Your Lawn Care Program: How to Find the Right One

Lawn Care Programs are not all the same. But how do you tell the difference?

Driving through local Connecticut neighborhoods, we see the evidence. Maintaining a beautiful lawn brings huge benefits to home owners. From creating an inviting yard that extends your home’s living and recreation area, to increasing the sales price, investing in a lawn care program pays big dividends.

And yet, not all lawn care programs give you the same return on your investment. So, let’s talk about your options and how you can choose the right one.

Here’s What’s Included in This Article

• What’s included in most lawn care services?
• DIY Programs
• Professional Lawn Services
• The Lawn Science Difference
• What is a Full Season Lawn Care Program?

What’s Included in Most Lawn Care Services?

The specific services and treatments included in a lawn care program can vary. Some options include a do-it-yourself model. And others are done for you. The key to choosing the right service includes understanding your level of expertise, the amount of time you want to spend, and the needs of your specific property.

We’re Lawn Science guys, which means, we’ve spent decades researching, developing and implementing our lawn care programs. We know the specific needs of Connecticut lawns. And we’ve trained with the best science and research in the business.

Do-it-Yourself Lawn Care Programs

Most do-it-yourself lawn care programs come as a mix in one bag. They don’t use organic material. And they always include fertilizer AND weed killer in every mix to make it easier to implement. While a one bag mix can save you a little time, it’s unlikely to give you the lawn you’ve always wanted.

Why?

Because science shows us there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

In our Connecticut climates, there’s a time for weed suppression, and there’s a time for adding nutrients to build deeper, more healthy roots. One size doesn’t fit all. And neither does one timing.

On top of that, most do-it-yourself lawn care programs use synthetic fertilizers to feed your lawn. That’s not good for building healthy grass roots. Additionally, it’s not good for the Connecticut ecosystem, and it’s not great for you and your family.

And finally, even if you have the right materials, we’ve seen self-application go horribly wrong. That usually looks like yellow or brown splotches. But here are a few other ways a do-it-yourself lawn care program can backfire on you.

How a do-it-yourself program can go wrong.

From our experience, here are several ways that people can get a do-it-yourself lawn care program wrong.

1. Choosing the wrong products: Choosing the wrong products can be a common mistake with do-it-yourself lawn care. For example, using a fertilizer that is not suited for your soil type or grass species can lead to poor results.
2. Over-fertilizing or over-watering: Over-fertilizing or over-watering your lawn can lead to damage, such as burned or yellowed grass. This can happen if you apply too much fertilizer or water, or if you apply it too frequently.
3. Applying products at the wrong time: Applying products like fertilizer or weed control at the wrong time can be a mistake. For example, applying weed control too late in the season may not be effective in preventing weeds from returning the following year.
4. Ignoring environmental factors: Ignoring environmental factors, such as weather and temperature, can lead to poor results. For example, applying fertilizer during a drought can lead to damage, as the grass may not have enough water to properly absorb the nutrients.
5. Not identifying and treating problems: Not identifying and treating problems with your lawn, such as pests or diseases, can lead to further damage. Ignoring these issues can result in the need for costly repairs later on.

Having a professional lawn care service can help you avoid these mistakes.

What’s Included in a Professional Lawn Care Program?

“Professional” lawn care programs can also vary widely. Here are services you should look for when you’re evaluating lawn care programs.

1. Lawn analysis: A lawn care professional should assess the condition of your lawn and identify any problems, such as weeds, pests, or diseases.
2. Feeding: Lawn care professionals should apply fertilizer to your lawn to help promote healthy growth and green color. At American Lawn Science & Landscaping, we use organic nutrients to feed your lawn, so your grass creates a healthy root system.
3. Weed control: Lawn care professionals apply herbicides to control the growth of weeds in your lawn. But you need to be sure they apply them at the right times, and in the right amounts.
4. Pest control: Lawn care professionals can apply pesticides to control pests, such as ants, grubs, or fleas.
5. Aeration: Look for a lawn care program that aerates your lawn. Some companies remove small plugs of soil to help reduce soil compaction and improve water and nutrient absorption. Others, like American Lawn Science & Landscaping, use liquid organic aeration.

→ View the Complete Guide to Liquid Organic Aeration Here

6. Overseeding: Lawn care professionals may overseed your lawn to help thicken thin or bare areas. This becomes most important when a lawn care program uses synthetic chemicals to feed your lawn since it’s not growing deep and healthy roots.
7. Disease control: Lawn care professionals can apply fungicides to control diseases, such as brown patch or dollar spot.
8. Irrigation management: Lawn care professionals may also provide irrigation management services to help ensure that your lawn receives the right amount of water at the right time.

Overall, a comprehensive lawn care program will include a range of services and treatments designed to promote the health and beauty of your lawn. Be sure to check with your chosen lawn care company to determine exactly what services are included in their program.

How are American Lawn Science & Landscaping Services Different?

Many lawn care programs, including do-it-yourself options, have a one and done option.

This video is our founder Steve Bousquet, the Lawn Science guy, describing why we take a full season approach.