HOW TO TROUBLE SHOOT LAWN PROBLEMS
The following article has been on my mind recently in regards to lawn problems developing while under the care of lawn care professionals and homeowners.
There are 3 types of lawn care contracts offered. They are (1) Partial Lawn care Service, (2) Total Lawn Care Service and (3) Total Landscape Maintenance Service.
Before we discuss trouble shooting lawn problems, let’s analyze the 3 services as mentioned above.
1.Partial Lawn Care Service
Chemicals to the lawn
Service
Insecticides
Fungicides
Herbicides
Fertilizers
Homeowner
Mows, irrigates, takes soil samples and handles other cultural practices.
- Total Lawn Care Service
Service
Mow
Trim
Soil Sampling & Fertilize
Insecticides
Fungicides
Herbicides
Sand Topdressing
Dethatching (vertical mowing)
Aeration (lawn)
Monitor Irrigation Times and Duration
Soil sampling
- Total Landscape Maintenance Service
Services
Mow
Trim
Fertilize
Insecticides
Fungicides
Herbicides
Monitor Irrigation Times and Duration
Tree maintenance
Shrub maintenance
Annual flower planting and maintenance
Mulching
Fall & Winter leaf removal
Soil sampling
The problem seems to lie with the partial lawn service. In other words we have two drivers driving the same bus down the road. The partial lawn service has no control over the homeowner’s mowing, watering and other cultural practices. Most homeowners fail to see the oncoming problem until it is too late to take correction action.
Since there is a shared responsibility between the partial lawn service provider and the homeowner, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to use the service of a turf management consultant at least once per year. The consulting service includes correct mowing height, correct irrigation times and duration, collecting soil samples for optimum nutrient levels and soil pH and identifying early disease signs before the syptoms occurs.
