Fiji ST Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 My lawn basically sucks because of the previous owners and I need the lawn experts advice on here. I've tried to make it better, but the only thing I've been able to do is get rid of the crab grass. I honestly don't have the time or energy to do it, and my front lawn is essentially full of all different types of weeds, and the strip along the road is all chicory, dandelions, etc. Is it worth having this company come out and do their stuff? It's like $360 for 7 applications plus a winterizer and free spot treatments whenever I need it. Trugreen handled it before we moved in and it's why my lawn sucks. I can take pictures if you all want a good laugh. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSUGT Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 My lawn was a mess last month. One application has helped so much. I'm like you. No time, interest or desire to mess with it. Scotts does a nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmuckingham Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Interested as well, my lawn blows cause I hate my house and I am never home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Interested in this as well. My last house was in a housing development. Very small yard. I started with TrueGreen and it got better, but didn't think it was worth what I was paying. Switched to Scott's and it was much much better. Now I have an acre that needs treated. I don't have the time or patience to deal with it. I'm wondering if there is someone out there that is just as a good or better than Scott's, but less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBQdDude Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Is there any advantage of using a service VS. applying Scotts cycle bags yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Interested in this as well. My last house was in a housing development. Very small yard. I started with TrueGreen and it got better, but didn't think it was worth what I was paying. Switched to Scott's and it was much much better. Now I have an acre that needs treated. I don't have the time or patience to deal with it. I'm wondering if there is someone out there that is just as a good or better than Scott's, but less expensive. Preen Products Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 PM BrianZO6 / thread. Seriously. As of right now if you saw my lawn vs what it was in March you'd swear we had the front and back sodded. He's transformed it over the past 1-2 years from what it was. I used to use Scotts, but for my lot, they just plain got way to high $$ and while it was nice, it's not what it is today. I pay far less to him, he uses less treatments and chemicals thus it's no doubt safer for my family and honestly, better than over treating the grass, thus better for the lawn and soil. He's also a solid CR Sponser and I'd rather spend my money here than with strangers. Come check it out if you want and I'll walk you through the transformation. Just PM Me. I'll be cutting it tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Preen Products Is that just a product? I'm wanting someone to apply the product too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 Beast Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Scotts was a waste of money for me. Go to Lowes or Home Depot 15 min - Get a few bottles of Scotts fertilizer with weed control (the kind you attach to a hose) 15 min - Spray your yard with the fertilizer once a month (will take about 10 minutes) 30 min - Get some round up and a pipette. Drip it down the center of the hard to kill weeds if you dont have the time to pull them. 10 min - Buy a good grass patch to fill in bare areas. I like the kind with mulch to hold moisture you just sprinkle down. No additional time -(You have to do this with Scotts anyway) Water a few times a week preferably in the morning. After a few months if you water it properly you will be fine and will save a lot of money. Yes it will take a little time but nothing major. Or PM BrianZO6 and get someone that will actually do a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmy43016 Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Scotts did great for me. Tried last 2 years and I cant get shit to grow, even out or repair. Scotts applied one round so far and my grass is a 1000x better. I will continue to use them. Did some reviews of other companies offering similar services and the reviews for them were not very good. So I will stick with Scotts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiji ST Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I'm thinking of what I have to buy versus them doing it. For roughly $50 a month, they do everything that I would need to do. Compare that to buying two of the Scott's TurfBuilder stuff from Lowes ($115 for the first round, $85 for the second) it seems like a much better deal. Plus, it might be good to have someone else get my lawn back up to snuff this year and I can maintain it next year. The guy who was going door-to-door even said that. That sounds logical, right?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwashmycar Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I have found that just killing the damned weeds has turned my lawn around. I used to have a ton of them then I just got a few of the spray bottles of Spectracide weed killer, and sprayed each weed individually. They shriveled up, turned black, then disappeared. Lawn finally looks very presentable. If I missed any I just did a round 2. I care, but not that much since I am renting, but then again I am pretty much a Godsend to landlords lol. Also my yard is small. I'd PM BrianZO6 as stated above... he could at least answer your questions professionally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I'm thinking of what I have to buy versus them doing it. For roughly $50 a month, they do everything that I would need to do. Compare that to buying two of the Scott's TurfBuilder stuff from Lowes ($115 for the first round, $85 for the second) it seems like a much better deal. Plus, it might be good to have someone else get my lawn back up to snuff this year and I can maintain it next year. The guy who was going door-to-door even said that. That sounds logical, right?? I was right there with you a few years back Nick. For me it's the time involved. Last thing I want to do is spend even 1-2hrs of my time, buying materials, spreading chemicals, cleaning up, etc.... It's much nicer to come home and see it done for me and the results to back it up. We went 1-2 years after ditching Scotts but the results weren't the same. Mainly because i wasn't as consistent and generally hated doing it. BOth showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Is that just a product? I'm wanting someone to apply the product too. Ok sorry, i was in asleep still when i posted that... Ill elaborate a little on my knowledge and where it comes from. Nathans Dad is an Agronomist- wich is the study of soil sciences. His dad was Ohio Grass and Turf Man of the Year in 2010. He was VP of one of the companies mentioned in this thread.. basicly.. he knows his shit. He says Preen prodcuts are the same thing as Scotts and WAY cheaper. Its what he uses on our lawns and our neighbors hate us because we do basicly nothing to our grass and it looks better than almost everyones. Preen is product you apply. You use it just like you would scotts. You should ONLY need to apply each round once a month. Maybe more if the weeds are over taking the grass, but once a month should be fine. Grab a hand spreader (scotts is usally the only brand out there, and works fine for any brand fertilizer) Follow the scotts plan but using Preen products. READ THE DIRECTIONS.. Too much can be a bad thing!! (our neighbor used an ENTIRE 30lb bag of fertilizer on 1 yard, that bag was slated for 100k sqft yard.. ours are only 10k i fear what will happen ) Reseed in the fall, not the summer, not spring.. the FALL. Grass will do MUCH better in the summer if you let it get a little longer.. We mow on the second highest settings 1x a week. This leads to less watering needed. Grass blade height is the same as its root depth. The shorter the depth, the less likely it will be able to find ground water to keep moist with.. http://www.usu.edu/cpl/PDF/LandonBunderson_turfgrass_root.pdf http://www.lawn-care-academy.com/grass-root-growth.html Proven Techniques for Improved Grass Root Growth Several important cultural practices are important for developing deep and far reaching roots. Below are some of the more important practices used for improving grass root growth. Mowing Height -Mowing height may affect grass root growth more than anything else. There is a direct link between grass height and root depth. As a rule, the higher the grass is cut, the deeper the roots go. This is especially true of cool season turf grasses, such as the fescues and ryegrasses. Note "Mowing height" does not mean that you let your grass grow tall before cutting it, it means you mow it at a higher level each time you mow. Most people cut their lawns too low. Tall fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, and a few species of warm season grasses can be maintained at 3 to 4 inches all year. Deeper roots help grasses to endure heat and environment stress much easier as well. There are some exceptions. Some grasses are designed to be maintained at lower levels. Bentgrasses, some zoysia species, improved bermudagrasses, centipedegrass and others. For certain species it is more important to cut your grass at the correct level. Grasses will use nutrients at their greatest efficiency when maintained at their proper level. Proper Irrigation- Not everyone is blessed with sufficient rainfall all year. Where irrigation is necessary, remember the number one principle: shallow, frequent irrigation produces shallow roots. This is true for all grasses. For most grasses, watering deeper, but less frequently will is the number one way of stimulating deeper grass root growth. After watering the soil should be moist at 4 to 6 inches below the surface. These deeper soil depths will remain moist long after the surface has dried. The grass should not be watered again until the blades start to show signs of drought stress. This trains the roots to reach deeper where the ground is more consistently moist. Please don't think you are harming your grass by waiting to water when grass begins to show signs of drought. This is a long established principle for deeper grass root growth used around the world. Grass has a built-in mechanism to slow water loss during periods of dry, hot weather. To hinder water loss the blades will fold, which shows the lighter blueish green underside. This change in color is a clear signal it is time to water again. A second sign is when you walk across the grass and the blades do not immediately begin to spring back upright. Very hot, dry weather may require more frequent irrigation, but the principle of watering remains the same. You will still water far less than your neighbors who do not know about proper irrigation techniques and will have better grass root growth. Cooler weather will require less water. During hot weather, it is best to water early in the morning. Setting your timer so the water comes on at 4:00 or 5:00 am is good. Try not to water in the evening or at dark where the ground remains extra wet all night. Many diseases need prolonged surface soil moisture to get started. See our section on grass diseases for more information. There are some exceptions, however. Sandy soil does not retain water well, so deep water may not be helpful. For extremely sandy soil, the only option is to add organic matter to the soil for better water retention or water more frequently. The grass will tell you when it is time for more water. Soil Conditions- The type of soil you have will either encourage or discourage deep root development. Heavy clay soils, while it offers good water retention, also compacts easily and can become waterlogged. Incorporation of organic matter, such as compost, will loosen the soil and provide better air exchange. A product called Turface was developed by the sports industry for use clay baseball infields. It is applied to infields because of its ability to quickly absorb large quantities of rain water without becoming slippery. Its water and air retention capabilities has made it a great product for use on lawns and in container gardens, as well as artificial soil in bonsai plants and aquariums. About the size of large fertilizer granules, it absorbs 10 times its weight in water and evenly releases the water over time. It can be expensive for large lawns, but it doesn’t break down after it is applied. Once applied and worked into the soil, it is permanent. This is a great option if you use your lawn for activities such as weddings, social gatherings or other activities. I know of a number of outdoor wedding that were saved with Turface. Sandy soil doesn’t retain water well. Incorporating organic matter provides nutrients and greatly increases water retention. In extremely sandy soil, adding organic matter to form a 50/50 mix in the top six inches of soil may be ned. Use the Correct Fertilizer- Slow release fertilizers are favorites for those promoting grass root growth. Slow released nutrients are distributed over time as opposed to fast release fertilizers that release all the nutrients at once. Fast release fertilizers (a.k.a., all mineral) tend to be less expensive, but most nutrients are not used by plants and leach below the root zone. Due to the high salt content of all mineral fertilizers, they must be watered in to keep from burning. Depending on conditions, as much as 80 percent can leach below the root zone and is never used to help develop grass root growth. Fertilization is a science and knowledge is the key to maintaining your lawn successfully. For developing a good lawn fertility plan, click on the fertilization and organic pages to see how they are best used. Soil pH- Different grass species can have a slightly different pH that they grow best in. Adjusting the pH is not difficult. First, check the soil pH by submitting a soil sample through your county extension office or by using an over-the-counter soil pH kit. These over-the-counter kits are not as accurate, but they will give you an estimate of your soil pH conditions. Remember that organic matter is usually at or near neutral pH. If your pH is only slightly off, the addition of organic matter may fix it. If not, either limestone (for acidic soils) or sulfur (for alkaline soils) may be needed. These can be purchased at your local home and garden store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaewsky1 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 We have lived at our house for 10 yrs. The first 9 I tried doing the grass thing by myself and never got good results. Last year I hired Scotts and the lawn started to look better. This year I am still using Scotts and the lawn looks great. I'm glad I am using them. Overall it may be a bit more expensive, but at least it works compared to what I was doing. My lawn even looks better than neighbors who have been using TruGreen for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944s2 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I am working hard on mine to make it better and it is working but it takes a lot of time and money. Scott's I am sure would def be a good way to go but I like doing it myself. As said above I think most people don't realize they are cutting their grass way to short, that made a huge difference for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IVRINGS Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 I tried to get Brian out to my place before, but I never heard back from him. He did give me good advice about being able to have time to get my patched areas planted and up in time for spring. I know the Scotts guys know a lot about grass since one of our friend's dad was one of the starters up here that talk grass like we talk cars. We should have a "Help my Lawn" post that these lawn guys could help us out. I have some weeds I'm not sure what to do about, but will post pics of what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 To those that used the services, how much was it vs your lawn size? I'm tired of messing with mine, and my lot is small, maybe 1/8 acre. Also, do these places just treat the lawn or if i have patches of no grass, will they address that? What about a couple big ant hills that have developed over the last couple months? Anything for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianZ06 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 I tried to get Brian out to my place before, but I never heard back from him. He did give me good advice about being able to have time to get my patched areas planted and up in time for spring. I know the Scotts guys know a lot about grass since one of our friend's dad was one of the starters up here that talk grass like we talk cars. We should have a "Help my Lawn" post that these lawn guys could help us out. I have some weeds I'm not sure what to do about, but will post pics of what they are. PM sent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evan9381 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 PM sent. Got some time to check out my lawn to see what can be done with it to get it looking halfway decent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1fast5gp Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 Me too, I pmed you Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 To those that used the services, how much was it vs your lawn size? I'm tired of messing with mine, and my lot is small, maybe 1/8 acre. Also, do these places just treat the lawn or if i have patches of no grass, will they address that? What about a couple big ant hills that have developed over the last couple months? Anything for that? We have the same typical 1/8th acre suburban lot. Brian cares for the whole lot and now the only areas that will need my continued love are the continuous brown spots thanks to our dogs :dumb: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 +1 for brian he's the man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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