DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
Sometimes, you might feel comfortable handling lawn care on your own. For the times when you want professional assistance, you can go with a subscription company, or employ one of the full-service lawn care companies in Duluth. When you decide to go it alone, you will save on labor costs, but forgo any professional guidance. The outcome could be expensive mistakes down the line.
A company like Sunday Lawn Care can help simplify the process. These companies will send you a subscription package of lawn care equipment and chemicals. They determine what your lawn needs and when, based on the season and where you live in Georgia. However, you will still be the one doing the manual labor.
If you would like to have a company take care of everything, hiring a full-service company like TruGreen is the way to go. While they may be more expensive than other options, they handle the whole process, from determining what is needed to doing the actual work.
Types of Lawn Care Services in Duluth, GA
Lawn care companies around Duluth offer a number of services, including:
- Weed Control: Weed control helps get rid of and keep away weeds and other unwanted plants. These services can involve both manually pulling unwanted greenery and applying chemicals that kill weeds and keep them gone. Most if not all full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer weed control services.
- Fertilization: Fertilization promotes the growth of grasses and plants through the application of certain chemicals and compounds at the right times throughout the year. As with weed control, most if not all full-service and subscription lawn care companies provide fertilization services.
- Aeration: The process of aeration involves making small perforations in your lawn's soil. This allows nutrients, air, and water to more easily move through the soil. This, in turn, helps roots grow deeper, strengthening your lawn. This service is provided by most full-service lawn care companies.
- Soil Care: The majority of full-service and subscription lawn care companies provide soil care services. This service involves balancing the chemistry and pH of your soil to promote lawn growth by increasing nutrient availability.
- Seeding/Overseeding: Seeding and overseeding are offered by the majority of full-service lawn care companies and by many subscription companies. Seeding involves putting down seed in bare or patchy spots. On the other hand, overseeding involves laying down additional seed in thin spots. Both services help improve the appearance and color of your lawn.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Do you have trees and shrubs that are overgrowing, wilting, or simply need some extra care? Many full-service lawn care companies offer tree and shrub care services to help keep your property looking its best.
- Pest Control: Many full-service lawn care companies can also help you deal with insects or other pests that are doing damage to your property. The lawn expert might trap animals or apply pesticides. Always ensure that the technician you hire is properly licensed to apply pesticides through the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
- Mowing/Edging: Mowing and edging do a lot to improve the look of your lawn and help prevent overgrowth. There are some full-service lawn care companies that offer these services, and there are also many companies that specialize in mowing and edging.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: Your lawn can be damaged by leaves sitting on it. Knowing which companies offer removal services can be a big help if you ever need them in the future.
No matter the need, there is a lawn care services company in the Duluth area that can fill it. We suggest getting in touch with one or two of the companies from our list above to make sure you get the right one for you.
Duluth Quick Facts
- Duluth sits in the Mixed-Humid climate zone.
- Duluth's average high temperature of 70° F is higher than 81.2% of the United States.
- Normally, Duluth receives approximately 0.7 inches of snow annually.
- The average lot size in Georgia is around 10,000 square feet.
- Duluth gets more sunlight than about 77.8% of the U.S.
Choosing a Duluth Lawn Care Company
When it comes to choosing a company, you ought to first make sure that the one you're choosing is reliable. If a technician is going to apply chemicals like pesticides as part of their services, they will need to be licensed through the Georgia Department of Agriculture. If the package from your lawn care company includes landscaping services, such as mowing or tree care, you can check if they meet all of the landscaper licensing requirements for Georgia. After you've verified a company's licensure, you can check to see if they are a member of an organization like the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), an optional association that allows members to collaborate and provides education regarding industry best practices. You can also search for online reviews and check the company's website to learn about the guarantees that they offer. "We are committed to helping our members achieve success through education and training and increasing professionalism through certification and accreditation."
Next, you'll want to determine which companies in Duluth can provide the specific services you need. A company may have both plans and "a la carte" options that let you pick and choose specific services.
After you've narrowed down your list even further, you can begin asking companies about free inspections and getting a service quote. Inspections can happen relatively quickly — some companies are even able to estimate the size of your yard with GPS before visiting your home. The company should then be able to give you an estimate based on the size of your lawn and the specific services you need.
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Homeowner Responsibilities
When you're hiring a lawn care company in Duluth, you might be wondering what to expect. The following are some things to keep in mind:
- Before Treatments: A full-service company will ask you to ensure that pets stay in the house the day they come to your home. They will also ask you to make sure that they will be able to access your lawn, for example by making sure gates remain open. You should not need to prepare your lawn — for example, by watering it — in advance unless you are asked to do so. If you're going to be using a subscription company, ensure that you provide any needed information and order in advance.
- During Treatments: When you sign up with a subscription company, you will carry out lawn care treatments based on the instructions provided by the company. If you go with a full-service company like TruGreen instead, a technician will come to your house to treat your lawn. Generally you will not be expected to be home on service days. However, your company may prefer that you are home the first time they come out. They will communicate with you (electronically or in writing) what services were performed and when.
- After and Between Treatments: Don't forget that it might take weeks to see the effects of treatments such as weed control and overseeding. In the meantime, your lawn care professionals might recommend watering your lawn 24 hours after certain services. They will also inform you when it will be safe for your family and any pets to be on your lawn. In the unlikely event that there is an unexpected problem with your lawn care, many subscription and full-service companies have guarantees backing their products and services. Most of the time, most lawn care services will continue regularly unless you cancel.
Selecting the best Duluth lawn care company can help you be confident and well-informed when it comes to all of the work to be done. We recommend reaching out to one of the companies from our list of the best lawn care providers in Duluth to discover which one is best for you.
