A growing number of homeowners are now hiring Gulf Shores lawn services to help make their lawn look good. But guess what? Not all Gulf Shores lawn services are legit, and not all of them really know what they're doing and could end up harming your lawn instead of making it look better.
Homeowners should drill potential Gulf Shores lawn services about certifications, whether from a national industry group or state and local programs. Even though that doesn't guarantee quality, it does show some education in the field. You should also make sure that any of the Gulf Shores lawn services you're thinking about using actually has a business license and is insured, so you won't be liable for injuries or damages.
What Some Gulf Shores Lawn Services Don't Want You to Know
Many Gulf Shores lawn services tend to mow too frequently and they tend to keep grass on the short side. That's bad for several reasons: It lets sun reach weeds, helping them grow; it can stress and kill your lawn; the grass grows unevenly; and it can make the lawn grow faster, adding to the number of mowings that you end up paying for.
Whether you do it yourself or rely on one of the Gulf Shores lawn services, never cut more than a third of the length of the grass. Your yard is not a golf course green, and should not be cut short like a putting surface.
Get your soil tested at least every 3 to 5 years. Many Gulf Shores lawn services don't do this, so you may need to contact someone at your local or state extension service to have this done. This will tell you whether your land is alkaline or acidic and what nutrients are lacking in the soil. Some Gulf Shores lawn services just apply the same thing to everyone's lawn, regardless of what the soil may actually need. It's well worth the $20 to $40 a soil test may cost to pinpoint any potential problems that may be starting
Many Gulf Shores lawn services tend to over-fertilize. Industry critics say four or five times a year is too much, and most professionals say there shouldn't be more than 2 feedings each year. Just know that if you hire one of the Gulf Shores lawn services, they're probably going to put down as much as possible.
Consider the free fertilizer you can get by leaving cut lawn clippings in the grass as opposed to bagging them. Clippings will supply half the food your lawn needs a year. The perfect food for an American lawn is 10% nitrogen. Your lawn clippings are 10% nitrogen. There is no more perfect food for the lawn than the lawn itself.
Most Gulf Shores lawn services also spray preventative fungicide treatments and other special herbicides, as well as add lime to counter an overly acidic soil. Too much of this stuff on your lawn can actually harm the lawn in the long run. Check around. Some Gulf Shores lawn services offer an organic service that uses far less chemicals and pesticides.
One recommended treatment that may cut down on the amount of chemicals you need to put on your lawn and fight weeds the more natural way is aeration. Aerating the soil with a core aerator pulls out short plugs of soil that are left on the ground to break down, and creates space for grass to spread out on the lawn. Most legitimate Gulf Shores lawn services will offer aeration, usually as an added cost.
These are just a few of the things that many Gulf Shores lawn services won't bother to tell you. We hope you have gained a little more knowledge about your lawn, and more importantly, about your Gulf Shores lawn service company practices and policies.
For more home improvement tips, visit our Gulf Shores Home Improvements section of articles and information to your right under Gulf Shores Real Estate Categories.