Hiring A Lawn Care Company

Many people prefer to leave lawn care to the professionals.  However, the types of services and the levels of pesticide use can vary greatly.  If you use a lawn care company to care for your lawn, it is important to understand if and when pesticides might be used. 

In general, there are three types of services:

1.  Pesticide-Free - the service will not use chemical pesticides to prevent or kill weeds and insects.  It relies on good cultural practices (fertilizing, aeration, grass seed, etc.) to improve your lawn's health and prevent problems.  Some services may use non-chemical means to address problems such as corn gluten meal to prevent weed germination and nematodes for grubs. 

2.  IPM (Integrated Pest Management) - is an accreditation that indicates the service provided will focus on improving lawn health.  The needs of your lawn will be assessed and pesticides will only be used as a last resort.  IPM services concentrate on good cultural practices such as fertilizing, aeration, grass seed, and others.  IPM services may spot spray problem areas but will not spray the entire lawn unless a widespread problem exists.

3.  Other - some lawn care service packages consist of a set number of pesticide treatments.  Avoid these services.  This results in large amounts of pesticides being applied to your lawn whether it is needed or not.  A reputable lawn care company will take the time to assess your lawn, determine its needs, and apply pesticides only if an infestation is present. 

 

Good Cultural Practices

For any type of lawn care service, ensure they are providing good cultural practices.  These practices will boost your lawn's ability to resist weeds and insects.  They are the best way to prevent problems.  Good cultural practices can include:

• aeration
• fertilizing
• seeding
• top dressing (adding quality soil or compost)

 

Questions to Ask

Find out as much as you can about the lawn care companies you are considering. The more you know about their experience, services and track record, the more confident you will be in your final decision.

Some questions to ask:

• Do they offer a pesticide-free program or are they IPM accredited?
• Do their programs include the good cultural practices listed above?
• Do they apply pesticides to prevent weeds? Good cultural practices should be the prevention. 
• Will they spot-spray pesticides on only the problem areas or do they apply pesticides on the entire lawn?
• Is the company a member of Landscape Ontario? 
• How long have they been in business? 
• Do they have references?