All lawn care companies are not the same. Lawn care programs offered by companies will vary not only in cost, but in the variety of standard and optional agronomic services offered to the homeowner. The following series of questions and answers should serve as a guide for the homeowner during the process of selecting a lawn care company.
Fertilization is a standard part of any lawn care program.
Some companies will offer no insect control at all, while others may provide it only as an extra-cost option. Disease control is generally not offered in a standard lawn care program, but is offered as an optional service by most lawn care companies. Nitrogen is the key nutrient in turf fertilization programs. Reputable lawn care companies will supply Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, or tall fescue lawns with 3 to 5 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn per year. The actual requirement for these latter two nutrients will vary from one lawn to the next and the need is best determined through soil testing.