DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
Don't have the time or experience to tackle lawn care by yourself? Explore using a subscription lawn care company, or get in touch with one of the full-service lawn care companies in Cedar Rapids. While tackling the project by yourself may seem like the least expensive option, this leaves you open to expensive mistakes. You also will be working without expert guidance from a lawn care professional.
Some companies, such as Sunday Lawn Care, provide assistance to supplement your DIY lawn care. This is generally in the form of subscription packages that provide you with all the necessary chemicals and equipment for your lawn, based on your location in Iowa and the time of year. These companies provide a lot of guidance with lawn care, but you will still be the one outside pulling weeds.
If you would prefer to have a company manage the whole process, hiring a full-service company like TruGreen is your best bet. 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 Cedar Rapids, IA
Lawn care companies around Cedar Rapids can perform many different types of services, such as:
- Weed Control: Your lawn care professional can both eliminate and prevent unwanted plants like weeds. They may spray chemicals around your lawn as well as manually pull up the unwanted plants. The vast majority of full-service and subscription companies — if not all of them — offer weed control services.
- Fertilization: Most (if not all) full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer fertilization services. These services use chemicals and other compounds to facilitate the growth of grass and other plants in your yard.
- Aeration: Aeration involves making small punctures in your lawn's soil. This allows water, nutrients, and air to penetrate the soil more easily. This, in turn, helps roots grow deeper, strengthening your lawn. Aeration is offered by the majority of full-service lawn care companies.
- Seeding/Overseeding: Seeding and overseeding are offered by the majority of full-service lawn care companies and by many subscription companies. Seeding involves putting seed down in bare or patchy spots, while overseeding involves adding additional seed to thin spots. Both seeding and overseeding help improve the look and color of your lawn.
- Soil Care: Soil care is the process of balancing the pH and chemistry of your lawn to facilitate lawn growth by increasing the availability of nutrients. The majority of full-service and subscription lawn companies offer soil care services.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: Worried about snow or leaves sitting on your lawn and killing your grass? Certain lawn care companies will come out and clear everything away. You may commonly need snow removal services and occasionally require leaf removal services in Cedar Rapids. If and when you do need these services, be sure to speak with a company to make sure it is something that they can do.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Many full-service lawn care companies offer services for shrubs and trees that are overgrowing, wilting, or simply need some extra love. This extra care can result in large improvements in your lawn's appearance.
- Mowing/Edging: Mowing and edging services are one way to quickly improve your lawn's appearance. Some full-service lawn care companies offer these services, or you might find a company specializing in mowing and edging.
- Pest Control: When you pay a company for pest control services, always ensure they are properly licensed to apply pesticides through the Iowa Department of Agriculture. The technician will apply pesticides or use traps or other methods to eliminate pests. Getting rid of pesky insects and animals can go a long way towards helping your lawn look its best.
There is a lawn care company in Cedar Rapids for every need and budget. We recommend contacting one or two from our above list to discover the one that will be best for you.
Cedar Rapids Quick Facts
- The average lot size in Iowa is approximately 14,000 square feet.
- Cedar Rapids comes in around the 42.1% percentile in terms of average precipitation.
- The average high in Cedar Rapids is approximately 58° F.
- Like a mix of sun and shade? Cedar Rapids has higher tree coverage than 52% of other places.
- Cedar Rapids is part of the Cold climate zone.
Choosing a Cedar Rapids Lawn Care Company
During Treatments: If you've opted for a subscription company, you will perform treatments yourself based on the instructions provided by the company. If you're using a full-service company like TruGreen, their technicians will come to your home to treat your lawn. Your company may ask that you be home the first time they come out. However, you usually will not need to be home for lawn care treatment. You'll be informed by the company (either in writing or electronically) which services they completed and when. "NALP members have access to industry-leading tools and training to keep you on the cutting edge."
Next, you'll want to figure out which companies around the Cedar Rapids area offer the specific services you need. Many companies offer both plans and "a la carte" options which enable you to pick and choose from a list of services.
After you've narrowed down your list even more, you can start to contact companies to ask about free inspections and getting a service quote. Inspections can happen relatively quickly — some companies can even take a fast estimate of the size of your yard with GPS before visiting your home. The company should then be able to provide an estimate based on the specific services you need and the size of your lawn.
Ready for a Quick & Easy Lawn Service Quote?
Homeowner Responsibilities
If you haven't worked with a Cedar Rapids lawn care company before — or even if you have — you may be curious about what to expect. The following are some things to keep in mind:
- Before Treatments: When you choose a full-service company, they will ask you to keep your pets indoors when they visit. You should also ensure that your technician can fully access your lawn (for example, by making sure all gates are open). The technician will tell you if you need to water your lawn or do anything else in advance. When using a subscription company, make sure that you provide your information and place your order ahead of time.
- During Treatments: If you are going with a subscription company, you will be expected to treat your lawn yourself, following the instructions provided by the company. If you've decided to pay a full-service company like TruGreen, a lawn care professional will come to your house to treat your lawn. Normally, you won't have to be present for lawn care treatment. However, your technician might request that you are home the first time they come out. Your technicians will communicate with you (electronically or in writing) to let you know what services were done and when.
- After and Between Treatments: Your lawn care company will inform you when it will be safe for pets and people to be on your lawn after treatment. They may also suggest that you water your lawn 24 hours after some services. It is important to keep in mind that it may take some time to see the effects of treatments like fertilization and overseeding. In the unlikely event that there is a problem or you don't see the promised results, many full-service and subscription companies have guarantees to back up their treatments and products. In most cases, both full-service and subscription lawn care services will continue on a regular basis unless you cancel.
Selecting a good lawn care company in Cedar Rapids can go a long way towards feeling confident and knowledgeable when it comes to all of the work that needs to be done. We recommend reaching out to one of the companies from our list of the best lawn care providers in Cedar Rapids to find the right professional for your needs.
