A Beyond Pesticides Factsheet
While the professional lawn care industry rakes in annual sales of $1.5-2 billion, we have received an increasing number of phone calls from people requesting information about these services. Many of the questions asked are similar in nature, revealing common misconceptions that are rampant among the public regarding the use of lawn care pesticides. Listed below are a few of these questions, along with the answers. We hope this will arm you, the consumer, with enough information to make informed choices about protecting the health of your family while properly caring for your lawn.
Companies keep telling me that the chemicals they use are registered with the EPA. Is this registration a guarantee that the products are safe?
If these products aren’t safe, why have they been registered?
Can my kids and pets play safely on the lawn when it is dry?
Pesticide residues will remain on the grass even if it is dry. While inhalation and dermal exposures are considered major routes of exposure for lawn pesticides, very few studies have been done to determine the health effects of such exposures. However, one such study on Triumph found exposure to residues on the grass to be unacceptably high. The Occupational and Residential Exposure Branch within EPA has been trying to gather more data on this aspect of lawn care pesticide exposure. However, the President’s Office of Management and Budget has repeatedly denied permission to EPA to request these exposure studies from manufacturers.
Lawnbright: Best Natural Lawn Care
Like Sunday, Lawnbright functions as a DIY subscription service, but it focuses on natural lawn care products that are free of harsh chemicals and toxins. The company helps create a custom plan for your lawn, based on a soil test, and sends along easy-to-use products that attach directly to your hose.
- State Availability: 50 states
| $35 | $28 |
Lawnbrights core product is its custom lawn care plan, which is based on detailed information you provide and a free soil test kit the company mails to you. After this in-depth analysis, Lawnbright will send you a tailored mix of soil and conditioners every eight weeks. Customers receive text alerts with application instructions based on rainfall, temperatures, and the growing season.
The company also offers supplemental one-off treatments for weeds, mosquito and tick control, and pet spots.
Lawn Doctor Vs Natural Green: 2 Lawn Care Companies For Central & Southern Md
When you look out your windows at your yard, you may find yourself wanting a better lawn — something thicker and greener that you can enjoy with your family.
If you do a quick Google search for lawn care services in Central or Southern Maryland, your results will bring up a long list of companies to choose from. The results will reveal companies that are more small-town businesses, as well as those that are larger in size.
This long list might be pretty intimidating, making the job of finding the company for you a time-consuming chore. You want the right company that will understand your unique lawn care challenges, and you dont want to regret the choice you make afterward.
Whats more, what youre really after is a great lawn without any headaches or hassle. We get it.
As you try to find a lawn care company for your Maryland home, Lawn Doctor will likely come up. And youll probably want to compare that business to Natural Green. To help you find the best company for you, lets review the similarities and differences between the two companies.
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Making Your Lawn Care Company Decision
We commend you for putting time and effort into the search for a great lawn care company in Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton, PA. We understand that you want to feel confident that youre investing in a company that you can rely on and that will produce great results.
For that reason, you have probably come to recognize that choosing a lawn care company based on the name alone is taking a risk. With such easy access to a wealth of information, you have the opportunity to make a very calculated decision based on a variety of important factors that you can research. Thats how you should ultimately be making your choice.
While choosing the right lawn care company is a big decision, we dont want you to feel stressed about it. Thats why we are here to help guide you through the process. After all, we believe you shouldnt have to have a degree in agronomy to understand if your lawn is getting what it needs with any one particular program. You can ask us questions and count on us for honest information. Though the lawn care industry has gotten a bad rap for selling customers services they dont really need, we assure you thats not how we do business. Well give you direct and truthful information, no matter what.
If youre considering hiring a professional for your Allentown, Bethlehem, or Easton, PA lawn care needs and have more questions, were here for you! Get in touch with us to get some free expert advice and learn more about our lawn care program options.
Very Disappointed With Lawn Doctor
So sorry I have nothing positive to say about the service I received from Lawn Doctor from the rude front desk receptionist to the chemicals applied on my yard. After three visits from lawn doctor, I noticed that my roses, which had flourished and produced beautiful roses from early spring to late fall for the past four years now had no blooms and appeared to be in a state of shock. Service man said this was due to Japanese beetles which was a missed diagnosis since there are no Japanese beetles in my yard. The roses in the backyard, which thank goodness they did not service, still have blooms on them. My tree in the front yard is shedding leaves. I have been raking leaves since early July. My grass, according to the service man, is not dead but dormant and would have to be reseeded in the fall, which I’m sure was his way of explaining away the damage his chemicals caused. There is also a new breed of weeds in my yard I’ve not seen before since having this lawn service. Bottom line everything have been choked out except the weeds and they have multiplied. The service man said he came to look at the yard and rang my bell. No appointment was made to be sure someone would be home and there was no evidence of his visit. What a waste of money and a disappointment that the trucks with the Big Green Thumb on the side is such a deception.
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What Is A Lawn Care Service
Lawn care services help your lawn stay healthy and green throughout every season of the year. They typically come with an annual plan customized for your property, with scheduled visits every four to eight weeks. These may include aeration, weed and pest control, and more. If your company plan offers lawn mowing, this will be offered every one to two weeks.
Comparing Lawn Care Programs
You obviously also want to know what youre going to get for your lawn care investment, so you need to compare lawn care programs. Theres not too much specific information on the programs that Lawn Doctor Bethlehem-Hellertown and Lawn Doctor Warren, NJ have to offer.
On their websites, it says that with their annual Fertilization and Weed Plans, your lawn will receive between 6 and 8 treatments that include lawn fertilization, pre-emergent weed control, and broadleaf weed and crabgrass control. This is general information that is found on both of their websites.
At Joshua Tree, we have three lawn care programs to choose from, based on your needs. This includes an organic, bio-stimulant granular fertilizer, pre-emergent crabgrass control, a custom-tailored weed control program, free service calls, free follow-up evaluations, lime applications for pH balance, grub control, double pass core aeration, and overseeding.
If youd like to learn more, we have published all of the lawn program details regarding whats included so that there are no questions. We believe in being upfront and clear with this information from the start so that customers can understand exactly what theyre getting.
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Blog: How Do The Big 5 Lawn Care Companies Compare In Calgary
Every year when spring rolls around, thousands of Calgarians need to find a provider to take care of their lawns. We estimate that over 75,000 households in Calgary hire a lawn care provider to do work for them. It’s a large number, and there’s many companies to choose from, some great companies and but also some bad ones you should avoid. In this blog we are going to compare the big five lawn care companies and their unique differences. All five companies below, are probably the biggest and most well known in Calgary, and you’d make a good choice with going with any of them. Let’s walk through each of them in detail so when it comes to making a decision you will have done all the research needed to make an educated decision.
In most industries, there is a fair amount of competition. Lawn care is no exception. If you go to Google right now and type in Lawn care services near me. A wealth of results will show up almost instantly and right away you may feel paralyzed by the amount of options there are. This page is dedicated to guide you through the buying cycle efficiently so that you can save time, money, and find the right company suited to your needs!
Before we dive in to comparisons. There is a huge difference between lawn care, lawn maintenance, and landscaping:
1. Lawn care services include treatments that benefit your soil and grass health which made include fertilizing, weed control, seeding, soil foods, aerating, lawn pest control etc.
How We Chose The Best Lawn Care Services
We took a close look at about 20 companies offering lawn care services and selected our top picks based on the number of states served, services offered, website usability, and pricing. Plus, we considered customer satisfaction ratings, satisfaction guarantees, and affiliations with industry associations.
For instance, we picked Lawn Doctor as our best overall for serving homeowners and businesses given their 450 locations in 40 states, satisfaction guarantee, and high rating among its clients. And we selected TruGreen because it’s nationally recognized, serves all 50 states, is a member of the NALP, and offers mobile apps.
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How To Prevent Dandelions From Growing
Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn is your best defense against weeds, including dandelions.
Tips for Preventing Dandelions from Sprouting
- Cut your lawn at the optimal height for your grass variety/ies. A thick lawn shades the soil, helping to prevent dandelion and other weed seeds from germinating. Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single cutting.
- You can help prevent dandelions from spreading by mowing down them down when theyre bloomingbefore they go to seed. Although its not a method for getting rid of dandelions, its very effective in helping to prevent thousands more dandelion seeds from blowing throughout your yardand your neighbors.
- If dandelions are showing up in your landscape and garden, mulch to a minimum depth of 23 to keep them from growing. If you see dandelions growing on the mulch, its easy to pick the entire plant.
- Once you gain some control over the dandelions, you might consider a pre-emergent herbicide applied four to six weeks before dandelions generally sprout. It wont kill existing weeds, but it will help prevent seeds from germinating.
- Fertilize regularly with Milorganite to help maintain a healthy, lush lawn, which is your best defense against dandelions and other weeds.
Lawn Doctor Vs Natural Green: The Large Franchise Vs The Local Business
Like other large national brands, Lawn Doctor has multiple locations across the country. So it is not based in Central and Southern Maryland.
Lawn Doctor got its start in the mid-1960s in Matawan, New Jersey. The co-founders had experience working for a sewing machine manufacturing company and a small hardware store before beginning their lawn care business. Once they focused on the name Lawn Doctor, they created their green thumb logo that has stayed with the business ever since and that they advertise quite heavily.
Lawn Doctor then became a franchise in 1967 and continued its fast growth. Today, the company has more than 600 franchise locations nationwide and has been listed in Entrepreneurs Franchise 500 for nearly 40 years.
Though Natural Green may only be a fraction of that size, we focus on only our local region. We know this narrow focus matters more to our customers. We also believe our smaller size can be a perk because it enables us to get to know our customers better.
Additionally, a small company can keep an eye on local weather changes and typical lawn issues. We believe this helps us maintain our high quality and service levels. Trying to get to know multiple climates and different grasses might be distracting, so we prefer to focus on Central and Southern Maryland.
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Weed Man: Best Pest Control Services
Weed Man offers a wide variety of lawn care services, as well as an extensive range of specialized a la carte services. It originated more than 50 years ago as a lawn care provider that specialized in eliminating all types of weeds. Since then, it has grown while staying true to its roots, with targeted weed control to eliminate everything from crabgrass and bermudagrass to moss.
- State Availability: 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
- BBB Rating: A
- Years in Business: 51
How Much Does Lawn Doctor Service Cost
4/5$500 per week
Also asked, how much does Lawn Doctor Cost?
The average cost of lawn care will vary depending on where you live and what type of lawn you have. You can spend anywhere from $50$500 per week on lawn care. A more experienced lawn care company will charge more than a new company. The added cost can be worth it, though, to make sure you get the lawn you want.
Subsequently, question is, how much does Scotts Lawn Service cost? Lawn care services such as applying Scott’s LawnService or Tru-Green run about $50-$60 per application, with about eight applications per year, or a total cost of $400-$500. Such a service handles fertilization and both kills and prevents future weeds and pests.
Simply so, is lawn care service worth the money?
But the fact of the matter is that a do it yourself lawn care program can actually be more expensive if you wind up making costly mistakes and have to pay to fix them. The cost of lawn care may only be slightly more than what you’d expect, and well worth the value it provides beyond dollars and cents.
How much does TruGreen cost?
TruGreen Plan Cost: $645.53.
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Google Reviews & Rating
When you take time out of your day to review a business, it says a lot about how you really feel about the service you receive. We are so excited about our Google rating and the positive reviews weve received from our customers, which are higher than the average that many lawn care companies receive.
Google Reviews
- Lawn Doctor of Annapolis: 111 reviews for 4.9 stars
- Lawn Doctor of Glen Burnie/Columbia/Ellicott City/Catonsville: 21 reviews for 3.7 stars
- Natural Green: 148 reviews for 4.6 stars
Whether its the education that our certified and licensed lawn care technicians provide our customers about their lawns or our quick response to their concerns, we love hearing from our customers. We treat your home like our own, and when you share your delight with our services, its a reminder to us that were doing things right.
Some of our customers have even taken the time to provide us with video testimonials!
Pricing At Lawn Doctor Vs Natural Green
Its natural if youre curious about how each companys pricing might differ.
Since Lawn Doctor is a larger company, its likely their prices will be comparable or possibly even cheaper than Natural Green. Thats a pretty common difference between big and small companies. This is something we want to be completely transparent about. On paper, prices will always be different between companies.
In fact, there are many reasons that some companies will have different prices compared to others.
Like many things you buy, you get what you pay for. There are many things that can impact lawn care pricing, including:
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Does Aeration Kill Weeds On A Lawn
This is a common question and the answer can be a little deceiving. You see, lawn aeration itself does not kill weeds but it does encourage deeper root growth of grass. By creating an environment where the grass can thrive, it allows it to grow thicker and more effectively choke out weeds.
So its a little shady to say that aerating your lawn will kill weeds. But you can certainly grow a thicker, healthier grass turf which will discourage weeds from proliferating throughout your yard.
Lawn Love: Best For Customization
Lawn Love is not a lawn care company in the traditional sense. Rather, it is an online platform that connects you to local lawn care providers near you. Lawn Love will record your specifications, search for the variety of treatments you request, and connect you to a company that best suits your needs. This means you are able to fully customize your lawn service.
- State Availability: 40 states and Washington, D.C.
- BBB Rating: B
- Years in Business: 7
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The Lawn Dethatcher Portion
Thatch is a layer of grass stems, roots, clippings, and debris that settle on the ground and either slowly decompose and/or accumulate over time and can create a number of problems in turf. Thatch accumulates on the surface of your soil just below the grass line and is usually out of sight.
The causes are numerous: poorly aerated soil, excess nitrogen, or high and infrequent mowing. Thatch buildup is commonly found in lawns where grass has grown tall, mulch is frequently left, and lawns that have never been aerated. The thatch layer is an ideal environment for pathogens and pests such as fungi and insects. Additionally, thatch tends to repel water, leading to hydrophobic soil conditions, which in turn adds stress and leads to additional maintenance requirements.
How Does The Turf Dethatching Portion Work?LazyMan Liquid Soil Doctor contains an advanced formulation of naturally occurring microbes that feed on dead plant tissue. Like any other population, they multiply when there is abundant food . By adding the concentrated microbes in LazyMan Liquid Soil Doctor you help nature keep up with the accumulation of dead plant material. Repeated application establishes a thriving community of thatch eating microbes that help keep you ahead of thatch related maintenance problems by degrading cellulose, lignin, ligno-cellulose, and xylose which is all part of dead plant material. The lawn aerator portion of LazyMan will also help to reduce thatch.
