DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
When there is lawn care to be done, if you don't want to go it alone you can go with either a subscription company or one of the full-service lawn care companies operating in Augusta. If you opt to do everything yourself, you might save money initially. However, what you'll be missing is the expert advice and guidance that could help avoid costly mistakes.
If you want to take some of the guesswork out of lawn care, you might try a company like Sunday Lawn Care. These companies will send you subscription packages of lawn chemicals and tools, which are regularly shipped to your door depending on the time of year and where you live in Georgia. They will take care of the research and planning, although you will still be the one doing the hard work.
Rather have someone else take care of everything? A full-service company like TruGreen may be best for you. A full-service lawn care company might be the most expensive option, but they will take care of not only the decision-making but also the manual labor.
Types of Lawn Care Services in Augusta, GA
There are a number of different services that the lawn care companies around Augusta can provide, including:
- Weed Control: Weed control involves both chemical application and manual labor to get rid of weeds and other unwanted plants, and the use of techniques to keep them away. Most if not all full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer this service.
- Fertilization: Essentially all full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer fertilization services. Fertilization uses specific chemicals to help encourage the growth of grass and other plants that you want in your yard.
- Soil Care: Soil care is the process of balancing the pH and chemistry of your soil to facilitate lawn growth by increasing the availability of nutrients. Many full-service and subscription lawn companies offer soil care services.
- Seeding/Overseeding: Seeding services involve putting down grass seed in bare patches on your lawn. Overseeding involves putting down new seed on existing grass. Both seeding and overseeding help fill in bare or patchy spots and improve the look and color of your lawn. Both services are offered by most full-service lawn companies and many subscription companies.
- Aeration: Aeration is the process of loosening over-compacted soil, which allows roots to grow deeper, strengthening your lawn. The aeration process involves creating small perforations in the soil to allow nutrients, water, and air in more easily. Most full-service lawn companies provide aeration services.
- Pest Control: Many full-service lawn care companies can also help eliminate insects or other pests that are damaging your lawn. The lawn expert might trap animals or apply pesticides — always make sure that the technician you hire is properly licensed to apply pesticides through the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: Your lawn can be damaged by debris piling up on it. Knowing which local companies provide removal services can be very helpful should you ever require them in the future.
- Mowing/Edging: Mowing and edging are ways to quickly improve the look of your lawn. Many full-service lawn care companies perform these services, or you might find a company specializing in mowing and edging.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Many full-service lawn companies offer tree and shrub care. They can help clean up and provide care for shrubs and trees on your property to help keep your lawn beautiful.
For any kind of need, there is a lawn care company in Augusta that can fill it. It is a smart idea to get in touch with one or two of the companies from our above list to make sure you get the right one for you.
Augusta Quick Facts
- In terms of precipitation, Augusta sees more, on average, than 65.4% of the country.
- Like sitting in the sun? Augusta has greater tree coverage than only 19% of other places.
- Augusta's average high of 74° F is higher than 89.4% of the U.S.
- Augusta is in the Mixed-Humid climate zone.
- In an average year, Augusta gets approximately 0.5 inches of snow.
Choosing a Augusta Lawn Care Company
When it comes time to select a lawn care services company, you want to know that they are reliable. Before they apply chemicals like pesticides to your lawn, a lawn care professional needs to be licensed through the Georgia Department of Agriculture. If you are hiring for landscaping services like mowing and edging, you can look and see if a company meets all of Georgia's landscaper licensing requirements. You can also check whether a company is a member of an organization like the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). Lawn care professionals are not required to be members, but NALP helps landscaping professionals collaborate and share information regarding best practices. Last but not least, you can look up company reviews and browse their website to learn more about the guarantees they offer. "As a professional, you're never done learning and growing your skills. Our educational partnerships can help you continue to refine your abilities."
Next, you'll have to decide if a company offers the services you need. When you hire a Augusta lawn services company, you may choose to go with one of their fixed plans or one of their "a la carte'' options that allows you to pick and choose specific services.
After you've determined which companies offer what you need, you can reach out and ask for a free inspection and estimate. Using GPS technology, some companies can estimate how big your lawn is and give you a quote over the phone. The cost will be based mainly on the specific services you need and the size of your lawn.
Ready for a Quick & Easy Lawn Service Quote?
Homeowner Responsibilities
When you're hiring a lawn care company in Augusta, there are things you can expect before, during, and after treatments. Some of those things are:
- Before Treatments: When you hire a full-service company, they will ask you to keep pets in the house when they visit. You should also make sure your technician has access to your lawn (for example, by ensuring that gates are open). The technician will tell you if you need to water your lawn or do anything else in advance. If you've decided to go with a subscription company, you'll need to be sure that you provide any necessary information and place your order ahead of time.
- During Treatments: If you end up choosing a subscription company, you will be the one to treat your lawn based on the instructions provided by the company. If you've gone with a full-service company like TruGreen, a lawn care professional will come to your home to do any requested lawn care. Your company may ask that you be home the first time they come to your house. However, you usually will not need to be at home for lawn care treatment to take place. The company will inform you (either electronically or in writing) what treatments were done and when.
- After and Between Treatments: Your lawn care company will tell you when it is safe for people and pets to be on your lawn after treatment. They may also ask you to water your lawn 24 hours after some services. Keep in mind that it may take some time to see the effects of services like weed control and fertilization. In the unlikely event that there is a problem or your results are not as promised, many full-service and subscription companies have guarantees to back up their treatments and products. Most of the time, both full-service and subscription lawn care services will continue on a regular basis unless you cancel.
Choosing the right Augusta lawn care company can go a long way towards feeling confident and knowledgeable when it comes to all of the work to be done. It is in your best interest to speak with one of the companies from our list of Augusta's best lawn care providers to learn about their services and decide if they are right for you.
