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Posted 15 February 2010. Applied Turfgrass Science. Evaluating Lawn Service Contract Can Be Challenge Source: Kansas State University Press Release. www.ag.ksu.edu Olathe, Kansas (February 12, 2010)--Lawn owners are starting to ask more questions before signing with a lawn care business to apply a season-long regime of insect and disease controls -- plus fertilizer.
"I´ve never had so many calls about service contracts. Some people are looking for ways to cut this year´s expenses. Others want to reduce their chemical footprint on the environment," said Dennis Patton, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension. The only way lawn owners can decide the best course for them, Patton said, is by taking three steps: • Find out what´s in each recommended application ... and why. • Consider your region´s potential pests and your lawn´s past problems. If you´re unsure, descriptions and photos on the Web may help. "A Diagnostic Guide for Troubleshooting Kansas Lawn Problems" covers central U.S. disease and insect pests at www.ksuturf.com/Homeowners.html. "Common Weed Seedlings of the North Central States" is at fieldcrop.msu.edu/documents/Ncr607.pdf. • Decide whether you´re ready to accept more risk and/or to tolerate a less-than-perfect lawn. "In practical terms, for example, if you had white grub problems last year, you probably should treat for them again this year. If you have a sunny yard - which raises your odds for getting grubs -- applying a control might not be a bad idea. If neither of those things is true for your lawn, though, you could think about skipping that kind of `insurance´ application," Patton said. Yard size and problem scope can make a difference in lawn service costs. Still, spot treatments may cost the same, no matter whether a yard has 30 or just one clump of nutgrass (watergrass, nutsedge), he added. "That being the case, nutgrass is a good weed to consider, to test how committed you are to change," Patton said. "Most herbicides won´t affect it. You need a sedge control, and homeowners don´t have access to the most effective products. You can get rid of a small clump by hand, but doing so will take several years of repeated pulling. The plants finally weaken and die out." Fertilizing tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass in September is vital for lawn health. Fertilizing in November can be a good idea, too, he said. Unless owners plan to irrigate their lawn regularly through summer, however, they probably won´t need to fertilize fescue or bluegrass in spring and summer. Contact: Elaine Edwards |
