal.

Prices will vary sometimes, depending on how busy the contractor is. The size of your lawn and how much work there actually is to maintaining your lawn is also a factor. If it is currently in good condition and you want to keep it that way, some companies will offer you a better price. Discounts can be negotiated if you sign a year-round contract, sign up early in the season, and / or refer neighbors to the lawn care company.

Decide which of the services you need versus what you can do yourself, if you are concerned about the overall price or are trying to save some money. As we said earlier the best way to reduce the cost of lawn care is to do it yourself. The more you do yourself the more you will save.

Sometimes a neighbor will be willing to take on the job of mowing your lawn once a week whenever he cuts his own lawn. Most will be happy with a minimal amount in terms of payment and your lawn is well looked after.

Compare all of the Costs

When comparing do-it-yourself versus affordable lawn care, take into account equipment purchase and maintenance. In addition you may have to store chemicals for weed control and grub control, as well as gasoline. This may be something you’re uncomfortable with doing or unable to do because you do not have the facilities. The lawn care service may be the best approach.

Can you maintain your own lawn mower, cut your own lawn and fertilize your own lawn. It is always going to cost less than hiring someone to do all of this work yourself. But once you are unable to do this work or not willing to do this work, lawn care services is certainly an option. Compare to the cost of having some lawn care services provided for you. The cost of the equipment if you are going to do the work yourself and the time it takes.

Spending time with the family, spending time at work or just having time to do other things may also be more important than starting up the lawn mower, etc.

Basic lawn care services or lawn mowing services includes just that mowing your lawn and maybe picking up some a grass clippings after they are finished. If you want more services then you will have to negotiate those services before you sign the contract. A note of caution. Always make sure that everything you are expecting in the way of services is clearly stated in the contract. Otherwise, you risk being disappointed. For example, if you want grass clippings raked up and also blown off your sidewalk and driveway, this should be specified in the contract. They may provide this service as a matter of course. However, there is no reason for them to do so unless it is specified in the contract.

What Lawn Mowing Services are Needed for a Great Looking Lawn?

For a lawn to be in great condition during the middle of the summer the lawn needs to be watered on a regular basis at least once per week. The grass needs to be cut at least once per week and more often if it is fast growing. Weeds need to be pulled and weed control applied as well at least once per month. In addition, you may want to have edging completed around the edges of your lawn. Also along your sidewalks, driveway, and flowerbeds. Finally, there is fertilizer that needs to be added at least four times per year.

These are the basics of lawn care and will ensure that you have a great looking lawn. Many homeowners will have someone look after mowing, edging, and providing fertilizer along with weed care for their lawns. Homeowners will then either do their own watering when needed. Or install an automated watering system. These systems will make sure that your lawn is watered properly based on the climate you live in.

Types of Fertilizer

There are different grades of fertilizer that can be used. there are also different categories of fertilizers that are aimed at root growth, blade growth, and the overall health of the lawn that is being looked after.

Your Home Depot and Lowes and other hardware stores can help you select the proper kind of grass fertilizer to apply to your lawn. Make sure you follow the instructions to avoid burning your lawn when you’re applying the fertilizer. A high concentration of fertilizer could actually kill your lawn and cause large brown patches to appear in your lawn if applied incorrectly.

Many consumers will hire a local person to do basic lawn mowing services. Then apply their own weed control and fertilizer along with managing the watering of their lawn. They want to ensure that they have a healthy lawn in their neighborhood. There are also companies that will provide fertilizer services. They will make sure that not only is your lawn fertilized at the proper time. They will also make sure that the right kind of fertilizer is applied for the time of year.

For example in the spring, you want a fertilizer that promotes strong healthy growth in your grass to make it look green and healthy. In the fall you need fertilizer that promotes strong root growth that prepares your grass for the coming winter. This will help it maintain the overall health of the grass during dormant times and get it ready for the spring.

What should you look for when you are looking for professional lawn care services? Most people who are looking for lawn care services will either look in the Yellow Pages. Or they will take references from the neighbors and friends who are using a lawn care service.

Observe the company providing lawn care services at a friend’s place. Also, the neighbor’s place or even someone you do not know is probably the best way to find a lawn care service that you like. Talking with the customer and finding out what they think of the lawncare service company is one way. It is probably the best way to find a company that is suitable for what you’re looking for.

This is a far better approach compared to picking the company out of the Yellow Pages. Compared to signing a contract and waiting to see what kind of service will be provided. Most companies will talk a good line. That’s the sales pitch but the actual service they provide is really what you’re interested in. One more thing, when you talk to other customers, you will need to make sure that you have the same standards. They may not be that concerned about how the lawn looks and just want someone to cut the lawn. This might not be what you are really looking for.

Services that Should be Included

Professional lawn care services should include mowing the grass, picking up any grass clippings that are left on the lawn, cleaning grass clippings from your sidewalks and driveway after the morning is completed, and edging your grass along flowerbeds and driveways, etc. This is the minimum that should be included in the contract.

You may also want to include fertilizer and weed control at appropriate times during the year. This will ensure that you have a great looking lawn at all times during the year. In addition, you may also want to have various services such as dethatching of your lawn every couple of years and also aeration of your lawn if required.

Up Selling Lawn Care Services

All companies that provide lawn care services will try to upsell you on various services in addition to the basic professional lawn care services that they provide. Some of these services may be interesting to you while others may not. There is no harm in listening and then declining these extra services, however, consumers can also negotiate package deals for the basic services as well as these extra services. Whatever you do, avoid succumbing to the sales pressure and taking more services than you actually want. They are just doing their job to try to sell more and bring more business to the company.

Part of ensuring that your lawn has that professional looked after look is to purchase the right services for lawn care. Your lawn needs to be mowed at least once per week. Grass clippings removed and your lawn edged at the same time. Weed treatment should be applied as needed with fertilizer added at least four times a year.  Seasonal fertilizers should be used to ensure that root growth and blade growth are optimized. We also suggest that grass seed be added to the lawn once a year usually in the spring to thicken it up. Make sure that you also cover the seeds lightly with topsoil.

For some consumers, it seems second nature to take care of their lawn and have a great looking lawn with few or no weeds at all. These lawns while not spectacular, are more than sufficient to fit into just about any suburban area and gain the approval of your spouse as well as neighbors. The writer once overheard a couple of guys, just newly married, talking about how important it was to have a nice lawn. The one thing they needed to do to keep their wives happy was to have a nice lawn. Surprising, but nice to hear.

Other homeowners have a difficult time and just cannot seem to have a healthy looking lawn. The lawn does not get enough water, there are too many weeds and perhaps grubs or some other insect infestation gets into the lawn which weakens it and causes the lawn to not look very nice.  Regular maintenance which includes fertilizer, weed care, watering, and mowing will go a long way to having a very nice looking lawn. The weeds will be kept at bay and insect treatment will avoid a grub problem that can kill your lawn overnight during a hot spell with no rain.

Care for Your Lawn

Some people just do not care about their lawns. They never water it, they never add fertilizer and you are lucky if they cut the lawn let alone deal with all of the weeds that are on the lawn. Of course, all of the neighbors are upset since all of these weeds will eventually spread to their lawns as well adding more work for them to keep their lawns looking nice.

It really does not take that much time to have a great looking lawn. A few hours every week doing the basics will ensure that your lawn always looks great.

Basics of Lawn Care and Why it Can be Second Nature

Basic lawn care involves water, fertilizer, weed control, and regular mowing of the lawn. Watering should be once a week and a good soaker is best if it has not rained. In desert conditions, you may have to water every day. Fertilizer should be added four times a year and use the correct fertilizer that matches the time of the year and the life cycle of your grass. Use a good weed control to keep the weeds away and even hand pull weeds if needed.

A quick walk around your lawn once a week pulling any weeds you see will go a long way to reducing the weeds that appear in your lawn. It only takes five minutes a week to do this. Your grass should be mowed at least once per week or more often if it is growing quickly. If your grass has grown an inch then it needs to be cut.

Thicken with grass seed once or twice a year

A thick lawn is another great way to keep the lawn healthy. Thick lawns also help it to fight off drought and weeds. A thick lawn decreases the amount of moisture evaporation leaving more water for the roots. Thick lawns also fight off weeds as well. Spread grass seed twice a year followed by some top dressing of rich black soil. These steps will help your lawn stay thick and healthy.

Once you get your lawn into great shape the amount of effort to keep it that way be minimal. It will be second nature lawn care for you to keep it looking great all year-long. And of course, your spouse will be happy and your neighbors will be envious as well.

There are many different categories of lawns and all need lawn care. Some lawns are already in perfect condition and just need to be kept that way. They are in maintenance mode. As long as they are watered properly, fertilized, reseeded and treated for weeds they will remain in perfect condition. Grass Roots Lawn Care

Types of Lawns

Some with lots of weeds are almost beyond repair. They can be so bad that all you see is weeds. It will take much more work to get a lawn like this one back into shape. All weeds must be killed and then serious reseeding or even new sod may be in order. With all of the weeds, it will take many months before your lawn begins to look great. If you do decide to resod your lawn make sure that all of the existing grass and weeds are removed first. New topsoil should be added and then the new sod on top. Make sure that you water and begin taking care of your lawn properly. Make sure that the weeds are kept under control and do not reappear.

Grass Roots Lawn Care – Deal with the Weeds

Some that are green with a few weeds need attention to make sure that the weeds do not take over the lawn. It can occur in less than a month if the weeds are not dealt with. Dandelions can be the worst spreading easily without regard for your lawn. You may need to spot spray to get rid of them if there are not too many or you can pull them out by the roots. A regular weekly review of your lawn and pulling or spot weeding is probably the best. There are tools that you can purchase at many of the home hardware’s stores which make it much easier to remove dandelion roots that are deep in your lawn.

Rich thick healthy lawns have the best chance of fighting off the weeds and also retaining water during dry periods. With lots of grass, that is thick and luxurious, the lawn limits water evaporation and also prevents weeds from getting started. Weekly attention will keep it this way by making sure that weeds are eliminated quickly and the lawn has adequate water.

Maintenance Mode

Once you get your lawn into what is called maintenance mode, and you perform the regular maintenance activities, such as water, fertilizer, regular grass cutting, and weeding your lawn will be easy to maintain and look great all of the time.

How do lawns get that way? It usually means that the lawn has been neglected by the homeowner. The weeds have not been pulled, the lawn has not been watered, the lawn may not even be cut very often. Lack of overseeding and lack of mulching or top dressing with rich black earth also can lead to lawns getting into bad shape.

What to do To Keep Your Lawn Healthy

The following steps are considered to be foremost in terms of recovering a lawn from being in bad shape. This also applies as well to maintaining a lawn that has been healthy.

• Regular seasonal fertilizer at least four times a year
• Sufficient water at least once a week
• Top up with topsoil once per year
• Weed control applied at regular intervals, pulling weeds as needed on a weekly basis
• Insect control for grubs and other insects as needed
• Healthy grass roots by applying the proper fertilizer

You may have comments about maintaining the green lawn. Feel free to leave comments that are constructive and contribute to our readership’s information.

Our web site covers a lot of topics from lawn mower reviews to lawn care companies to the basics of looking after your lawn. The objective is to help people have great lawns without spending a lot of money and also to purchase the best equipment for their money and their situation or needs. With this in mind, we would invite readers to offer their Lawn Care Service Reviews and comments about local lawn care companies in their area and cover the following topics.

Lawn Care Service Reviews

Services provided – what services did you hire the lawn care company to provide
Price for services – did you receive good value for the price you are paying
Satisfaction level – how satisfied are you with the services that you are receiving
Lawn health – is your lawn as healthy as you expected, the best in the neighborhood
Your personal involvement – how much work are you doing vs. the lawn care company

The result and the overall satisfaction with the way your lawn looks really comes to a combination of your time you personally spend on looking after your lawn and how much money you paid for the services you received. Let us know your thoughts and comments about lawn care companies in your area. We will be adding them to our blog as they come in. please make sure that everything that is written is factual and in good taste.

Your comments

• Services provided
• Price for services
• Satisfaction level
• Overall lawn health
• Summary  comments

Consumers hire lawn care service companies for a variety of reasons. For some people, they simply do not want to do the work and still want a great looking lawn. Many people physically cannot look after their lawns. They need help from someone to cut the lawn for them, keep the weeds down, and fertilize their lawn.  Then there are those people who will cut their own grass but do not want to be bothered buying fertilizer and applying it themselves. Applying weed killer has many of the same issues for consumers. They do not want to take the chance of storing it in their garage or handling it in case they accidentally get some on their hands or arms. They would prefer to use experts to help them have a great looking lawn.

We have focused on lawns and lawn care companies. What about companies that trip flower gardens and trim shrubs? These services require different skills and providers really have to know something about looking after shrubbery in addition to maintaining a lawn. Flower gardens take even more skill and we strongly recommend that the homeowner who is arranging for this work be involved and provide direction to the lawn care service provider to ensure that they end up with a flower garden that they actually like. Otherwise, you end up with a garden that might look great on one person’s eyes and not yours.

As will, all contracts make sure it documents everything you expect to receive, dates and times, amounts, etc. If it is not on the contract, chances are you will not receive the services that you thought you should be getting.

Does it really matter whether lawn care companies are local vs. national in scope? The larger companies have more advertising budget which means that the customer is probably paying for that advertising. We happen to think that if you can find a reliable local lawn car company or even individual, your prices for lawn care will be lower in the long run and your lawn will look just as great.

It really comes down to how great your lawn looks after paying for a service. Even if the price is a little bit higher in one case, many people would be more than satisfied if they had a golf green lawn to show off to all of their neighbors. Regardless of which Lawn Care Companies you go with, it all comes down to results, services and price. We decided to list a few of the services and issues that consumers should really pay attention to if they want a great looking lawn.

What Does Your Lawn Need to Look Great?

The basics of lawn care are the following: regular cutting so that it does not get too long, nor too short; frequent watering so that your grass has water to grow; regular fertilizer at least 4 times a year with the right mix of fertilizer for the time of year; regular weed treatment to keep the weeds at bay; thickening of the lawn with grass seed; dethatching every couple of years to get rid of dead grass, and trimming to keep the edges of the lawn looking great.

Some of this work can be done by the consumer, in fact it all can be completed by the consumer, however, it is more about how much you want to do vs. how much you would like to give to a contractor to look after.

Lawn Care Companies – Services

If you do decide to hire a national lawn care company or a local lawn care company, make sure that you have a contract that spells out exactly the services that you will be asking them to provide vs. what you will do yourself. Watering your lawn is usually completed by the homeowner with cutting, trimming, fertilizer and weed applications either completed by the homeowner or the lawn care company. Spell it out on the contract and get the best price you can for the service that you are taking. If you decide to ask for quotes from several companies, make sure that these companies are quoting the same services so that you can do a valid comparison. If the services are different along with the price, it is more difficult to make a decision based on a comparison.

Warranties

Warranties are pretty basic. There are just too many variables with weather, bugs and weeds for lawn care companies to provide a warranty. They can guarantee that their work will be consistent and completed as per the contract, that they will not harm your lawn and that is about it.

Price is always an issue and often you get what you pay for. Ask for references and talk to the references about the service levels and the satisfaction levels. Ask what they are happy with and what they are unhappy with. There is a lot to consider, but then again it is only for a season. Then you can move onto another national lawn care company or do the work yourself.

If you’re starting at lawn care business you will need insurance to cover yourself, your equipment, damage that you might cause to customers property and your employees. If you decide to run the business just by using your own personal labor evaluate the risks. Not hiring anyone else reduces the risk of not having any kind of insurance coverage. However if you cause some damage to someone’s property there’s a good chance you’ll have to pay for it. If you are not incorporated, you also put your personal assets at risk as well.

The  insurance that you will need to consider will include liability insurance, disability insurance, optional equipment insurance and healthcare insurance. Healthcare is required for your employees in case they get hurt or injured on the job. All of this insurance can be expensive. Some serious decisions must be made regarding how you will proceed with your business. It basically must generate enough cash to pay for all of this increased expense.

The amount that your insurance is going to cost will be substantial. You will have to generate sufficient business to pay for the insurance. This is in addition to all of your other expenses.

Evaluate Your Insurance for Lawn Care Business Options

The first step  is to get several quotes and go through the details very carefully to make sure that the quotes are providing you with the same kind of insurance. You then want to evaluate the risk that you’re taking of  not having insurance and also how much the deductible will be if you decide to take a higher deductible to lower your overall insurance costs.

In addition to deductibles, equipment items such as lawn mowers and other miscellaneous equipment should really be excluded since the replacement cost will likely be below your deductible. Major items such as trucks and trailers will already have insurance just to get them on the road. If you have major pieces of equipment such as tractors and other equipment, you must decide if it is worth having insurance on these items vs. self insuring them.

Liability insurance is probably the single largest item and most important. This insurance would cover any damages that you might cause to a clients property. Again the larger the deductible, the lower your payments for insurance are going to be. Basic decisions here will determine your overall costs of the insurance and also prevent your company from going bankrupt by a claim against your company for damages.

Health Care Costs

Consider Healthcare costs. Finding and paying for a reasonably price healthcare package is pretty difficult. Many business owners will hire employees with no benefits provided. However there is still is your family and your own personal coverage to consider. You may decide to funnel your own health care benefit through your company. Charge it as an expense. Write this expense off against your income. Check with an accountant before proceeding with this step.

This is an important business decision that you must consider to protect yourself and your business. If you’re not incorporated also your home and family. Give it some thought and discuss the issue with your colleagues and partners in your business.

Do you need lawn care business insurance? Bottom line is how much is at risk for you personally and for your company if you are in the lawn care business. What happens if you leave a gate open or damage some property? Can you afford the lawsuit out of your own pocket? For most businesses and individuals, probably not. A lawsuit can sink your company and possibly your personal possessions as well unless you have some kind of business insurance coverage.

Lawn Care Business Insurance

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

• How large is your business
• Protect employees
• Protect home owners
• Evaluate risk
• Disability insurance
• Health insurance
• Equipment insurance
• Costs can be high

An Example of Insurance Needs

A friend of mine operates a small lawn care business more as a hobby, a chance to get some exercise and to make a little money. He is retired and this gives him something to do outside which he loves. He has seven customers and he uses his own car to move his lawnmower, rake, edger etc from one customer to another. There is no lawn care business insurance or any liability insurance. He cannot afford it on what he makes and is extremely careful. I have not seen his contract, however he probably has all of the disclaimers etc in it.

He is operating his business, actually he is not even incorporated. If he is sued by one of his customers he risks losing a great deal, however this is a minimal risk he is willing to take. There are no pools to worry about and he is a very careful man. He also does not have any employees which makes everything much simpler as well. I asked him about insurance one day knowing that he did not carry any insurance. He indicated that he makes sure that is very careful with everything he does and he does have disclaimers in his contracts. He is also prepared to make repairs etc if needed.

Small Landscaping Business with Multiple Trucks and Employees

Another example is for a business with multiple trucks, with trailers and lots of equipment with several employees. He has many customers and there really is no question that he must carry lawn care business insurance to cover his customers, his employees and himself. He is also incorporated and has made sure that his personal possessions are not at risk should something happen.

It is very obvious that he needs to have lawn care business insurance to cover his situation. The difficulty is where do you draw the line and decide that you need to have insurance. For the writer it occurs when you begin having employees who may or may not be as careful as you are. They may damage something and you will need to replace or repair whatever it is. It may not even be something you want to put through your insurance, but at least you have it in case it is needed.

Another decision is how much insurance to have and what the deductible will be. If for example you are willing to take on some of the risk e/g $10,000 deductible, then your insurance costs will be lower than someone who has a $5000 deductible for example insurance policy.

Natural lawn care services include the cutting of your lawn, trimming of your lawn. Also adding lawn seed to thicken the lawn and also adding fertilizer to your lawn. They will also collect and dispose of any grass clippings that may need to be collected. Most people will use a mulching lawnmower. The lawn cuttings are put back into the soil and the nitrogen added back into the lawn. Note that if you do use a mulching lawnmower, the lawn should be cut more often. This will ensure that the mulching action of the lawnmower works properly. When the lawn is too long, the lawnmower will get clogged up. It will not cut the blades of grass into sufficiently small pieces.

Natural Lawn Care Services – Removing Weeds

Removal and elimination of weeds can be a big problem for people. They may be trying to manage their lawn with organic lawn care techniques. What you have to do is individually pull every weed that you see. Make a routine out of it once a week going over your lawn. Remove all weeds that maybe have found their way into your lawn. Larger weeds such as dandelions are relatively easy to remove. However, grasses such as clover and other small leaf weeds are much more time-consuming and difficult.

Removing weeds by hand can be labor intensive if you have a lot of weeds in your lawn. The best way to do it as we mentioned, is to once a week go over your lawn. Remove any weeds that you see. Over time you will find that there are fewer and fewer weeds for you to remove. Your grass becomes thicker and fights back against all weeds that could come into your lawn. When you remove weeds, make sure that you get the root as well as the top of the weed. Otherwise, it will continue to grow. You can use a small tool such as a small chisel to dig out the root.

There are weed removal tools that you can purchase at most hardware stores as well as do-it-yourself stores such as Lowes and Home Depot. These tools work well however if you are money conscious, pulling by hand using a small knife works just as well.

Lawn care Services

The lawn care services companies will focus on keeping your lawn looking healthy and using a healthy lawn to fight back the weeds. In Canada, pesticides have been band, so it is much more difficult for them to deal with weeds even if they are not into the natural lawn. Weeds or grass between cracks of cement or bricks can be pulled or killed with a little bit of vinegar and water. This works really well, however you do not want to get any of the vinegar on your lawn or you will have a dead patch where you do not want it.

The bottom line for natural lawn care is lots of fertilizer,  application of grass seed, regular watering, and regular lawn cutting and you will have a strong healthy lawn that can fight back against all weeds that come into your area. With a little help by pulling the weeds that do grow, you will have a great looking lawn and be the envy of your neighbors.

Some lawn care companies promote themselves as organic lawn care companies. All this means is that they will not use pesticides that are considered illegal by the government in your area. If you wish them to be truly organic you must discuss with them the actual chemicals that they will use on your lawn. Discuss fertilizers and weed control to ensure that there are no inorganic or non-organic chemicals being used.

Mulching Your Grass Cuttings

In order for consumers to be truly organic about their lawn care, they should use mulching lawnmowers. They leave the grass on the lawn so that it will decompose and add the nitrogen back into the lawn. In addition, there is no need to stop and bag your grass clippings to put out later in the garbage or to rake your grass clippings. Mulching your grass clippings in addition to being better for your lawn is a lot less work.

The only negative that we can see is that you need to cut your grass a little more often. The mulch mechanism on your lawnmower works best when the grass has grown no more than one inch long. It is also not as hard on the blades of the grass plant itself. Mulching is just a great way to be organic as well as the practical aspects of lawn cutting and control.

Weed Control

Weed control on your lawn is the biggest problem for most consumers who wish to be or have an organic lawn care company. Most people will have to go around individually and pull weeds so that they don’t proliferate.  Dandelions are easy to get rid of in this matter however other weeds such as clover are very difficult to control. Clover is not really a weed, however, many people would prefer that clover does not proliferate in their lawns. We go around once a week just before we cut the lawn and pull out all of the dandelions. I use a long sharp knife to get at the roots to pull them out root and all. Within a few weeks, of doing this there is seldom a dandelion to be concerned about.

Pulling clover is much more difficult. A strong healthy lawn works best to control the clover and there are some homemade remedies that can also be used to deal with clover. The important thing is to deal with it early to avoid clover taking over your lawn. A nice thick lawn will ensure or at least make it more difficult for the weeds to get a foothold in your lawn. It only takes a few minutes once a week to do all of this work.

How Much Time Do I Need to Spend

If you truly want to have an organic lawn, consumers must be prepared to spend a lot more time doing their own work. Control the weeds and make sure that they have a healthy strong lawn that will defend itself against weeds as well. Some consumers will hire lawn care companies that use organic materials to control the weeds and ensure a healthy lawn. Personally I like to do this work myself, enjoy the time outdoors and save a bit of money at the same time. It is very easy to work, good exercise. Frankly, I would rather do this than go to the gym.

We see a lot of lawns where the owners have allowed them to become full of weeds.  They may get discouraged once weeds appear to take over. However, if you get out there and deal with the problem, it will only take a few weeks to get your lawn back. Deal with the weeds, add grass seed, and some topsoil and fertilizer. It will not be long until you have a great looking lawn.

The quick answer to the question of how much lawn care cost is that it depends! The size of the lawn, the services that you need, and what treatments are needed to deal with insects and grubs, etc will determine how much it will cost for your lawn care. If you have grubs on your lawn, the crows, the skunks, and the raccoons are going to start digging in the lawn and if the grubs don’t kill the lawn, the animals are going to dig up the lawn to get at the grubs. They can do a lot of damage and totally ruin your lawn if you are not careful and take precautions.

Lawn care treatment can consist of the following types of services:

• Cutting
• Lawn edging
• Weed control
• Insect control
• Grub control
• Lawn Repair

The price that you will pay for these services will depend on which ones you sign up for as well as the size of the lawn and if you have an infestation of insects or grubs, how bad is the infestation. If you are dealing with grubs, get on this quickly so that the grubs are killed prior to the raccoons and skunks digging up the lawn.

If you are planning to consider having professionals treat your lawn, ask for several quotes and compare prices for the services that you are interested in. Compare the quotes and make sure that you are comparing the same services, the same treatment, and the same chemicals. If they are not the same someone might be giving you less than you might with another customer.

How Much Does Lawn Care Cost – Lawn Repair

If you have had damage from grubs or raccoons, and have been successful at getting rid of the grubs, you will still need to repair the lawn. In case you are wondering the grubs will eat the roots of the lawn and the lawn will die during hot dry weather making it easy for the raccoons to dig up the lawn and ruin the entire thing.

Lawn repair can be accomplished in several ways. For example, some people can get away with laying grass seeds and then covering the area with new soil. They then water the lawn on a regular basis. If there is a lot of damage, you may also want to remove all of the dead grass. Then lay new sod in the areas that need to be repaired. In some cases, entire lawns may need to be totally repaired. Remove the old grass and lay new sod.

But and this is a big but, even if you replace the sod, the grubs are still there. They will just snack on the roots of the new lawn. You have to treat the lawn with something that will kill grubs. Nematodes and also pesticides will do the trick, however, kids must be protected from the pesticides along with pets. Neomtods on the other hand are 60% successful and are not harmful to pets and children.

The best time to treat grubs is in August, Sept, and Oct to kill the grubs. Any other time is either too early or too cold. The grubs are not large enough or have already hatched. Get your lawn ready for the attack of grubs and keep your lawn as healthy as possible.

Almost anyone can set up lawn treatment companies these days. All you really need is a small truck, a lawnmower, an edger, a sprayer, and you are ready to go. In fact, one company that we know of provides excellent service from the trunk of his car using exactly these tools. He also happens to carry with him a rake as well and extra paper bags in case any trimming is needed. While it did not take much for him to get set up, he provides excellent service. His customers are very happy with what he provides.

He purposely keeps the number of customers to a small number, less than 10 so that he has time for other activities. It just so happens that this contractor is retired. He was looking for something that would give him some exercise, get him outdoors, and make a little money at the same time. His small lawn care treatment company meets those objectives!

However, not everyone has a pension to rely on and needs a lot more than just 10 customers. They need to turn it into a business that is thriving and makes sufficient income to provide a comfortable living. Once you make the decision to expand, more equipment is needed. Adding staff is another issue that must be taken into account. Not for my friend, but then he is in a unique situation.

Large Lawn Treatment Companies

Not everyone wants to set up a company like this. Not everyone wants to deal with a small company. There are many companies that have become quite successful and provide excellent lawn care services. They will have many crews working every day. These companies will provide lawn cutting service, edging service, weed control, reseeding, and lawn repair if needed. They may also provide insect and grub control as well to help the customer’s lawn stay healthy and green.

The consumer needs to decide which services they plan to use and more important which ones they need. Not everyone wants their lawn edged every time the lawn is cut. Not everyone needs weed control or insect control. Fortunately, these companies have tailored plans for every customer’s needs. They will also provide quotes to the customer for specific services if needed. The company is in the business of lawn care treatment. They want to make sure they have a healthy lawn and a satisfied customer.

What Lawn Care Services

When you interview a lawn treatment company, be specific about the services you need. Be specific about the price along with the timing of when the services will be offered. Get all this written down on a quote so that there is no confusion. Make sure that everyone is clear on the services that are being paid for. It will save confusion and disagreement for everyone in the long run.

For example, your lawn may not be cut every week if it does not grow enough. Although the lawn may look untidy and not that manicured look that we all like to have, if the grass has not grown enough, lawn car companies may not cut your lawn for two weeks. This can actually be a good thing. If your lawn is not growing it probably is not getting enough water. A longer lawn will protect the lawn and keep the little moisture that is left in the ground where the roots can get at it.