By Barbara Powell
Homeowners in Colorado and elsewhere often struggle with the question of what’s best for both their lawn and pocket book. Compare hiring a professional lawn service or diy.
DIY: How hard can it be?
When a homeowner first buys their home they might think, “how hard can it be?” and assume that with the help of Google and Home Depot they can do it themselves and save money.
Watering, mowing, raking, aerating and fertilizing can certainly be done by the homeowner. If you have the time and enjoy yard work, you might choose to do it yourself. If you also have experience and knowledge about Colorado and Denver lawns, caring for your own lawn might make sense.
If you are new to owning a lawn, or don’t have much experience, there is a lot to learn. What needs to be done during each season or month of the year? Using what methods, products, and in what amounts? If your lawn is in great shape already, you have a good running start.
Required Maintenance vs Addressing Lawn Problems
But that’s just the required maintenance. Addressing problems like pests, fungus, brown patches, or weeds will require an understanding these issues. These require using the right products in the right way, with the right equipment. Mistakes in using the wrong products, too much or too little, or at the wrong time can end up costing you more both in terms of time and money; as well as continual frustration.
This lawn is suffering from Ascochyta Leaf Blight, which is a fungus that only occurs in lawns with shallow digging roots.
Lawn care professionals with decades of experience on lawns in Colorado, or Denver specifically, will be able to diagnose and address any lawn problems you might be experiencing. Better yet, they will perform preventative maintenance at the right times to avoid problems in the first place.
Lawn care pro’s also have access to lawn care and fertilizer products that aren’t available to individuals who are not licensed professionals. If you DYI lawn care vs hiring a professional the end goal is the same, a healthy green weed free lawn.
Addressing Your Concerns
You may have two worries. Let’s address both. First, you may think it will be much more expensive to hire professionals to care for your lawn. Second, you may wonder how to find a reliable, professional, experienced lawn care company if you choose to hire one.
If you are concerned about expense, sit down and add up the costs to do it yourself. Be careful to think through your whole plan to get to the real cost. For example, if you aerate your own lawn, you will need to buy or rent equipment. You’ll have a learning curve for how to use it.
How often will you need to aerate? If you want to follow up with fertilizer, you will need to buy products and apply them. Again, you may need equipment you don’t have, and you may have a few false starts and have to purchase the products multiple times. If you also assign a dollar amount to your time, you might be surprised at what it’s really costing you.
So How Do I Decide?
Once you understand the DIY costs, you can get some quotes from lawn care companies and make a comparison. How do you find a reputable company? Here are some guidelines.
The lawn care industry is very competitive, so it is important to consider the their credentials. Here are some questions to ask (from Colorado State University Extension https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/lawns/) :
- How long has the company been in business?
- Is the company a member in good standing with the local Better Business Bureau?
- Is it a member of the Professional Lawn Care Association of America, which can be reached at (800) 458-3466?
- Is the company a member of the Colorado Association of Lawn Care Professionals, (303) 850-7587?
- Is the company licensed to apply lawn care chemicals? Application of any chemicals other than fertilizer requires a license from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, (303) 239-4146.
- What services does the company provide and can it be flexible with the timing of applications? Will the company eliminate or reduce pesticides used in its programs?
- Will the company provide a list of local customers who can verify its performance?
Conclusion: Deciding On a Professional Lawn Service or DIY
Meet with two or three companies to compare services, experience, logistics and cost. Make sure to get a written list of services that will be provided along with the cost. And remember, the lowest price will not necessarily guarantee the best results and service.
Each lawn is different and presents different challenges. If you are up for the challenge, try the DIY method and see how it goes. But know that it’s a continual learning and observation process if you want your lawn stand-out beautiful. If you’d prefer using the pro’s, there are a number of reputable, reliable, local lawn care services for you to choose from.
Whether you DIY lawn care vs hiring a professional lawn service the goals are the same, a healthy green weed free lawn.
At Erbert Lawns we provide lawn care services in the Denver metro area including the following suburbs: Littleton, Roxborough, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Englewood, Centennial, Parker, Aurora, Commerce City, and Thornton Colorado. We offer the following lawn services: Fertilization and Weed Control, Aeration, Weed Kill in the Rock & Mulch Beds, Aeration with Over Seeding, Revive, Lawn Disease Treatments, Perimeter Pest Control and Winter Mite Treatments.
Want to see about how much it cost to have professional lawn care for you home? Just click on the link below.
