Expectations

Lawn Doctor Service Expectations

We look forward to working together to get your lawn healthier.

We find that it is very important to be up front about what you CAN expect from our service AND what you CANNOT expect.

We are ALWAYS happy to discuss these expectations and how they relate to your individual lawn.

We WANT to hear from you and answer your questions and concerns. We are very responsive to our customers and we KNOW that we cannot help if we are not aware of your concerns. We also know that we are only out on your lawn a limited number of times each year… a LOT can happen between those service visits, so your eyes on the lawn are critical if and when there are issues and concerns.

SPRING EXPECTATIONS

In the SPRING, at our Fertilization & Weed control visits, 

  • You CAN expect us to Apply a granular “pre-emergent” to prevent crabgrass seed germination (except in shady grass seeding situations- the pre-emergent prevents seed germination for 3-4 months. We do not recommend seeding of sunny areas in Spring). We normally apply the pre-emergent at both spring applications for optimal results. Crabgrass is best prevented with this method, since treating crabgrass once the seeds “sprout” or germinate is much more difficult
  • You CAN expect us to Apply granular fertilizer to provide the nutrients that the grass plants need to grow. We will use a time release fertilizer that is used well by the plants, with low risk of “burning” and low risk of soil and water table “run off.”
  • You CAN expect us to Apply liquid weed spray to all broad-leaf weeds present. We will expect any weeds present to curl and brown within 7-10 days of treatment.
  • You CAN expect us to Evaluate the turf conditions to offer feedback on care practices. We will give you feedback on concerns, as appropriate, in our after service email
  • You CAN expect us to Do our best to have the SAME technician to service your property through the year.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of broadleaf weeds with weed treatments alone! Weed spray is not preventative. Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, clover, creeping Charlie, thistle, etc come up primarily from roots and runners. If weeds are NOT PRESENT, weed spray will not be effective. The only PREVENTION of these weeds is a thick, healthy lawn that crowds them out. Creating a thick, healthy lawn takes time. In most cases,  it can take up to 2 years of consistent treatments  WITH good care practices to see a lawn become virtually “weed-free.”
  • You CANNOT expect To see good results when care practices are not optimal. We know that mowing and watering are 2/3 of the care needed for a healthy lawn. (Our treatments are only 1/3). If mowing is too short, we will expect to see more disease, insect damage, die-back of turf, bare/thin areas and 25-50% more weeds. Turf needs 1 inch of water PER WEEK to stay green. If conditions are dry, turf will go brown and grass will go dormant. If dry conditions exist for longer than 3-4 weeks, areas of turf will begin to die. You can read more about proper watering and mowing here:Lawn Watering Guidelines: https://conta.cc/3vyDHFp, Proper Mowing Guidelines: https://conta.cc/34uU9KY, Watering: “But I have a Sprinkler System:” https://conta.cc/2TofkvH
  • You CANNOT expect To “CURE” shady lawns with fertilizer alone. Areas of the grass that get less than 4-5 hours of DIRECT sunlight in summer will NOT sustain grass well from year to year. Most shady lawns will need routine seeding to sustain grass. This can be a lot of work for only a short window of thin grass. There are also other options. You can learn more about shady turf here: Shady Lawn Concerns & Options Newsletter:https://conta.cc/3hElY9V
  • We WILL NOT “Upsell” you things you don’t need. We will be honest about what your lawn needs- whether you do it yourself or have us do it, but we will not try to add services just to “increase your customer value.” This is important to us. We will not recommend unnecessary or inappropriate services like routine fungicides, dethatching or overseeding and we will many times try to talk you out of services if we feel that they are inappropriate for your lawn.
  • We WILL NOT Do additional services like seeding, fungicide, insecticide, etc without you asking us.  We will let you know about concerns and make recommendations, but we want you to feel in control of your lawn and never feel pressured to add service.

SUMMER EXPECTATIONS

In the SUMMER, at our Fertilization & Weed control visits,

  • You CAN expect us to Apply fertilizer with appropriate nutrients and composition for summer conditions.
  • You CAN expect us to Treat broadleaf weeds that are present, when appropriate. We will expect any weeds present to curl and brown within 7-10 days of treatment. Sometimes in the summer, high heat can make weed control treatment inappropriate. If we feel that conditions are not right, we will not treat. If weeds continue to be an issue, let us know. Heat and drought will also slow down the uptake of weed control and slow down the curling and browning process.
  • You CAN expect us to Treat small crabgrass as it starts to come up. We will expect the crabgrass to yellow and curl within 7-14 days. If we start service in summer, it is TOO LATE to prevent crabgrass for that year, so crabgrass may be an issue. If the crabgrass plants are large at our initial treatment, they may not respond at all to treatment and you may need to wait for them to die in the fall. Crabgrass is an annual grass, so it does come up from seed each spring and die-off each fall. You can read more about crabgrass and other weeds here: May 11, 2022- Is this a weed? Newsletter: https://conta.cc/35zdIFU
  • You CAN expect us to Skip service if turf conditions are stressed and service is inappropriate.
  • You CAN expect us to Evaluate turf conditions and make recommendations.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of broadleaf weeds with weed treatments alone! (See above)
  • You CANNOT expect To See good results when care is not optimal. (See above)
  • You CANNOT expect To see good control of mature crabgrass plants when it is already present at the time of our first service. As mentioned above, when starting service with us in the summer, it is too late to prevent crabgrass. Small crabgrass can be treated effectively, but MATURE crabgrass (at the 7-tiller stage or larger) does NOT take up weed control and will not be controlled chemically.
  • We WILL NOT Recommend summer seeding or sod. The summer heat will make seed germination and sod establishment extremely difficult.

GRUB PREVENTION EXPECTATIONS

In the SUMMER, at our Grub Prevention treatment,

  • You CAN expect us to Apply a granular grub prevention treatment intended to prevent Japanese beetle eggs from developing into this year’s crop of grubs in significant numbers to cause turf damage by eating the roots. Many turf issues are blamed on grubs, but major turf damage from grubs occurs primarily in the fall in healthy turf (normally late September to October).
  • You CAN expect us to Remind you to water the treatment in appropriately. The active ingredient in the grub prevention is broken down by sunlight. If it is not watered or rained in within 2 weeks to get down into the soil, it will not be effective in preventing grubs.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of Japanese beetle issue on your property and/or in your shrubs. Since Japanese beetles fly, treatment of the turf will not keep the adult beetles from flying to your lawn or neighboring lawns.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of ALL grubs. Grub prevention is intended to prevent 80+% of the grubs from developing so that there are not enough grubs per square foot to eat the roots and cause significant turf damage.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of Animal digging activity from skunks and racoons (and other animals). Animal behavior is complex and with recent booms in skunk population and changes in weather, we are frequently seeing animal digging with no grubs present. Animals can dig in the lawn if there is even ONE grub present, but they can also dig looking for earthworms and other beneficial insects. You can read more about grub treatments, animal activity and some suggestions here: September 25, 2021-  Grub Newsletter: https://conta.cc/2Wb3GWM

FALL EXPECTATIONS

In the FALL, at our Fertilization & Weed control visits,

  • You CAN expect us to Apply fertilizer with appropriate nutrients and composition for fall conditions.
  • You CAN expect us to Treat broadleaf weeds that are present, when appropriate. We will expect any weeds present to curl and brown within 7-10 days of treatment. If weather conditions are too cold, weed control does not work. We will not apply weed control in those situations.
  • You CAN expect us to Recommend seeding when appropriate. September is the best time for seeding of sunny areas, if needed. We do NOT recommend seeding of the entire lawn if it does not need it. If you want to have us seed the lawn, it will be important to let us know in July or August, as our Power Seeding schedule fills up each year. You can read more about seeding timing and recommendations here: August 8, 2022- When & How to Seed Newsletter: https://conta.cc/3QnSfkU
  • You CAN expect us to Routinely recommend Aeration in our area. Our soil is compacted. We do recommend aeration at LEAST 1-2 times per year. Liquid aeration can be done Spring, Summer and/or Fall. Fall is best for mechanical aeration. You can read more here: Liquid vs Mechanical Core Aeration: https://conta.cc/2Wg9hev
  • You CAN expect to See good application of fertilizer when leaf cover is light to moderate. Granular fertilizer rolls off of the leaves and is NOT sucked up by mowers or leaf vacuums. If leaf cover is too heavy, our technicians will re-schedule.
  • You CANNOT expect Prevention of broadleaf weeds with weed treatments alone! (See above)
  • You CANNOT expect To see good results when care is not optimal. (See above)
  • We WILL NOT Recommend routine dethatching of healthy lawns. Dethatching or Power Raking is only appropriate for removing large dead areas of turf immediately prior to seeding. When healthy lawns are dethatched it can tear up the root system and cause damage to the turf.

We’d be happy to discuss these expecations, talk about concerns with your lawn or answer questions at any time.

Please feel free to text or call us at (630) 406-8535 or email us at group969@lawndoctor.com

Thank you!

Kim & Dan Toth
Owners
Lawn Doctor
(630) 406-8535
group969@lawndoctor.com