The do-it-yourself craze is huge these days, and so tempting.
As you gaze out at your lawn, it looks pretty simple. Mow it once a week, give it plenty of water and a dose of fertilizer a few times a year and it should be lush, green and healthy, right?
How hard could it be?
Harder than you think.
A healthy lawn takes a lot of work. It needs proper mowing and fertilizing. Then there’s aeration, de-thatching, weed control, pest control, soil analysis.
A Few DIY Lawn Care Factors to Consider
Mowing Mistakes
Mowing seems easy enough, but a surprising number of homeowners mow their grass too short, hoping to stretch out the time between mowings.
But cutting your grass too short stresses the grass, and makes it more susceptible to damage from insects and disease. Professionals know never to cut off more than a third of the grass blade at any one time.
That way, the grass will develop a deeper root system to support the longer blades and need less water. That leads to a fuller, more attractive lawn.
Pros also maintain their mowing equipment regularly, keeping their blades sharp. When’s the last time you sharpened your mower blade?
Mowing with dull or nicked lawn mower blades will tear the grass blade, rather than leave a clean cut, and a torn or ripped blade of grass is more prone to disease and insect damage.
Lawn Fertilizer Mistakes
All it takes is one trip to the fertilizer aisle at the big box store to know that fertilizer is really confusing.
Many homeowners either apply too much fertilizer or apply it at the wrong time of the year.
Over fertilizing, especially with high levels of nitrogen, will cause lots of pretty green blades of grass, but not enough root growth. Too much fertilizer will actually burn the lawn.
Applying too much fertilizer isn’t just bad for your lawn and wasteful — it can harm the environment, running off and entering the ground water.
Lawn care experts know exactly how much fertilizer to apply and when to apply it. And because you’re on their calendar, they’ll arrive at just the right times to treat your lawn.
Lawn Care Equipment Hassles
Professional lawn care services use professional-grade equipment. Few homeowners invest in all the equipment needed to properly care for a healthy lawn. Maybe you borrow a spreader from a neighbor, rent a sprayer from the place down the street, drag your aging mower from the back of the garage, season after season.
And once you borrow or rent your spreader and sprayer, are you sure you’re calibrating them correctly to accurately apply your products?
Don't forget maintenance costs. Mowers need occasional tune-ups and oil changes. Mower and weed eater blades need sharpening. At Lawn Buddies, we use professional-grade equipment and we keep it expertly maintained — saving you the hassle.
Professional Lawn Care Products
Professionals have access to fertilizers and weed control you can’t buy without a license.
And hiring a lawn care service means you don’t have to worry about buying and storing chemicals in your garage.
Environmental Concerns
Inexperienced homeowners applying fertilizers and pesticides to their lawns can post serious risks to the environment. Leaving excess fertilizer on sidewalks or driveways means it can get washed away and enter the ground water.
Lawn care experts understand all the fine print on the pesticide and fertilizer labels, closely following the specific application rates and safety precautions.
Expert Knowledge
When pondering professional lawn care vs DIY, don't forget the value of expert knowledge. Professionals are experts in all types of turf and its needs, from weed control to aeration and de-thatching.
They know exactly what products your lawn needs, when and how to apply them.
That means no guess work — and potential mistakes — for you.
Those Pesky Lawn Clippings
Here in Idaho, mulching lawn clippings works in the hottest summer months. But in other seasons, we don’t have the high temperatures and humidity needed to break down the grass clippings between mowings.
Those excess grass clippings can be a nuisance, sticking to your shoes or bare feet, staining your kids’ clothes and getting tracked into the house.
Bagging them keeps everything neater. But it’s a big pain.
Your Time Is Valuable
Sure, you can head to the lawn care aisle on Saturday morning, invest in fertilizer, seed, weed control, equipment, head home, puzzle over the labels, apply everything, clean up and find a place in your garage to store what’s left.
But why? Why spend your valuable weekends toiling in your yard? Why risk making mistakes that can damage your lawn when you can turn your turf over to the pros?
Trust Your Lawn Care to Lawn Buddies
The professionals at Lawn Buddies know exactly what your lawn needs and when.
We serve residential properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started.
- Fill out the form on this page
- Call us at (208) 656-9131
- Or read more about our services
Then kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard.
