DIY vs Professional Lawn Care - Which is Better?
Don't feel up to handling lawn care by yourself? You might look into a subscription lawn care company, or employ one of Elizabeth City's full-service lawn care companies. If you elect to handle everything on your own, you may save money initially. However, what you'll be missing is the expert advice and guidance that can help you prevent expensive mistakes.
A company like Sunday Lawn Care can help take the guesswork out of the process. These kinds of companies will mail you a subscription package of lawn care equipment and chemicals. They do the work of figuring out what your lawn needs and when, depending on your location in North Carolina and the time of year. However, you will still need to make time to do the manual labor.
If you would like to be completely hands-off, a full-service company like TruGreen will be the best decision. This option may be the most costly, but there is a good reason for this: they not only offer custom solutions to all your lawn care problems, but they take care of the manual labor.
Types of Lawn Care Services in Elizabeth City, NC
There are a variety of services that you might hire a Elizabeth City lawn care company for, such as:
- Weed Control: Your lawn care technician can both kill and prevent unwanted plants like weeds. This involves using chemicals to kill and keep away weeds; they also may manually pull up the unwanted plants. In the majority of cases, both full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer weed control services.
- Fertilization: Fertilization promotes growth of grasses and plants through the application of certain chemicals and compounds at the correct times throughout the year. Like weed control, most if not all full-service and subscription lawn care companies offer fertilization services.
- Soil Care: Soil care consists of balancing the chemistry and pH of your lawn to increase the availability of nutrients and improve lawn growth. Many full-service and subscription lawn companies provide soil care services.
- Seeding/Overseeding: The seeding process involves planting grass seed in bare patches on your lawn. Overseeding involves placing new seed over patches of existing grass. Both seeding and overseeding help fill in bare or patchy spots and improve the appearance and color of your lawn. Both processes are offered by the majority of full-service lawn companies and many subscription companies.
- Aeration: Aeration services, which involve making small holes all over your lawn, are provided by most full-service lawn care companies. Aeration services help loosen the soil, allowing air, nutrients, and water to flow easier. This improves the growth of roots and helps to strengthen your lawn.
- Tree and Shrub Care: Many full-service lawn care companies are able to take care of trees and shrubs that are wilting, overgrowing, or simply need a little extra care. This service will result in large improvements in your lawn's appearance.
- Mowing/Edging: Mowing and edging are two ways to quickly improve your lawn's appearance. Certain full-service lawn care companies perform these services, or you could find a company specializing in edging and mowing.
- Pest Control: When you employ someone for pest control services, always verify they are properly licensed to apply pesticides through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. The technician will apply pesticides or use traps or other methods to eliminate pests. Getting rid of pesky insects and animals helps your lawn look its best.
- Leaf/Snow Removal: Your lawn can be damaged by leaves piling up on it. Knowing which companies offer removal services can be very helpful if you ever need them in the future.
No matter what type of services you want, there is a Elizabeth City lawn care company that can handle it. We recommend looking into a couple of the companies on our list above to learn which one is the best fit.
Elizabeth City Quick Facts
- In a typical year, Elizabeth City gets around 2.4 inches of snow.
- Elizabeth City receives more sunlight than around 73.4% of the country.
- Elizabeth City sits in the Mixed-Humid climate zone.
- On average, lot sizes in North Carolina are approximately 18,000 square feet.
- Elizabeth City's average high temperature of 68° F is higher than 77.6% of the U.S.
Choosing a Elizabeth City Lawn Care Company
When it comes time to select a lawn care services company, you will want to verify they are reliable. To be permitted to apply chemicals like pesticides to your lawn, a technician needs to be licensed through the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. If you are looking for landscaping services such as edging and mowing, check to see if a company meets all of North Carolina's landscaper licensing requirements. You can also see if a company belongs to an organization like the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). Lawn care professionals are not required to be members, but NALP allows landscaping professionals to collaborate and share information about best practices. Last but not least, you can read company reviews online and learn about their guarantees on their website. "NALP members have access to industry-leading tools and training to keep you on the cutting edge."
The next step is to figure out which companies provide the specific services you need. Many lawn care service companies in Elizabeth City have both fixed plans and "a la carte" options, which allow you to pick and choose exactly which services you need.
After you've determined which companies might be right for you, you can obtain a free inspection and estimate. Via GPS technology, some companies are able to estimate the size of your yard and give you a quote over the phone. The price you pay will vary based mainly on the specific services you need and the size of your lawn.
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Homeowner Responsibilities
When you employ a lawn care company in Elizabeth City, there are certain things you can expect before, during, and after treatments. Some of these are:
- Before Treatments: Any full-service company will ask that you ensure your lawn is fully accessible when they come to treat it. For example, make sure all gates are open. They will also ask that pets stay in the house. If they want you to water or do any other care for your lawn in advance, they will let you know. If you're going with a subscription company, don't forget to provide all of your information and place your order in advance.
- During Treatments: When you choose a subscription company, you will perform the treatments yourself based on the instructions that the company provides. Should you opt for a full-service company like TruGreen, a technician will come to your house to treat your lawn. Generally you will not be expected to be home during treatments. However, your company may prefer that you are home the first time they visit. Your company will communicate with you (electronically or in writing) what treatments they completed and when.
- After and Between Treatments: It is important to remember that it could be a while before you see the effects of treatments like fertilization and weed control. In the meantime, your lawn care professionals might recommend watering your lawn 24 hours following some treatments. They will also tell you when it is safe for pets and family to be on the lawn. In the unlikely event that there is an unexpected problem with your lawn care, many subscription and full-service companies have a guarantee to back their products and services. Generally, most lawn care services will continue regularly unless you cancel.
Choosing a reputable Elizabeth City lawn care company goes a long way towards helping you feel more confident and comfortable with the process. Any provider from our list of Elizabeth City's best lawn care companies can walk you through the process and make sure that you know exactly what to expect.
