As a kid, you probably recall your parents saying “you break it you buy it.” That same idiom applies in lawn care. While our Pro’s are a cut above in all aspects of lawn & landscaping, they are also human, just like us; and make mistakes, just like us. These are the 5 most surprising damage claims we’ve had to manage in 2019.
Category: Home Care
5 Items Under $20 You Need in Your Car This Winter
Last week we got our first taste of winter weather for the 2019-2020 season and it definitely caught us by surprise (I mean, c’mon, it was record-breaking!) El Niño? La Niña? Why’d you leave us? Although most of it has melted by now, this flash snowstorm had us preparing our winter emergency car kit before the next storm hits.
Avoid These Customer Complaints
There are certain expectations a customer has when hiring a lawn company.
Hiring a lawn and snow service is a luxury, if customers are paying a pretty penny to have their property professionally maintained they’ll likely want some customer service, too.
As a provider, it’s best practice to make sure you create a checklist outside of the services they ordered. This ensures that they are not only pleased with the quality, but the experience as a whole. Keep in mind that a lot of business comes from referrals and every new customer is an opportunity for a mutually beneficial experience.
Tardiness
Communication should always be a top priority, whether it’s a delay or equipment malfunction, customers expect to be kept up to date on the status of their service.
If you’re unable to make it on the service day, your customer should be updated with as much notice as possible. For instances such as weather delays, when the grass is just too wet to mow, customers are often understanding. No one wants to endure long lasting lawn damage just to have their grass cut.
Double Cutting Your Lawn: Is It Worth It?
Has your provider ever recommended double cutting your lawn? Double cutting happens when a lawn needs to be cut twice—sometimes in the same session—or maybe a couple of days after a mow. It takes extra time and can be more of an expense than a regular cut, so the big question is… is it worth it?
Here’s How Short To Cut Your Grass In The Spring
It’s easy to have a year-round lawn care routine
when you live in a warmer climate. However, if you live in an area that has long, cold winters, you have to be careful about how short to cut your grass come springtime, especially early spring when the weather is still cold. Rather than waiting for a certain date to start mowing your lawn, it’s best to wait until your grass has reached a certain length.
The Best Brands In Lawn Equipment
When the average consumer thinks of lawn equipment tools, they might think no further than lawn mowers. After all, lawn mowers are the crux of a successful lawn mowing business! As a lawn care provider, however, you may already know that lawn maintenance is so much more than just mowing a lawn. In addition to mowing lawns, your clients may have other landscaping needs, such as edging, trimming, or leaf cleanup. Keep reading to learn more about the best brands in lawn equipment.
What Makes a Brand “The Best”?
There are many lawn equipment brands out there, and some specialize in specific types of equipment or excel in a specialized type of technology. With so many high-quality brands and “best of” lists for each type of equipment, how does one sort through all the brands to find the best?
Top ratings, reviews, and reports usually consider some of the following when testing out different brands:
- Price point
- Durability
- Quality
- Longevity
Each category of lawn equipment has its own top brands, but you can tell which lawn equipment brands beat out the rest when certain names show up on multiple lists!
The Best Lawn Equipment Brands
Echo
Echo is a leading manufacturer of outdoor tools such as trimmers, sprayers, chainsaws, and leaf blowers. Many of their tools boast light weights, lower noise levels, and anti-vibration features, which provide more ease of use.
Exmark
Exmark is one of the most respected commercial lawn equipment brands on the market. Exmark cutters are legendary for their durability, all-day comfort and a quality of cut that is unmatched by many other commercial mowers. Along with the large variety of mowers Exmark offers—from zero-turn to walk-behind to stand-on—they also have turf management equipment, accessories, and an incredible customer service team that is always available to help fit their customers’ lawn equipment needs.
Honda
Honda mowers and trimmers are known for being innovative, high quality, and durable. Their gas-powered lawn mowers are considered one of the most expensive in the market, but they come with features such as mulch control, side-discharging, and a two-blade cutting system that results in a beautiful lawn.
Lawn Care in Chicago, IL: What You Need To Know
Comprising 77 community areas and more than 100 neighborhoods, the Windy City has a ton of lawns in need of care! Since Chicago has both extremely hot and extremely cold weather patterns, timing is everything when it comes to lawn care. If you’re living in the Chicago area, here are some tips to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining your lawn.
Perennial Ryegrass
Kentucky Bluegrass
Fine Fescues
Lawn Tips For Chicago-area Homeowners
Overseeding and Fertilizing in the Fall
After a particularly hot and humid summer, you may notice patches of brown in your lawn. If the brown patches are small, consider using a slow-release fertilizer to help the existing grass fill up those holes. Chicago soil is usually rich in potassium and phosphorus, so look for fertilizers with more nitrogen, instead.
If the brown patches in your lawn are larger than 3 inches across, overseeding is a good way to fill up the empty spots. Bare patches in your lawn can be susceptible to weeds, so it’s best to patch up those spots before winter. That way, your lawn will be protected, requiring less maintenance when spring rolls around!
Best Grasses to Plant in Chicago, IL
Tall fescues and bentgrass are a popular breed of turfgrass throughout most of Illinois but are not the best in terms of caring and maintenance in Chicago. In fact, while tall fescues are good in drought and heat, they are not as tolerant of the cold as bluegrass. Bentgrass, on the other hand, is a popular choice for the 580 parks in Chicago but is more labor-intensive, and thus, less desirable for the homeowner’s lawn.
As mentioned earlier, Chicago has both cold winters and hot, humid summers. It’s a good idea to consider planting blends that have different types of grasses that can withstand both types of weather challenges, rather than just using one type of grass. If you’re a homeowner in Chicago trying to improve your lawn, consider the following types:
The Best Lawn and Landscaping Company in Howell, MI
Each month we recognize a standout provider who has demonstrated excellence across the board. This December, it’s Anthony A. in Detroit!
📍 Service Area: Brighton, Howell, Northville, Novi, Pinckney, South Lyon
✔️ Background Checked
🌿 4,544 Jobs Completed
⭐ 4.91 Customer Rating
📅 Joined LawnGuru: June 2016
Q & A with Anthony. See why he’s ranked best lawn and landscaping company in Howell:
How long have you owned your lawn business?
I’ve owned my own lawn & landscaping company for three years, but truly, I’m a jack of all trades. I can fix just about anything. Beth and I are multi-taskers so we do a little bit of everything. We consider ourselves handymen(women), craftsman, and all around contractors.
How To Diagnose Lawn Diseases
When customers complain about the poor quality of their lawn care, it’s often the lawn care provider who takes the blame. More often than not, though, it’s because there were lawn diseases present before the service even began! If you’re struggling with a lawn that just refuses to shape up, there are a few factors you should consider before trying to find a solution.
Brown patch
Dollar spot
Fairy ring
Leaf spot
Pythium Blight
Rust
Slime mold
Many breeds of grass are likely to get a disease when they are subject to extreme temperatures. Warm season grasses will be prone to disease when temperatures are too cold, and cool season grasses are more prone to disease when the weather is too warm. Other risk factors for lawn disease include excessive dryness, overwatering, or lack of sun.
How to Tell if Your Lawn Is Diseased
There are many varieties of lawn disease, and the ones you need to look for will depend on what type of turfgrass makes up your lawn. It’s always a good idea to research your specific grass so you know how to care for your lawn and prevent disease. Some of the most common lawn diseases include:
Lawn Care in Detroit, MI: What To Know
Are you a homeowner, or renter, looking for advice on lawn care in Detroit? When it comes to lawn care in Detroit and surrounding areas, not all lawns are created equal and a lot of that has to do with the region you live in. If you’re living in the Detroit or Michigan area, here are some tips to help keep your lawn thriving throughout the year.
Lawn Care Tips For Detroiters (and Vicinity)
Mow & Water Strategically