Maintaining an attractive lawn requires attention to every aspect of turfgrass culture. Maintaining a lawn in Florida is a constant chore. Many people forego turf maintenance themselves and hire a lawn maintenance service. Selecting a lawn maintenance service best suited for individual needs is not an easy task, but this publication should provide some suggestions to help in making a good choice.
TYPES OF SERVICES
There are three types of basic services available; partial lawn care, total lawn care, and total landscape maintenance. The cost of a service and ability of the client to perform a portion of the landscape care are determining factors in the selection of a company. Naturally, the more services a company provides the more it will cost, but there are some common denominators that can be used in making the selection.
Partial Lawn Care
This is the type of lawn care used by many homeowners. Generally, these firms apply only chemicals to the lawn, mainly insecticides and fertilizers. The homeowner is responsible for mowing, irrigating and other cultural practices. The success of having a partial lawn care service typically depends on the homeowner performing proper routine turf maintenance.
The best way to judge the service is by how much and how often fertilizers are applied. Fertilizer should be applied at rates similar to the IFAS turf recommendations. Most good quality lawns can be maintained by three to four fertilizations per year. Low-maintenance lawns should have at least a spring and a fall fertilizer application.
Instead of routine pesticide application, lawn service companies should monitor lawns and apply pesticides only when pests are present. Many areas of Florida have chinch bugs that have developed resistance to organophosphate insecticides and using these materials will not control chinch bugs, no matter how often they are sprayed. Firms should be able to identify the target pest they are spraying.
Selecting a partial lawn care company is largely a matter of checking with friends and neighbors to find out the performance of lawn care companies in your area. The firm should give some guarantee of results and provide liability for its actions. Check to make sure the firm has both a business license and a pesticide business license (Florida Statute 482).
Total Lawn Care
Companies that provide total lawn care are often hired by condominiums, businesses, and some homeowners to manage turf. Usually these firms mow, fertilize, trim, and apply pesticides. Irrigation system operations and maintenance may be part of their service. The extent of the services a company provides is based on a written contract. The quality of turf produced is totally the firm's responsibility.
Selection of a total lawn care company should be made on the basis of bids on maintenance specifications provided by the client. Turf management practices should closely follow those recommended by IFAS. Information on writing specifications is contained in the next section. Firms should provide a reference list of past and current jobs and the client should investigate the performance of the company under consideration.
Total Landscape Maintenance
Complete care of all the landscape is provided by some companies. Clients who utilize these services are interested in more complete care than is provided by total lawn care companies. Usually these clients have no provisions within their organizations to provide any portion of the landscape management. A landscape maintenance company's services include lawn care, maintenance of trees, shrubs, annual flowers, and other landscape plantings. These firms are totally responsible for the appearance and upkeep of the landscape. Selection of a landscape maintenance service company should be made similarly to selecting a total lawn care company, with bids and
written contracts .
SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS
When selecting a turf maintenance company, consider the following:
- Ask for consultation which will include a survey of the landscape by the lawn applicator, agronomist or horticulturist. A description of services and treatments should be included and the pricing structure determined.
- Make certain the program will meet local needs for fertility, mowing and pest control. IFAS recommendations should be closely followed for maintenance practices. Ask your county Cooperative Extension Service agent or refer to the other sections in this handbook for specific maintenance recommendations.
- Lawn maintenance firms should have capable personnel that can promptly and courteously answer your questions. Ask the contact person how much training and experience they have with Florida turfgrasses. Some companies have been known to initiate business and hire people with no previous experience or educational background in lawn care, pesticide application, agronomy or horticulture. Many people that have relocated from cool-season turfgrass areas are not familiar with Florida's warm-season turfgrasses and their maintenance and pest problems. It takes years of training for an individual to correctly identify turfgrass and weed species, insect and disease problems, and to thoroughly understand turfgrass cultural practices.
- Ask if all personnel are licensed for pesticide application. This is a critical point since many of these materials can be hazardous to humans, pets, and nontarget landscape plants, if improperly applied. The correct pesticide applied at the correct rate and for a specific pest problem is essential for proper maintenance practices.
- As with all commercial businesses, some lawn service companies are better than others. Find out the reputations of specific companies within your community. Some have better maintenance programs than others, and more satisfied customers than others. Ask them for references you may contact to verify results.
CONTRACTS AND COSTS
Contracts may be written or verbal, on a yearly or monthly basis, very detailed or very sketchy. Try to be aware of the pricing system and included services. Look at the cost of the total program and compare pricing for fertilization, pest control, and cultural practices like mowing (if included) or cultivation (vertical mowing and aerification for dethatching).
Have the salesman or applicator explain pesticide application to you. More is not always best. For example, increasing the number of insecticide applications and increasing the insecticide rate may not give better insect control.
Be wary of those companies whose service provides preventative controls for all pests on a year-round basis. Heavy pesticide applications may only kill predators which help keep disease organisms and damaging insects in check.
Finally, be careful of oversale. Weed-free, trouble-free lawns can be maintained, but not as easily as is sometimes portrayed. Florida's climate and soil conditions require keen attention to cultural details. Find out if you can expect service within a reasonable time if problems arise once the contract begins.
SUMMARY
Lawn maintenance companies help to provide a high quality turf. But keep in mind, that a partial lawn maintenance program is no better than the care given outside the maintenance contract. If not mowed and irrigated correctly, proper fertilization and pest control will not produce optimum turf quality.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
L. B. McCarty, associate professor, Commercial Turf Specialist, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.
Source: University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
