7 Of the Most Important Lawn Care Tips for Texas Homeowners. Lawn care maintenance

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Lawn Maintenance Services in Charlotte, NC

Anyone with a yard knows that lawn maintenance and lawn care can be overwhelming, especially in the humid climate of Charlotte and its surrounding cities. Fortunately, as a local lawn maintenance company with years of experience in the Charlotte, Rock Hill, and Fort Mill areas, we know exactly what yards in the south need to thrive.

Our team offers a comprehensive annual plan because it is the best way to ensure your yard looks great. At just 400 per month, our lawn maintenance lawn care package includes routine lawn mowing as well as services like fertilization, aeration, weed control, sod installation, and more.

Of course, if you need help with a complex landscaping project or preventative weed treatments, you can request add-on services as well.

Follow Our Easy 3-Step Process

Schedule a time for one of our pros to evaluate where you want your desired hardscape project.

Request a lawn maintenance estimate today!

We are your home for comprehensive, custom landscaping services. Whether that means choosing the correct grass and trees or making sure you’ve got plants that can thrive in Charlotte’s mild climate, we’ve got landscaping contractors that know just what will and will not work for your yard.

Planning for Lawn Maintenance Success

As a professional lawn maintenance company, we offer years of experience caring for Charlotte lawn maintenance. From that experience, we have learned that the best way to achieve great results is by providing both lawn care and lawn maintenance services as part of our annual package.

Lawn care services are related to nourishing turf health and include tasks like aerating and grass seeding.

Lawn maintenance services are related to curb appeal and encompass things like mowing, pruning, mulching, and flower care.

Making sure that you have proper lawn, plant, and lawn management services will help guarantee the lifespan of your lawn and ensure any potential problems will be caught and treated early. Since we handle both lawn care and maintenance, you can rest easy knowing your yard will be healthy and beautiful year-round.

ServicesMetroGreenscapeOther Companies

Quality Audits

Leaf Removal

Mulch Needles

Outdoor Lighting Management

Pruning

Weekly Lawn Mowing Maintenance

Aeration

Grass Seeding

Irrigation Management

Plant Health Care

Seasonal Color

Turf Services

Weekly Prevention Treatments

Winter Service Visits

MetroGreenscape Charlotte Lawn Services List

Our local Charlotte roots, years of landscaping experience, custom outdoor solutions, and turnkey services make us Charlotte’s top landscape and hardscape provider.

When you sign up for annual lawn maintenance, our technicians come to your home every 7 to 10 days to care for your lawn. During mowing season, we’ll ensure grass is cut to your or your neighborhood’s standards, usually between 3.5 and 4 inches with mulching mowers that return nutrients to your yard and reduce landfill material. This is for cool season turf. For Warm Season grass we will cut between 2-3 inches. In the fall and winter months we FOCUS on taking care of leaf removal, aeration, and fertilization needs along with flower bed maintenance.

On top of weekly maintenance services like mowing, our annual programs offer additional landscape maintenance services that make your life easier, such as mulching, pruning, or anything you want maintained on the property. As a full-service lawn maintenance company, we do it all! All our maintenance programs include periodic inspections to ensure you’re receiving the highest quality service available, along with additional options that you can customize to meet your needs.

We offer Charlotte landscape maintenance and care under one annual contract so you can rest assured your lawn is being taken care of. Starting at 400 per month, our primary Charlotte packages can be customized based on the needs of your landscape and include:

• Lawn mowing weekly maintenance
• Leaf removal
• Lighting management
• Irrigation management
• Turf services
• Aeration seeding
• Pruning
• Winter pruning visits
• Satisfaction audits

Charlotte Maintenance Services

Lawn Mowing

MetroGreenscape’s lawn mowing service ensures your grass is taken care of regularly so you can enjoy a lush, beautiful lawn. We’ll work with you and your family to set up a regular lawn mowing schedule that ensures your grass is cut to neighborhood standards without any work on your part. When they arrive, our team will evaluate your lawn’s condition to make sure it’s the right time to mow, then use a mulching lawn mower that returns essential nutrients to your yard, helping grass stay healthy.

Tree and Plant Health

Here at MetroGreenscape, we monitor the wellbeing of your plants, trees and shrubs throughout the season to maintain the health and vigor of your landscaping. This means we will have a leg up on any possible problems that may occur. These problems could be anything from lack of nutrients, which can cause your plants to have an inability to grow properly or possible season insects which have the potential to cause a lot of damage when not prepared for correctly.

If you’re interested in maintaining plant and tree health around your home, you can add the below treatments to your annual maintenance package:

• Plant fertilization to improve root growth and bloom color
• Seasonal insect/disease monitoring and treatments
• Make recommendations and/or adjust watering practices to avoid damaging plant health

Our plant and landscape maintenance service team is trained to look for minute details in each plant on your property to ensure we are providing the best possible care for the different potential dangers to your lawn and plants.

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting enhances the overall appearance and value of your home. It not only provides functional light but also decorative to really show off your landscaping.

LED lighting is the sustainable lighting of the future. At MetroGreenscape we can design, install, and maintain outdoor lighting systems.

When you have a properly designed and installed outdoor lighting system, it will really show. Our team can design landscape lighting for any outdoor area of your home. This includes walkways to the front door or pathways to the back yard, around your landscaping, around your outdoor areas including kitchens and patios, or any special location you want to showcase.

Once your lighting system is installed, it will generally need very little maintenance. This is the one of the great things about LED lighting, they are incredibly low maintenance. However, we know things can happen and when we install a system for you, we will perform any necessary maintenance so if you’ve got problems with the system once installed or notice any lights no longer lighting up or not as brightly as they used to, we can repair or replace as necessary.

Pruning

Many of Charlotte’s most beautiful residential landscape designs include plants that need pruning to stay healthy. MetroGreenscape’s pruning services can handle any type of plant in your yard, from grass and flowers to beautiful trees and shrubs.

Our team knows how to quickly identify each type of plant in your yard and determine the pruning regimen they need to stay healthy. Some shrubs may require weekly pruning, which we can complete when we mow your lawn, while others may require monthly or even seasonal pruning. Other times, pruning may be about keeping plants in check so they’re stunning to look at and don’t get in the way of your activities.

Whatever your plants need, our residential landscape maintenance services can handle it, including trimming grass along the edges of walkways and pruning plants at the optimal time to remove branches, leaves, or growth that doesn’t fit into your landscape. We’ll also handle any pruning that plants need to isolate and stop diseases, such as fungus, from spreading.

Mulching Needles

To keep soil healthy, you need to ensure there are plenty of nutrients and that water doesn’t evaporate too quickly in the hot summer months. Mulching, whether it’s a combination of organic mulch or pine needles, helps keep your landscape healthy. Mulching will:

At MetroGreenscape, we apply mulch or pine needles as part of our landscape maintenance packages. We’ll apply mulch to your landscape based on the health of your soil and the look and feel you want for your outdoor space.

Leaf Removal Seasonal Maintenance

Our seasonal services are designed to enhance your property. We have a number of custom and luxury maintenance packages to take care of your unique lawn and landscape.

With our custom packages you will be able to choose what services are both necessary to your home and most important to you in capturing that perfect landscape.

Irrigation

We will monitor your irrigation system and yard drainage throughout the year. This will help us keep your system working during the months it needs to and prevent any damage that could cause the system to stop functioning.

When it is in its operational season, we will make sure the system is watering properly and not leaking, which could cause damage to your lawn.

During the colder months, Charlotte irrigation systems are susceptible to damage and freezing. Our irrigation winterization services will help to keep your system protected throughout the winter.

After the winter season has ended, it is time for our spring irrigation service. During this we will check the integrity of the system and run the system to be sure it is working as intended and make any necessary repairs.

Aeration Seeding

Most Charlotte landscape designs incorporate lush grass along with beautiful plants and trees. Unfortunately, it’s also common for grass and groundcover to thin over time as nutrients decrease as you and your family enjoy your yard.

Our aeration and seeding maintenance services help ensure your outdoor space, especially your grass, stays lush and healthy. Aeration allows your soil to breathe, making it easier for nutrients to move from the soil’s surface to the roots of your grass, where they’re needed most. Seeding ensures grass and groundcover grow in thick, beautiful carpets in areas that naturally thin out over time.

As one of the most experienced landscape maintenance companies in Charlotte, MetroGreenscape’s experts know the best time of year to do aeration and seeding so your grass is full and healthy. You don’t have to worry about a thing, just enjoy your space. We’ll make sure your lawn gets the care it needs, when it needs it.

MetroGreenscape: Charlotte Landscape Maintenance Company

What sets MetroGreenscape apart from our competitors is that we care about your property by providing the best products available to meet your budget, while communicating unforeseen needs and upcoming issues through superior communication.

We understand the importance of a properly prepared and implemented lawn care and landscape maintenance plan for Charlotte homes. When correctly maintained, you can avoid costly repairs and stay on top of any stray issues that may arise.

Let our team help you by designing the optimum landscaping maintenance services for your home’s outdoor space.

of the Most Important Lawn Care Tips for Texas Homeowners

What does it take to get the best lawn on the block? Maintaining your Texas lawn might feel like a lot of work. You might be wondering what lawn care steps you really have to take to keep your yard in good shape.

Do you have time to give your lawn the care it really needs to look great? What if you mess something up or overlook a critical task? And, do you have time to maintain your lawn as you should?

Homeowners sometimes ask us for lawn care tips, and we like to educate property owners about lawn care and maintenance so they understand what’s involved in achieving a beautiful lawn.

Thousands of Lawns Infested With This RIGHT NOW

The good news is, you can hire a pro to help care for your Denton or Collin County, TX lawn if all this feels like more than you can handle. And, a great lawn care company will care about your lawn maybe even more than you do. (We know it seems hard to believe, but lawn care is our passion.)

Here are 7 of the most important Texas lawn care tips, in our opinion. Based on decades of in-field experience delivering lawn care and landscape services in the Flower Mound, Highland Village and Lewisville, TX area, we’ve found if you follow these key guidelines consistently, you will improve the health and appearance of your lawn.

Lawn Care Tip #1 Fertilize your Texas lawn year-round.

Some people take a “winter break” from lawn care and landscape maintenance, figuring that since the grass doesn’t grow as fast during the Texas cold season, they can lay off lawn care basics like fertilizing. But, this is just not the case. Consistency is the key!

We recommend a year-round lawn care program that includes fertilization, pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control.

Now, let’s FOCUS on fertilization. Your lawn needs ongoing nutrition. Consistent, year-round fertilization prevents regression in the lawn. Then, weeds can more easily crop up, and a weak lawn can trigger other issues in the upcoming growing season. We know it takes longer to rescue a lawn that has declined in winter than if a homeowner would have stayed the course with fertilization.

Lawn Care Tip #2 Don’t wait for weeds to grow before treating them. Preventive and curative weed control works best.

Pre-emergent weed control is a treatment that is applied to your lawn before you even see the weeds. Pre-emergent applications help prevent weeds, particularly crabgrass, from reaching the soil line. Pre-emergent is a proactive way to manage crabgrass, which is a problem in many Texas lawns.

But, pre-emergent is not a stand-alone solution for minimizing weeds, as it mainly addresses crabgrass. Curative treatments are also critical, and we call this post-emergent weed control. The take-away: Pre-emergent and post-emergent applications work together, so both are part of a complete lawn care program.

Lawn Care Tip #3 Follow these mowing best practices.

Avoid the temptation to cut your grass extra short. You might think this will buy you time in between mowings, but grass that is mowed too short is more susceptible to damage from harsh environmental conditions. In Texas, grass that’s cut too short runs a greater risk of getting damaged by the hot, dry summer weather.

Another common mowing error is cutting more than 1/3 of the total grass height at a time. We understand the temptation. Your grass grew—and grew. You didn’t have time to cut it. Once you had a chance to mow, you decided to go ahead and cut the grass down to its recommended height. Ideally, you should adjust the mowing frequency based on how fast your grass is growing, so you’ll need to mow more often in early spring than in late summer.

Only cut off 1/3 of your grass’s total height at a time.

The other problem is, you can damage the lawn if you leave long grass clippings on your property. Those clippings will basically suffocate the healthy grass, preventing nutrients, sun and oxygen from reaching it.

In Texas, our lawns are one of these three turf types: Zoysia grass, Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass. Zoysia can be mowed at 1½ to 3 inches. Bermuda grass should be mowed to 2 inches in height. And, St. Augustine grass can be mowed to 2½ to 4 inches.

Lawn Care Tip #4 Provide the right amount of water to your lawn year-round.

Consistent, year-round watering helps maintain healthy soil and turf. Aim to water once per week in winter and two to three times per week in warm-weather months. But keep in mind, too much of a good thing can be—well, bad. Over-watering can trigger lawn diseases.

Also, timing is critical. Be sure to water your Texas lawn in the early morning so whatever moisture is not absorbed by the soil is evaporated by the sun. Water that sits on a lawn during the night can cause fungal lawn diseases, defeating the whole point of watering in the first place: to keep your lawn healthy.

Lawn Care Tip #5 Manage lawn diseases before they become serious lawn problems.

Take time to notice areas of your lawn that might be struggling. Look for thin or matted turf, brown spots and general indications that the grass is not performing. There is always a reason why. When we identify lawn diseases early, they can be treated effectively so your lawn has the greatest chance of recovering and growing strong.

Lawn Care Tip #6 Keep an eye out for lawn pests and address them immediately.

Monitor your lawn and identify any changes in appearance or vigor. A lawn care professional who visits your property weekly and gets to know your landscape will detect changes that could indicate issues like lawn pests.

Again, early identification and treatment is the key to getting your lawn back on track and healthy, and pest issues are often hard for the average homeowner to diagnose. It’s best to have a pro on board who is helping you on a consistent basis. Lawn pests aren’t necessarily a huge problem—if they are managed right away (or on a proactive basis).

Lawn Care Tip #7 Aerate and overseed your lawn annually, or when necessary.

Aeration pulls up soil plugs, which breaks up thatch and loosens up compacted soil so grass roots have space to grow. Aeration also helps your lawn benefit from fertilizer applications because treatments can actually reach the turf roots once the lawn is “unplugged.”

When combined with overseeding—which is applying new, resilient grass seed to your existing lawn—the two best practices revitalize your lawn.

Some homeowners look at aeration and overseeding as extras and wonder if they’re really necessary. We’d argue that annual aeration and overseeding is the foundation for a healthy lawn. You can apply fertilizers and weed control year in and year out, but if you never address the grass roots and soil, your lawn will not reach its full potential.

Ready to Get the Best Lawn on The Block?

Now you know the most important Texas lawn care tips. What do you think? Are you game to dive in and start working in the yard? Or, maybe you’d rather pick and choose which lawn care tasks to tackle and leave the rest to the pros. We don’t blame you if want to partner with a lawn care service that is equipped to manage all of your lawn care so you can just enjoy the outdoors without all the work.

Seriously, you deserve a break—and the best lawn. Get a Free Quote, then you can enjoy the best lawn on the block!

Lawn care cost varies depending on the type of care that’s needed. Typically, a homeowner will pay between 48 and 206, depending on the size of the yard and other factors. Nationally, the average runs about 124.

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Curb appeal starts at the curb: A beautiful lawn sets the scene for an appealing home. But keeping the yard looking its best requires an investment of time, money, and effort. Homeowners who are nervous about lawn care costs can take comfort in knowing what to expect ahead of time and look forward to a lush lawn when the work is done. So how much does lawn care cost? According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, range anywhere from 48 to 206. The average lawn care cost is about 124 per service.

Lawn mowing can run for 30 to 80 per week. The price fluctuates depending on the size of the yard, the frequency of mowing, and the services included. While some lawn care companies charge by the hour, others charge per service and size, with price breaks often thrown in for regular customers.

The basics begin with mowing, but some homeowners request fertilizing, weeding, mulching, cleaning up the yard, and performing other maintenance, such as aerating and watering. Those lawn care services run a little higher than basic mowing, again depending on yard size and other factors. If the yard features fences, trees, children’s play structures, or other obstacles, the price is likely to go up accordingly.

Factors in Calculating Lawn Care Cost

It’s difficult to pin down lawn care cost exactly, because copious variables create a sliding scale of pricing. In general, homeowners can expect to pay between 48 and 206 for lawn maintenance or a national average cost of 124. However, vary across the nation, and in small rural towns will differ vastly from those in urban metropolises. While city might be higher, remote rural areas may invoke a travel charge. Geography can factor into the cost as well. Lawns in wet climates often require more frequent work than lawns in drier regions.

Services such as trimming, dethatching, controlling weeds, removing leaves, watering, and fertilizing will add to the calculation of the cost of lawn care. What may be less obvious is how frequency impacts the cost. Letting the grass grow too tall between mowings can also raise the cost. To combat that issue, many lawn care service companies offer discounts when customers sign long-term contracts: Guaranteed repeat business generates price breaks, sometimes by as much as 25 percent.

Lawn Size

Size can impact lawn care costs in one of two ways. If a lawn care professional charges by the hour, a larger lawn that takes more time will cost more. Hourly rates range from 25 to 60. If the charges are per square foot—which is not as common, but may be done for smaller yards—the same principle applies: bigger costs more. Typical costs start at 0.01 per square foot.

The price for maintenance of acreages is usually calculated at a different rate than for the average-size lawn. Larger properties often see smaller incremental increases because crews have less trimming and other detail work to perform. The average lawn care cost per acre is 150 to 200, with a property of 10 acres or larger priced at around 50 per acre.

Lawn Size	Cost Range
3,500 square feet	35 to 210
5,000 square feet	50 to 300
10,000 square feet	100 to 600
1 acre	150 to 200
2 acres	300 to 400
3 acres	450 to 600
4 acres	600 to 800
5 acres	750 to 1,000
10 acres	1,500 to 2,000
15 acres	2,250 to 3,000

Lawn Shape

A standard square or rectangular yard is straightforward to mow, meaning costs will be relatively low. However, maintenance for lawns with an irregular shape or with lots of features to mow around will be on the pricier side. For example, play sets or flower beds may take longer to mow around or require different equipment. A lawn care professional will take these features into account when determining a quote.

Service Type

In addition to mowing, there are a variety of maintenance services that homeowners may want to consider. Aeration, weed and leaf removal, and edging are common services that can add to each visit’s overall lawn care cost.

Labor

The bigger the lawn or the more services needed, the more manpower is required—and the higher the final bill will be. Whether a lawn care company charges per hour or per job, the charges will likely be multiplied by the number of crew members it takes to complete the work. Typically the hourly cost for landscaping services is between 25 and 60. This cost is likely to be included in the quote along with materials and other charges.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

Grass Length

Tall grass makes mowing the lawn a more arduous task that takes more time. Different varieties of grass have different growth rates, with cool-season grasses exhibiting more growth in the spring and fall, while warm-season types grow more through the summer. Weather, including temperatures and rainfall amounts, will influence grass growth rates. A general rule of thumb advises to never remove more than one-third of the height of the grass in a single cutting.

Grass Type

Grass type can have an effect on the cost of lawn care. Not only do different varieties of grass grow at different speeds, but some grasses thrive at different heights. For example, Bermuda grass is healthiest when mowed frequently and kept under 0.5 inches, whereas Kentucky bluegrass can grow as tall as 3 inches before needing to be mowed. The more often grass requires trimming, the more homeowners will pay for lawn care.

Grass Type	Mowing Height	Mowing Frequency
Bermuda	0.5 to 2 inches	Weekly
Centipede	1 to 1.5 inches	Weekly
Fescue	3 to 4 inches	Bimonthly
Kentucky bluegrass	2 to 3 inches	Bimonthly
Ryegrass	1.5 to 2.5 inches	Bimonthly
Zoysia	1 to 2.5 inches	Weekly

5 UNIQUE Tips. Lawn Care Tips for Beginners

Accessibility

Fences, trees, children’s play structures, and other obstacles complicate the work to be done, increasing the time needed for mowing the lawn, trimming, and cleanup—and adding to lawn care costs. The time to complete fall and spring leaf removal is compounded by the presence of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs.

Service Frequency

Depending on what services a homeowner needs and what their budget will allow, there are often three options for lawn care service frequency: weekly, monthly, or yearly. Most contracts are billed annually; for example, if the average lawn care cost per month is 400, the homeowner will be charged 4,800 for the year. In regions where there is a significant change in weather for certain parts of the year, it may make sense to get more or less frequent service for a portion of the year. Onetime visits may also make sense in some situations, such as when the house is being put on the market or there has been a storm that has caused significant damage.

Service Frequency	Annual Cost
One time	75 to 200
Weekly	3,380 to 7,020
Monthly	3,600 to 6,000
Yearly	60 to 150

Geographic Location

A homeowner’s geographic location will play a role in how much they pay for lawn care services. This is primarily due to climate: In regions that don’t experience a significant temperature dip in the winter, lawn care may be a year-round need. On the other hand, areas that do see distinct seasonal changes may need additional maintenance, such as leaf removal. For reference, the cost of lawn maintenance in Los Angeles is between 50 and 800 per year, whereas the same service in Milwaukee runs between 30 and 450. Homeowners will also want to keep in mind that in urban areas may reflect higher labor costs.

Additional Costs and Considerations

Sometimes, there’s an implied “plus or minus” in front of the charges for services. Extra costs may be incurred for a variety of reasons: travel distance, special equipment or equipment maintenance, additional product needed due to the size of the project, or other exceptions. The size of the property, the terrain (hilly, rocky), and the number of obstructions (trees, playground structures, or other lawn features) will increase lawn care costs. In short, anything requiring extra work will result in an extra charge.

The math works both ways; discounts or coupons may be applied to reduce the standard fee. Many lawn care companies try to encourage new business with coupons and return business with discounts for signing a contract for regularly scheduled maintenance. Prepaying for the season may make it possible to subtract even more from the bottom line.

Additionally, fluctuations in gasoline may lead to extra charges, as lawn service companies pass along the cost of doing business.

Travel Expenses

Travel costs are typically included in an hourly rate, but if the home is out of the lawn professional’s vicinity, there could be a travel surcharge. Some companies levy a flat rate travel fee; others charge per mile beyond their service range. In past times of fuel shortages, some companies have added a fuel surtax to cover the cost of travel expenses. To keep costs down, homeowners can search online for “lawn service near me” to ensure they’re within the service range of the company they select.

Equipment Upkeep Costs

The cost of equipment and tools (and their upkeep) is generally rolled into the fees a lawn service company charges. However, it’s a fair assumption that a large or syndicated company with new equipment, company trucks, employee uniforms, and liability insurance is prone to cost more than an independent lawn care professional.

Contracts and Packages

Businesses reward loyalty with discounts. Repeat business guarantees their income, simplifies their scheduling, reduces their need to advertise, and gives them an edge over their competition, so many lawn service companies offer discounts and packages—a money saver for homeowners. Bundling isn’t just for TV and internet service. Packages that add other services to mowing, such as trimming, cleaning up, and fertilizing, may also be offered with incentives and discounts. To use one example, TruGreen lawn care costs are determined by which of five package options a customer chooses, but other companies may offer service plans that are more customizable.

Lawn Health and Issues

The same people who mow lawns are often the perfect people to keep it healthy and fix issues. Homeowners will want to think of a lawn care professional as a “lawn doctor.” Lawns can suffer from a number of problems: grubs, fungus, fertilizer burn, lack of water, chinch bug infestation, heat stress, too much shade, brown patches (possibly from dog waste), or other anomalies. Lawn care professionals can draft a plan to turn a problematic lawn into a lush landscape that’s well suited to its environment and conditions.

Types of Lawn Care Services

One size does not fit all when it comes to lawn care prices. If the lawn is relatively small, it will cost less to mow than an acreage. If the yard is fenced, if there is a large patio or long sidewalk that requires trimming, if the terrain is particularly challenging, or if there is playground equipment or lawn furniture, the added time and effort required to mow will be reflected in the bill.

Similarly, if the yard requires watering or is on a fertilization schedule, homeowners can expect to pay for those services above and beyond mowing. Weed control, pest control, trimming, mulching, and annual leaf cleanup are common add-ons. Homeowners will want to be prepared to pay more for organic treatments if avoiding the use of harmful chemicals is a priority.

Homeowners can consider mowing as the starting point for lawn maintenance costs. Annual or semiannual tasks like leaf removal, aeration, tree trimming, or winterizing go above and beyond the basics. Some homeowners want to take it even further by enhancing their curb appeal with some landscaping projects.

Service Type	Cost
Aeration	80 to 200
Edging	700 to 1,700
Fertilizing	80 to 400
Landscaping	1,299 to 5,854
Leaf Removal	200 to 500
Mowing	30 to 80
Pest Control	200 to 300
Seasonal Yard Cleanup	100 to 250
Seeding	439 to 1,661
Tree Trimming	1,000
Watering	50 to 400
Weeding	40 to 120
Winterizing	100 to 400

Aeration

Aeration can boost the effectiveness of fertilization as well as the general health of a yard. Typically done in the spring, the process consists of using a tool to poke holes in the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots and promote better growth. All factors considered, the cost of aeration averages between 80 and 200.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

Edging

Many homeowners appreciate a tidy edge that clearly defines planting beds from the lawn, making maintenance easier. Sometimes called landscape curbing, edging uses brick, concrete blocks, natural stone, wood, or even PVC plastic to create an eye-catching divider and help keep weeds and grass out of planting beds. Depending on the number of linear feet to be installed, as well as the type of material, costs can range from 700 to 1,700 to edge a landscape. Once edging has been installed, many homeowners opt to mulch their planting beds. This is an additional cost, typically starting at 100 per square yard.

Fertilizing

Regular fertilization aids in keeping a lawn lush, thick, and green. There are many options: liquid or granules, fast- or slow-release, organic or synthetic. All—in addition to the size of the yard—will impact the cost, but routine fertilization generally averages 80 to 400.

Landscaping

In some cases homeowners may want to reduce the area that needs to be mowed and add some visual interest to their yard with landscaping. Landscaping can increase a home’s value through improved curb appeal with simple low-cost solutions like mulched flower beds and native trees or more complex solutions like walkways and solar landscape lighting. It’s even possible for landscaping to save a homeowner money and energy with some ideas like adding a rain barrel. Most landscapers charge anywhere from 25 to 60 per hour, making the typical landscaping project total somewhere between 1,299 and 5,854.

Leaf Removal

Although it’s perfectly acceptable to grind up some leaves with a mulching mower to fertilize the lawn, large piles of leaves are more commonly raked and bagged. Left in the yard over the winter, piles of leaves can create patchy dead spots or become moldy. Professional leaf removal can cost 200 to 500, depending on how many big trees are dropping leaves onto the lawn.

Mowing

Factors that impact the price of lawn mowing include the type of grass, the size of the yard, the terrain, the frequency of mowing, and any objects (including trees and other plantings) that the crew has to maneuver around. Lawn mowing costs start at 30 and can reach 80 per visit. Homeowners can search online for “lawn mowing service near me” to find out local pricing.

Pest Control

Proper aeration can also enable effective pest control treatments. Brown spots or dead patches in the lawn indicate the possibility of pests. One of the most damaging is white grubs, but chinch bugs, cutworms, sod webworms, and armyworms can also be problematic. Pest control isn’t limited to insects. Moles and voles can destroy a lawn. A visit from one of the best pest control companies, like Orkin or Terminix, typically costs 200 to 300.

Seasonal Yard Cleanup

Spring and fall yard cleanup services look similar. Both collect fallen leaves, remove dead and dying branches, trim back old flowers and shrubs, and tackle bald spots in the lawn. The results are similar as well: a healthy, attractive yard. Spring or fall lawn service generally runs 100 to 250. One benefit of hiring out for this job is that the professionals know which plants are best to trim in spring and which should wait until fall.

Seeding

Seeding a lawn often costs 439 to 1,661 depending on the size of the lawn. A new lawn costs less than reseeding an existing lawn (replacement) because the latter involves removing old sod, rototilling the ground, and amending the soil before planting. Renovation—sometimes called patch seeding—is less expensive because it addresses small areas where the grass is thin, damaged, or nonexistent.

Tree Trimming

For beautiful, healthy trees that don’t encroach on the home or other structures, a little tree trimming is occasionally necessary. Several factors impact the price: size, number, accessibility, health (rot, disease, and pests can make tree trimming more dangerous), and proximity to power lines. Tree-trimming costs typically reach around 1,000. Trees over 60 feet tall can easily cost over 1,000: Bucket trucks don’t come cheap. Stump grinding or removal costs extra.

Watering

Whether new seed is being planted or the yard is simply thirsty due to lack of rain, paying a lawn care company to water a lawn can cost anywhere from 50 to 400, depending on the size of the area.

Weeding

Weed control costs vary based on the size of the yard, the amount of weeds in it, and whether a one-time treatment is enough or the yard requires periodic treating. Common weeds such as dandelions and crabgrass are harmless, but some weeds, such as Canada thistle, are noxious. Chickweed, creeping Charlie, and purslane are among the invasive weeds. Herbicide applications can cost anywhere from 40 to 120.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

Winterizing

Winterizing a lawn is like tucking it in for a long nap. While warm-season grasses go dormant in cold weather, cool-season grasses need extra nutrients in the fall to help them get through winter. They’ll need a different kind of fertilizer—one with higher amounts of phosphorus and potassium that will bolster their hardiness during the cold weather. It’s important to clear fallen limbs, debris, and anything that could kill the grass it rests on. Winterizing usually costs between 100 and 400. If there is also a sprinkler system that needs to be winterized, this may cost an additional 54 to 122.

Benefits of Hiring a Lawn Care Service

Hiring a lawn care service relieves homeowners of the work and worry of maintaining their yards. Time often plays a major role; long hours at work can prevent on-time routine maintenance. Rather than risk a conflict with HOA rules about grass height and landscaping, it’s easier to hire a professional to take care of the lawn. With a lawn care service in charge of the yard, homeowners don’t have to spend time researching which fertilizer goes down and when. They don’t have to drive to the store to pick up supplies. They don’t have to sharpen the blades on their mower.

Another time-saving benefit of hiring a lawn care company involves equipment maintenance. Hiring a service means not having to buy, store, and maintain lawnmowers, weed eaters, or other landscaping equipment. That includes keeping a full gas can standing by or having to mix gas for two-cycle engines on string trimmers.

There are myriad reasons for a homeowner to hire a pro. A home for sale may need a little extra sprucing up. The homeowner may have limitations restricting physical labor or lack the knowledge to complete some tasks.

In addition, someone else can keep track of when the lawn was last fertilized or figure out what kind of mulch is best for the flower beds. The professionals will put the yard on a schedule of mowing, trimming, and fertilizing—or whatever services are included in the plan—that lets the homeowner shift into autopilot for the season.

It may feel counterintuitive, but leaving the yard work to the professionals can even save money in some cases. They operate professional-grade equipment that is outside of most homeowners’ budgets, and they buy materials like plants and mulch in bulk for less cost than retail most times.

Making mistakes that damage the lawn can result in costly repairs. Letting one of the best lawn care services care for the lawn makes it possible for homeowners to avoid this scenario altogether.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

Time Savings

Homeowners could easily spend hours doing yard work every week. Not everyone has that kind of time—or the necessary green thumb. That doesn’t mean they don’t want an attractive lawn. Hiring a lawn care company allows the homeowner to spend time on other things without sacrificing a beautiful yard.

Money Savings

It can actually be less expensive to leave lawn care to the professionals, who get it done more efficiently. If a lawn care company bids for your business, it may be possible to negotiate a lower price. Many offer discounts for prepayment on long-term (year-long or seasonal) contracts.

Expertise

than 25 million Americans hire a lawn care service provider. The professionals have the experience and knowledge to turn any lawn into a showpiece. Armed with proficiency and the right tools, they can save a homeowner money by achieving the desired results more quickly. They understand planting zones and regional differences in climate. They know native plant varieties. Their background ensures that they recognize issues and have the capability of resolving them.

Curb Appeal

First impressions are critical when trying to sell a home. That’s why curb appeal is vital: Curb appeal can help with a faster sale for more money because it increases a home’s property value and beauty. An attractive landscape contributes to the welcome invitation to come inside. A nicely manicured lawn, strategically placed trees and shrubs, a few flowers, the right lighting, and perhaps appropriate decor showcases the home’s personality.

Lawn Care: DIY vs. Hiring a Professional

Basic lawn care often seems manageable, so many homeowners take the DIY route. They save money and get a little exercise, some fresh air, and satisfaction if all goes well. For those with a green thumb, landscaping, gardening, and lawn care are enjoyable hobbies. They’ll have total control and choice, adding to the DIY appeal.

However, there can be hidden costs, and if a homeowner isn’t familiar with how to resolve issues or eliminate pests, bigger problems can arise that result in an emergency call to the professionals.

Some homeowners may feel confused, overwhelmed, or frustrated because lawn care is not familiar territory, so to speak. Hiring a professional provides peace of mind. Letting an experienced pro manage lawn care often provides better results, particularly if the yard has any issues in need of diagnosis.

There are numerous benefits in turning to a professional lawn care provider. Hiring a company provides convenience and assurance that however hectic a homeowner’s schedule becomes, the lawn will be taken care of. Lawn care companies bring professional-grade equipment, they maintain the tools, and they know the correct products to use. The homeowner doesn’t have the expense of buying tools and equipment, doesn’t have to do maintenance on any of it, and doesn’t have to store it, recharge batteries, or refill gas cans.

If the lawn needs some extra help—fertilizing, controlling weeds, trimming—or additional landscaping services are needed, such as trimming trees, mulching, edging, or doing something else, a lawn care service provider may be able to provide those services. It’s easy to add supplementary services to an existing contract with a full-service company that is familiar with the yard. Homeowners will just want to be careful to watch for automatic treatments that can add to the bill but may not be necessary.

Doing yard work may give some people self-satisfaction, but many people are more concerned with the results than the process. For them, time is better spent on other things, and leaving lawn care to the professionals is the best choice.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

How to Save Money on Lawn Care Cost

Keeping a yard looking sharp can get expensive: Lawn care cost can perplex even the most enthusiastic gardener or landscaper. However, there are ways to reduce the cost without diminishing the result.

• Negotiate. Discuss the price with the lawn care provider, and inquire about prepayment plans or seasonal contracts, which can save money.
• Incorporate xeriscaping. To reduce the need to irrigate, choose native plants and drought-tolerant plants for success with less watering and maintenance.
• Reduce the size of your lawn. Adding patios, decks, or beds with low-maintenance native perennial plants will lessen the need for lawn care.
• Plant perennials. These plants have a longer lifespan than annuals and won’t need to be replanted every year. They also typically require less water.
• Shop in the fall. Autumn plant sales can yield savings of up to 50 percent.
• Compost waste. Using organic scraps as fertilizer means avoiding most or all of the cost of commercial fertilizer. Also, consider fertilizing less often; one to two times per season is usually sufficient.
• Grow from seeds. Seeds and young plants cost significantly less than mature plants. This is especially true of trees—a small sapling will take time to grow but will cost much less overall.
• Water conservatively. Consider purchasing a sprinkler system with timers or rain sensors to avoid overwatering.
• Mow less frequently. Not only will this save on mowing costs, but longer grass tends to be healthier and more weed-resistant than short grass.
• Invest in aeration. While lawn aeration costs about 80 to 200 up front, aerating will delay the need to replace the entire lawn.
• Try DIY. There may be aspects of lawn care that feel doable, such as mowing or watering. Taking care of these while leaving complex tasks to a pro will save money long-term. Also, a DIY lawn care service like Sunday Lawn Care costs less but may make the job easier.

Questions to Ask About Lawn Care

Those who have never hired a lawn care service provider before may not know what to ask before deciding on the right company. For the best results and the most pleasant experience, it’s wise to perform a little due diligence on each prospective company by asking the following questions.

• How long have you been in business?
• Are you licensed and insured?
• What kind of experience or expertise do your employees have?
• What services do you offer, and do you offer packages? If so, what is included?
• What kinds of products do you use?
• How is your service different from that of the competition?
• Do you offer any discounts?
• Will you perform a soil test? What steps will you take if there are issues with the soil?
• In your opinion, is my current irrigation system sufficient?
• Can I change what services I want down the road?
• Who should I contact with questions or concerns?
• May I see references or reviews of your services?

FAQs

Almost one-third of people questioned admit to not knowing how to take care of their lawn. Some of the more commonly asked questions are answered below.

Q. How often should I mow the lawn?

Weekly mowing is common, but it’s more accurate to mow according to the growth of the grass. When it gets more rain or fertilizer, it grows faster and needs to be mowed more frequently.

Different varieties of grass will grow at different rates and in different conditions or climates, but if it’s growing, it needs mowing. For tall grass, homeowners will want to apply the “one-third rule” that advises against removing more than one-third at a time.

Q. Does frequent mowing thicken grass?

Frequent mowing can thicken grass if at least 2 inches of length are left so it can properly photosynthesize for good health. Mowing frequently promotes horizontal growth and thicker roots. Weekly mowing encourages grass to spread and become thicker, creating a lush lawn. Besides being attractive, thick grass has practical benefits; it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, filters pollutants, and combats erosion.

Q. How do I manage to keep my lawn green during the summer?

If the lawn doesn’t get enough rain through the summer, water deeply, consistently, and early in the day (so the water doesn’t evaporate). If temperatures aren’t excessively high, homeowners will want to continue to fertilize. When it’s hot and dry, mowing higher—around 3 to 4 inches—benefits grass by encouraging the roots to go deeper. Homeowners will want to continue to repair brown spots caused by pets and aerate to keep the lawn green.

Some jobs are better left to the pros. Receive free, no-commitment estimate from licensed lawn service professionals near you.

Landscape Maintenance vs. Lawn Care: What to Focus On and When

Many people use the terms “lawn care” and “landscape maintenance” interchangeably. While both are required to maintain a pleasing appearance in your yard and surrounding external areas, the two are not the same thing.

Both are important, though, and neither should be ignored.

If you ignore your outdoor space for a long while and don’t care for it properly, it can lead to problems such as:

Read on to find out the difference between lawn care and landscape maintenance, what you should FOCUS on, and which things might be best left to professional lawn care services.

Landscape Maintenance

Landscaping involves the design and implementation of all elements of your property that will be visible from the outside. A professional landscaper can talk you through the way you want your space to look and help you decide how to combine trees, shrubs, turf and other elements to make a pleasing vista.

Once this task has been completed, with the help of a landscaping service, there will be a certain amount of maintenance to be undertaken to make sure your turf stays lush and your flowers fragrant.

Read on for some tips on three crucial aspects of landscape maintenance.

Trimming Pruning

One of the most important aspects of landscape maintenance involves trimming and pruning trees and shrubs that are incorporated in your landscape design.

Your large shrubs, bushes, and trees are cornerstones for your landscape design. Focusing on keeping them trimmed and healthy translates into a beautiful and long-lasting landscape.

While many homeowners attempt to do this job themselves, we recommend hiring a professional, as balance is key. Heavy pruning damages the plant and could stunt its growth. Too little pruning causes your trees or shrubs to overgrow and crowd your other plants, causing grass and plants underneath them to die.

You should take care of any shrub pruning before the growing season, when plants are dormant. Early spring is a great time to do this!

Cleaning Walkways, Walls, and Patios

Your landscaping includes elements such as walkways, walls, and patios. These areas should be clean and clear of any debris. This is a task you can take control of by yourself, although if it feels like a lot of work you could always get a professional to help out.

It’s important to monitor how your plants are growing: if they grow outside of their desired space, this can block your walkways. If your landscape design doesn’t call for plants or vines on walls, it’s best to remove plants from these areas. You want your home to be beautiful and easily accessible.

Keep an eye on your plants

Your plants are tell-tale signs of how your landscape is doing.

Look out for signs of over-watering such as yellowing leaves or mushy stems. Or, if the problem is under-watering, you might notice drooping, brown or crispy leaves. Make sure to balance out your irrigation efforts so that each area of your yard gets the correct amount of water.

Depending on the weather, you may need to take extra precautions to keep some plants healthy! Your landscaper should have helped you to make sure the shrubs and flowers you chose suit the soil type of your yard. Planting for your region is a great way to prolong the life of your landscape.

Lawn Care

Lawn care is really a single aspect of landscape maintenance. However, it is a key one, as a well-irrigated, verdant swathe of turf makes a statement to anyone who sees it and shows that you really care about your outside space.

Your yard is one of the first things people notice about your home.

But that’s not the only reason to take care of your turf: it can be functional too! You might choose to entertain guests in your backyard. Or perhaps you just want to let your kids and pets enjoy playing and running around in the yard with proper lawn care.

Once you’ve invested time and money into a beautiful landscape design inclusive of a healthy lawn, regular lawn care is essential to protecting that investment. Diseases, pests, mold, and more can cause your lawn to quickly deteriorate. With a lawn maintenance service, your outdoor space stays protected. We recommend outsourcing regular maintenance to an experienced professional to ensure that you have a long-lasting, healthy lawn.

Mowing Edging

Mowing your yard is a given, especially with the heavy rain Florida experiences most of the year.

It’s important to maintain a mowing routine to ensure that you aren’t cutting your grass too short or leaving it too long. This is where a hired service can be of great value to busy homeowners. Your lawn will be mowed on schedule, so you can be sure your yard is getting the attention it deserves on a regular basis.

In addition to keeping your grass the correct length, edging is important to maintain the tough spots that a mower may not be able to reach. Edging along sidewalks, landscape beds, and driveways make your yard look that much better and helps the health of your lawn.

Look out for a local business that will deliver a comprehensive service that goes beyond just cutting the grass. For example Lawn, a lawn landscaping company based in Gainesville, FL; or Edge Cut, a Cambridge-based landscaping and gardening business over in the UK.

Weeding

Regular weed control is essential to prevent invasive plants from taking over your property.

Weeding decreases the spread of unwanted plants and prevents damage to your grass and trees. It’s important to get rid of weeds as quickly as possible because their seeds can find their way back into the ground even after they have been removed from your yard!

It can be tricky to weed correctly. You don’t want to pull up the wrong plant before the flowers bloom!

This article will help you avoid some common mistakes. If you’re not sure, you can always ask your landscaper.

Fertilizing

Finally, like trimming and pruning, there is a sweet spot for applying fertilizer. Too much or too little can affect the health of your yard and do a lot more harm than good. We’ve seen many customers come to us with dead lawns from over-fertilization.

We highly recommend hiring a professional for this job to ensure a healthy green lawn.

Here in Florida, you should only fertilize your lawn when it’s actively growing. For North Central Florida, the best time to fertilize is in March.

Take the Stress Out of Lawn and Landscape Maintenance with Lawn

At Lawn, we don’t have a “one-size-fits-all” approach to maintenance. Your yard and landscape will get the attention it deserves with detail-oriented practices and dedication to quality. We offer:

• Landscape design and installation
• Lawn mowing and edging
• Fertilizing
• Garden maintenance and weed control
• Trimming and pruning
• And more!

Contact us today to get started on regular lawn and landscape maintenance.

tips and advice from the Lawn blog

Seven lawn care tips

Lawn looking a little tired? Follow our expert advice on keeping lawn grass in peak condition.

A lush, well-maintained lawn is the perfect green foil for colourful herbaceous borders, a great setting for summer picnics and even a foraging ground for birds and other wildlife. We show you how to keep your lawn looking its best all year round.

How to care for your lawn

Regularly mowing your lawn will help promote lush, green growth. Nip out weeds like dandelions when you see them to stop them competing with the grass and scatter grass seed into bare patches to get them growing again. Use stored rainwater and grey water to water your lawn in dry summers to stop it going brown. Spike the turf with a fork to aerate trampled areas to help bring them back to life, and rake out dead growth in autumn to maintain a lush, green sward.

Follow our care tips to improve the condition and appearance of your lawn, below.

Mow your lawn regularly

Cut your lawn at least once a week in summer and once every two weeks during spring, autumn and warm winters. Regular trimming encourages the roots to spread, which will help to fill gaps and block out weeds.

In summer, raise the cutting height of your mower to leave the lawn longer – around 5-10cm – as this will make it less prone to going brown in dry weather. Keep your mower well maintained and the blades sharp.

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Learn the benefits of a range of mowers including electric, battery and petrol powered machines, in Alan Titchmarsh’s No Fuss Guide to choosing a lawn mower:

For help on choosing the right lawn mower for your garden see our Buyer’s Guide videos and expert lawn mower reviews:

Water your lawn

Always water young lawns but don’t over water as this can cause them to root shallowly and establish poorly. Where possible, use rainwater from a water butt or grey water from your bath or washing up bowl. Sprinklers are perfect for keeping lawns hydrated but they use a lot of mains water and are not permitted during a hosepipe ban. Don’t worry if an established lawn goes brown, it’s not dead. It will simply green up again when the rains come.

For help watering your lawn see our Buyers guide video on hoses and our hose and hose reel kit reviews:

Weed your lawn

Plantains and dandelions have wide, flat leaves that can smother large areas of lawn and inhibit growth, although they are easy to remove using a hand trowel or daisy grubber. Yellow medick, buttercups and clover can also spread quickly through a lawn, so raking before you mow can help to lift them up into the mower blades, weakening and killing them off over time.

Try to avoid using weedkiller. Chemical weedkillers can be expensive and ultimately don’t tackle poor grass health, which helps weeds to thrive. If you feel you need to use one, try a homemade weed killer instead.

Here, Alan Titchmarsh demonstrates his chemical-free method of removing lawn weeds using a daisy grubber:

Relieve compacted grass

Compacted ground prevents grass growing well and can lead to bare patches in the summer and mud baths in the winter. Relieve the compaction and aerate the soil by pushing a garden fork about 10cm deep into the soil every 10cm and gently rocking back and forth on the fork handle. The prongs open up the soil, allowing the roots to breathe and encouraging the grass to regrow.

On heavy ground, such as clay soils, brush sharp sand or fine horticultural grit into the holes to improve drainage and prevent further compaction.

Discover the benefits of aerating a lawn after scarifying it, our No Fuss Guide to aerating lawns, with Alan Titchmarsh:

To help keep your lawn in the best condition, our experts have tested the best scarifiers and best aerators.

Edge your lawn

Edging a lawn is the finishing touch to a neat, clipped lawn. Use a pair of long-handled shears to define the edge of your lawn, and stop the grass growing into borders. It instantly neatens your garden, creating a very satisfying finish. Where the lawn has grown into the border, use a spade or half-moon edger to reshape it and create a shallow ‘moat’ or install permanent edging that the grass can’t cross. Why not help keep your lawn edges neat and tidy with our pick of the best lawn edging. We’ve also tried and tested the best strimmers.

Learn how to create the perfect edge and the best technique for using edging shears, in our No Fuss Guide to edging a lawn, with Alan Titchmarsh:

Feed your lawn

To keep your lawn looking good you need to feed it regularly. If you have a large lawn, invest in a wheeled lawn feeder for a fast and accurate job. Apply fertiliser to grass when rain is forecast, so that it gets washed down to the roots and to stop it burning the leaf blades. an organic fertiliser will aid long term lawn health, over chemical alternatives. If it doesn’t rain, water the fertiliser in with a hose or watering can. Your grass should look greener within a week. Lawns typically need a feed in spring and midsummer.

To keep your lawn looking good it pays to feed it regularly. Daniel Haynes, gardenersworld.com, explains when and how to feed your lawn, in this Quick Tips video:

Fill bare lawn patches

Rather than letting bare patches spoil the look of your lawn it’s easy to sow grass seed over the raked soil. Alternatively, make fillers from unused turf. When reshaping the lawn, collect up the strips and place them 5cm apart in a compost-filled seed tray, then grow them on outside or in a cold frame.

To replace the bare patch, cut out a square or rectangle around the area and, using a hand trowel, dig up the soil in the rectangle to whatever depth of soil your new turf strip is. Gently lay the turf, cut to fit, over the patch. Firm it down so that there are no gaps and your new turf is no higher or lower than your existing lawn.

Watch Alan Titchmarsh’s No Fuss Guide to repairing a lawn patch and you’ll have a ship-shape sward in no time: