Lawn Care Policies

First Lawn Care Visit

Your lawn service will commence in the spring, as soon as weather conditions permit. We aim to start applications once the snow has cleared and the ground is not too wet for treatment, with a target for the first application by the first week of May.

After your initial treatment, you can expect our technicians to return approximately every five weeks, or roughly every 30 to 35 days. This schedule ensures that your lawn receives consistent care throughout the growing season.

On your first service visit, the technician will knock on your front door. This is an opportunity for you to meet them and discuss any specific issues or concerns regarding your lawn. If you’re not home during the first application, there will be no knock for subsequent visits.

Absolutely! While the technician won’t knock on your door after the first visit, you are encouraged to step outside and engage with them at any time. Our technicians are friendly and open to answering any questions you may have about your lawn care.

We utilize advanced routing software to efficiently plan and execute our lawn treatment schedule. This allows us to optimize our routes and ensure that all customers receive timely and effective service while minimizing delays.

Winter Debris

A spring cleanup can be performed any time before or after the first application of treatment with no impact to the treatment.

If a technician assesses your lawn and finds excessive debris, they will not proceed with the application. The technician will return the work order to the office, where the front office staff will contact you to discuss rescheduling the application.

Seeding

Seeding in the fall is preferred because it provides a more conducive growing environment. During this time, the air temperatures are cooler, while the soil remains warm, which is ideal for grass seed germination. In contrast, spring often presents warm air and cooler ground, promoting weed growth instead of healthy grass.

When seeding in the spring, the likelihood of weed proliferation increases due to the warm air and cool soil conditions. This situation hampers the establishment of new grass, as weeds compete for nutrients and resources. Additionally, spring seeding limits effective progress and weed control measures for the entire season.

While it is generally recommended to avoid spring seeding, there are rare circumstances where it may be necessary. However, this approach comes with significant drawbacks, including the inability to implement effective weed control throughout the growing season, leading to potential long-term lawn health issues.

The growing conditions in spring feature warm air temperatures paired with cooler soil, creating an ideal environment for weeds but challenging for grass. Conversely, fall presents cooler air and warmer soil, which supports optimal grass seed germination and establishment, fostering a healthier lawn.

If you’ve already seeded in the spring, it’s crucial to monitor for weeds closely and manage them as best as possible. Consider implementing post-emergent herbicides designed for use on young grass. Additionally, focus on proper watering and fertilization to help your newly seeded grass compete against any weeds that may emerge.

Mowing

We exclusively use granular fertilizer, which is designed to remain in place and not be easily picked up. This type of application ensures that the nutrients effectively penetrate the soil over time, enhancing lawn health. However, it’s crucial to manage the timing of mowing to maximize its impact.

Mowing immediately after a fertilizer application can disrupt the distribution of the granular pellets and diminish their effectiveness. By waiting at least a day, you allow the product to settle and integrate into the soil, ensuring that the lawn receives the full benefit of the nutrients applied.

If you use a mowing service, it’s important to communicate with us about their mowing schedule. Let us know the specific day they mow, and we will adjust our service schedule accordingly to avoid any overlap, ensuring the effectiveness of both our fertilizer and your lawn care.

If Groundhog Landscaping is scheduled to mow your lawn on the same day as our treatment, we work closely with them to coordinate the timing. The mower will arrive first to cut the grass, followed by our technician who will apply the treatment, ensuring that both processes can be completed without compromising each other’s effectiveness.

If you forget to notify us about your mowing schedule, it may result in conflicting service dates that could diminish the effectiveness of our applications. To avoid this, we encourage open communication; if you remember after scheduling, please reach out as soon as possible to allow us to adjust our timing accordingly. Your lawn’s health is our priority!

Lawn Weed Control

After the first application, you will begin to see dandelions emerging within 10 to 14 days. This is a normal part of the process as the treatment is designed to feed the lawn and encourage healthy growth, which is essential for controlling weeds like dandelions later.

Dandelions need to grow in order to be effectively targeted by the herbicide in the second application. Allowing them to develop ensures that the treatment can penetrate and kill the established weeds, leading to better overall control of unwanted plants.

In addition to the six fertilizer applications, your lawn care plan includes grub control and a lime application. The grub control will be applied during the third application in the June-July timeframe, while the lime application is scheduled for the fifth application, occurring from late August to early October.

The grub control application is set for the third treatment, typically in the June to July period. This application aims to prevent and eliminate grubs, which can damage your lawn by feeding on the roots of grass, ensuring a healthier, more resilient lawn.

The lime application is essential for maintaining optimal soil pH levels, which can improve nutrient availability for your lawn. This application will take place during the fifth treatment, scheduled between late August and early October, which supports overall lawn health heading into the fall and winter months.