Billing
Scheduling
Aeration/Seeding
Service Issues
Weed Control
Guarantees
Products/Safety
Lawn Care
Fertilizer
Grub & Insect
Billing
Do you require a contract?

No. There is no contract to sign. However, lawn care is a recurring service which means we will continue to perform the regularly scheduled treatments until you cancel or stop your service. Our results speak for themselves. Our work giving you a green lawn puts us in a position where we must re-earn your business with every application we make. For all services that you request from us, a confirmation letter will be emailed or sent via postal mail to your address. We want you to know what you are receiving from us so there are no surprises.

How do I pay for the service?

We will leave an invoice each time we service your lawn. You may send in a check with the envelope provided, call our office to pay by credit card, or log into your account by going to  www.Lushlawn.com  and click on “My Account”.

Pricing and Billing Terms

It is our goal to provide you with the best lawn care but also the easiest account management possible. For this reason, we accept payment via cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, or American Express. To make the process even easier, we offer discounts for prepayment of your services, or you can place your credit card on file, and we will charge it automatically the day after services are performed. An invoice will be left at the time of service. A pre-addressed envelope will also be left for your convenience in mailing your payment back to us. Please make payment by check, money order, or credit card. Payment on account is due upon receipt of invoice. If you are not satisfied and are holding payment, please contact the office so we can take care of whatever problem you have concerning the lawn. After 30 days, a 1.5% late charge or $1.50 (whichever is greater) will be added to your account and statements will be mailed at 2-week intervals until balance is paid. If balance exceeds 90 days and arrangements have not been made with us, the account will be submitted for collection. A collection fee may be added to the account at this time. You have access to your account history, billing information and services through our online account access 24/7. If you have got a question, the answer may be there. Take a quick look, and if you do not find the answer, please contact us. We will contact you back in 24 hours or less.

How Do You Determine My Price?

Our prices are based on the size of your lawn. We use specialized software that is based on google maps that allows us to accurately measure the square footage of your property. The lower the square footage, the lower your price. Our minimum price starts at 6000 sq. ft.  We can service a property of any size and will provide you with a customized quote for exactly what you need.

I received an auto-renewal notice in the mail

All our services auto-renew from year to year. We like to get out the renewal information to you early so you can review the services you had during the last season and adjust your treatment program for the coming year. An additional benefit of the auto-renew program is that we can schedule your early season pre-emergent and weed control treatments sooner. It is important to get the pre-emergent down early in the season so it can be watered into the lawn and be effective before weed seeds (primarily crabgrass) start to germinate. We also can get a head start on the dandelions – our number one weed we get called to control each year.

Scheduling
You have already done applications this month

We want to make sure our treatments are as effective as possible, so we space the applications out to be the most effective and schedule them accordingly. So, you may receive multiple services due to the timing requirements of the products. Certain products such as Grub preventer, water max, lawn disease preventer all must go down at the correct time of year, which might not be the same time as your fertilizer treatment.

When will you be here?

If you are a new customer, we schedule your first application within 10 business days of signing up for service. After that, your visit schedule will depend upon the treatment plan you’ve selected, but typically every 3-4 weeks.

Schedule Changes and Skips

If for any reason, you need to re-schedule, cancel or skip a service, please contact us at least 24 hours in advance by phone, or e-mail us at custservice@lushlawn.com. We will make every effort to make the change if you contact us within 24 hours, but with no guarantees. After a skip, your service will be picked back as soon as possible. Our treatments work best when they are applied on a regular schedule. Going too long between appointments will limit the effectiveness of the fertilizer and weed killer.

Rain Delays and Holidays

Although summer is the time of year we work, it is important to us that our employees have time to be with their families. We do observe Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day and will not be treating your lawn on those days.  Because we follow a strict schedule, we do not have the luxury of “taking off” when it lightly rains. The products we use can be applied in light rain or after the rains subsides. Typically, if it rains heavily throughout the day, we will be there the next day, weather permitting. We do not skip unless requested, if we do skip or miss a service day, we will contact you to inform you why we were unable to make it out for your scheduled service day.

Service Days

We work Monday through Friday. We don not treat residential lawns before 7am, and we try to schedule our staff, so they are all back in the office by 5pm.  If necessary, we will use Saturdays and early evenings to help make up for any weather delays.  Several factors can affect our schedule, so we cannot guarantee an exact time or specific time range on your service day.

Can I Choose My Service Day?

To provide the best service, we group customers together to minimize the amount of driving our technicians do in a single day. Grouping together helps us minimize our costs and keep the price of your services competitive. We do make every attempt to accommodate your schedule for mowing services and other needs, but we cannot guarantee we can do this.

What If My Lawn Did Not Get Treated on My Scheduled Day?

Other than a rain delay or a very rare circumstance we should never miss a scheduled service. In the case of a delay we will always be out as soon as possible. If you are looking at your lawn and do not believe someone has been out, please call us within 48 hours of your scheduled visit so we may investigate the issue and get it resolved immediately.

Do I have to be home during the application?

No. Most of our lawns are serviced during normal working hours. Your technician will complete his work and leave an invoice at your door. All we ask is that the property be open for us to access the areas that need to be treated.

Aeration/Seeding
It is too late to seed my lawn.

When you seed the lawn determines when the seeds will germinate. We must seed after the extreme heat of August has ended. Seeding early in the fall allows the seed to germinate and set roots yet this year. Seeding later in the season, the seeds will remain dormant in your lawn until the warm temperatures of next spring when they will begin to grow.

You got seed in my beds or driveway.

When overseeding we do our best to keep the seeds in the lawn. We have shields on the seed spreader to keep the distribution as close as possible to the machine.

I do not see any plugs after my aeration.

Depending upon your soil type the soil plugs can be hard to find. Sandy soils allow the plugs to break down very quickly, almost as soon as we pull them out of the soil. If you have a thick, lush lawn that is mown high, plugs can be hidden in the grass. Check areas where there is less grass to see if you can see the plugs or holes in the lawn there.

I just had an aeration and my lawn is a mess.

Aeration pulls up plugs that are about 2-3 inches long from your lawn. These plugs of soil will break down very quickly sitting on the surface of the lawn from rain, watering, and normal mowing. You should not remove the plugs; the natural breakdown of the plugs adds nutrients back into your lawn for the upcoming season

Do I really need Aeration?

Since you are already investing in the health of your lawn with fertilizer and weed control, then including aeration is a very easy answer: yes. Here is why. Typically, turfgrass roots only grow 1-2 inches deep. Core aeration removes a cylindrical core, approximately 2-3 inches deep, creating a physical opening in the soil. This opening allows water and nutrients (fertilizer) to penetrate deep into the soil. Aeration encourages roots to grow deeper and denser, making your lawn more resilient to drought and weed infestation. 

Aeration is one of the single most effective practices to help your lawn thrive. We suggest one visit per year in the fall with over-seeding. However, for difficult soil conditions, or if you are looking for the ultimate lawn, an early spring aeration will help improve the lawn faster.

Service Issues
My lawn is too dry for you to treat.

Lush Lawn uses a granular fertilizer that breaks down over time. This is better for your lawns in the summer months when it is not raining as much. The fertilizer is absorbed as it is watered into the lawn getting down into the root zone better. In the warmer months we only spot treat for problem weeds, this is more effective and prevents us from burning the lawn.

What if it rains after an application?

Rain following a pre-emergent, fertilizer or soil treatment is good because it dissolves the product allowing it to be absorbed into the soil. When applying weed control products, a light rain or mist does not hamper the effectiveness of the product. However, if there is a heavy, steady, rain within 2 hours of the application, this may affect the results. If this is the case, give the application time to work (7-10 days)  and if at this time the weeds do not begin to shrivel up and die, please call us and we’ll gladly re-treat the weeds at no additional cost to you.

The technician did not treat my back yard.

We always start in the back yard, so if you are home you may not have seen them until they got around to another area.  If you are checking your home security cameras, many motion-sensitive cameras do not catch the motion farther away from the camera, or only record a snapshot and will not record their visit. If you think we were not there, check your invoice to see what we did that day. If we applied a granular fertilizer you should be able to look into the grass and see the product on the ground.

The tech did not spray heavy during my mosquito application

Our technicians us a backpack blower that creates a mist to treat for mosquitoes. It does not create a heavy “fog” that you can see clearly while they are treating your property. This mist attracts better to the foliage where mosquitos hide during the day and helps create a long-term barrier preventing them from laying eggs.

Pets/Yard Debris

We appreciate your letting us know if you have any pets that are kept outside so that your technician will be aware of them. Please leave your pet inside on your scheduled service days. Our lawn treatments are safe after they have dried (2-4 hours after an application). Please pick up all pet droppings, toys, large bones, large rocks, etc. the day before we treat your lawn. We do our best to avoid these items, but we do not want to spray weed killer on something your dog plays with, or your children’s toys.

Yard Access

Your gate must remain unlocked for the full day of your regularly scheduled service. If you prefer not to unlock your gate, we recommend that you use combo locks and that you provide us with the password or combination. Sorry, we are unable to send our technician back or issue any credit for not treating inside a locked, fenced area.

Service Issues

We strive for your complete satisfaction with every service we provide. While we are unable to give refunds or credits, we will send your technician back to correct any reasonable service issues, without any additional charges, if you contact us within 24 hours of the service (or 10 days for weed killer applications). Otherwise, we will consider the work satisfactory. If you contact us after 24 hours, we will talk to our technician about your complaint in order that it will be corrected on your next service.

Service Cancellation

No same-day cancellations are accepted. There is no obligation by either party to continue service and you may cancel service at any time. We hope that you stay with us for the entire season, and we promise to make every effort to earn your business loyalty.

If I Have A Service Concern How Do I Communicate It to You?

There are several ways for you to communicate all concerns or questions. If you are at home when your technician is servicing your property, please feel free to stop them and let them know your concerns. If the issue is about the lawn service, they may be able to resolve it on the spot. If your question is about your account, adding services, or billing issues it is better to check out our FAQ section on our website. If you cannot find an answer there, then you have several options: You can start an online chat with a customer service representative. Someone is monitoring the chat box every day during normal business hours (8am – 6pm, Monday thru Friday). If you start a chat outside of normal business hours, we will respond first thing the next business day. You may email our office directly at custservice@lushlawn.com You may call our office at 866-668-5296 during normal business hours (8am – 6pm, Monday thru Friday). 

Why Do Your Fertilizer Spreaders Move So Fast?

We use high-end commercial grade lawn motorized spreaders/sprayers.  This equipment is the best you can buy and cover a much larger area than a standard pull-behind or push spreader typically found at a big-box store, or hose-type sprayers used by some of our competitors. This equipment is self-propelled and made to move at a much faster pace than a standard walk behind product. The key is to ensure that the equipment is calibrated regularly and matched to the speed at which the machine moves.  This is not a common practice, but we check our machines on a weekly schedule to ensure quality applications.  Our technicians are trained and tested to make sure that they are applying fertilizer and weed killer at the proper rate for the speed they are traveling.   Because of the equipment we use, and our training program, it is normal for us to treat an average subdivision sized lot in about 10 minutes.

The technician was only here for 8 mins, there is no way he did a good job.

It is not how long a technician is at your home that matters, but the care taken when applying the product that makes the difference. We use powered spreaders/sprayers that cover a larger area than a push spreader allowing for great efficiency.  In open areas our sprayers can cover a path over 8’ wide at a time.  Because of this we can treat an average-sized yard in less than 10 minutes if there are not too many obstacles to drive around.

I have ruts all over my lawn

Our equipment uses wide, low-pressure tires to minimize any damage to your lawn. If you see tire tracks, they should go away within a day. If they last more than 24 hours your lawn could be thirsty – check to see when the last time it was watered. If there are deep ruts left in the soil from our equipment please contact our customer service department so we can come out and assess any damage and correct as needed.

I have tire tracks in my lawn. I can clearly see where he drove.

Our equipment uses wide, low-pressure tires to minimize any damage to your lawn. If you see tire tracks, they should go away within a day. If they last more than 24 hours your lawn could be thirsty – check to see when the last time it was watered. Check out your most recent service invoice. If there was a problem such as a lawn disease the technician would have noted it for future treatment. Many times, a lawn disease will not show up until you walk or drive across the lawn, and then you will see the footprints or tire tracks. 

What Happens If Damage Is Caused on My Property?

Contact our office right away. Any time you see potential damage that may have been caused by our technicians please let us know right away, so we can make a timely professional repair at our expense. We have vendors and staff members on call to handle these situations right away. Please do not contact an outside vendor for the repair before contacting us. 

**We will not honor any request for repair expenses for damaged property that we were not made aware of and allowed to rectify beforehand.** If we are unable to repair the problem professionally we will make arrangements to hire someone who is qualified.

You Broke My Sprinkler Head

While not common, sometimes sprinkler heads are damaged by lawn equipment. Irrigation systems require regular maintenance just like most other systems on your property. The 2 common causes of irrigation damage are when the ground shifts and moves the heads into a more hazardous position than when they were originally installed, and when the spring-loaded sprinkler head has worn out and does not retract back into the ground. If the sprinkler head is stuck in an elevated position because of these causes, it is possible for our technician to hit it. 

Also, when aerating a lawn, the process creates small holes 2”-3” deep in your lawn. We ask that you mark your sprinkler heads with a flag before we aerate the lawn so we can avoid those areas. 

If a sprinkler head is damaged by our equipment please let us know immediately, so we can make a timely professional repair at our expense. 

Is Lush Lawn and Safari Tree licensed?

Yes. All commercial lawn care and pest control applicators are required by the State of Michigan Department of Agriculture to be licensed to apply pesticides and weed control of any sort. All lawn care and pest control application technicians are required to be tested, certified, and recertified every three years. We are proud to say that all our technicians are certified.

Weed Control
I would like weed control only.

Our lawn program includes weed control and fertilizer because they both play an important part in ridding your lawn of weeds. The weed control kills off existing weeds, while the fertilize helps thicken the lawn to naturally limit reproduction of weeds. We highly recommend both weed control and fertilizer but understand that may not be what you are looking to achieve with your lawn at this time. We will put together a plan for you that includes weed control applications only, but we do not offer our weed-free guarantee for these applications.

I have crabgrass in my lawn.

The first thing we need to do is make sure it is crabgrass. If it is early in the year and the soil temperature is less than 55 degrees crabgrass will not germinate. Sending us a picture will help identify what type of grass you have, and if it needs to be eliminated from your lawn. The best way to control crabgrass is to apply a pre-emergent so it does not get a chance to start growing. If it has already established itself there are post emergent treatments we can apply to kill it. If you have a 7-application lawn care program or the Extender program, these treatments are provided at no cost to you.

You treated my lawn recently, so why do I still have weeds?

Our liquid weed controls are the most effective available. Weeds begin to curl and disappear in 2-3 days, but it may take up to two weeks before they are completely gone. Unusually hot weather, a heavy rain after your treatment, or mowing immediately after treatment can reduce control. The good news is that as a Lush Lawn customer with a 7-treatment program, you can simply call us and we will retreat your lawn, at no extra cost to you! If the issue persists, please let us know and we will be glad to investigate additional steps that can be taken to help get your lawn in top shape.

Why can’t all weeds die with one spraying and still not hurt the grass?

This is a great question, and we wish we could offer a service like that. But unfortunately, no single chemical (or combination of chemicals) is available to control all weeds, at one time, in one spraying. There are two major weed groups that grow in your lawn throughout the year: broadleaf weeds (clover, dandelions) that grow in cool temperatures, and grassy weeds (crabgrass) that grow during warm temperatures. Each weed group has specific chemicals that are used for post-emergent control. These chemicals can only work on these weeds within a certain temperature range. For example, broadleaf weeds can be controlled if temperatures stay above 32°F. The cooler the temps the slower it takes for the results – usually 2-3 weeks. On the other hand, grassy weeds require 80°F days and 70°F nights for control. If it does not reach this range, you will not see good results.

What is your re-spray/ service call policy?

If the weeds do not die after the number of days required for results, we will provide a free re-spray if the request is within 14 days of your last regularly scheduled treatment. For any re-spray requests made after 14 days of your latest application; the next treatment will be applied instead of a service call at your regular treatment cost. You can request a service call on our website, via email, or by telephone.

How long before the weeds die?

Weed control is dependent on the temperature. A general rule of thumb is the colder the evening temperature the longer it takes for weeds to die. Cold evening temperatures (rounds 1, 2, 3, and 7) – may take 14 to 21 days to see results. Warm evening temperatures (rounds 4, 5, and 6) – should show results within 7-10 days.

Guarantees
What is the Weed-Free Guarantee?

Our 7-application program and our Extender Program includes this special guarantee. Spot a weed? We guarantee that we will eliminate the weeds from your lawn. Contact us and we will be happy to schedule a return visit at no cost to you. Remember that weed control does not happen like the TV commercials. It can take up to 10 days for weeds to curl up and die following a treatment. Before calling us to come out please allow enough time for the weed killer to work.   Some restrictions apply. See our terms of service for full details.      

Do you guarantee your services?

Yes. We guarantee all our weed control, fertilization, and pest control services. We will come back to re-spray any actively growing weeds if it is requested between 14-21 days from the previous application. Most weeds will begin to turn brown and die within 10 days of a weed control application.    Our fertilization services are guaranteed to help grow a lush, green lawn. However, we do not recommend additional fertilizer applications in between your scheduled visits. Too much fertilizer can be a bad thing, promoting excessive top growth at the expense of strong root growth. Also putting down excessive fertilizer without proper watering can cause your lawn to burn.   We also guarantee our pest control programs. If you encounter any pest problem between our regularly scheduled treatments, we will come back to re-treat for those problems at no additional cost to you. At Lush Lawn and Safari Tree, we do everything we can to ensure that you are highly satisfied with our services. Guarantees apply only as part of a full season-long program. Some individual applications/treatments have separate guarantees, please contact use for more details.

What if I am not satisfied with the results?

Our program is proven to work; however, sometimes underlying conditions can hinder the effectiveness of our program.   For example, a lawn which is high in sand or clay and low in organic matter will not be able to absorb and retain nutrients and can more quickly deteriorate under difficult summer conditions (heat, drought, infection).   If your lawn is not responding well to our program, we suggest an assessment of your lawn's underlying conditions (soil quality, organic matter content, pH level, nutrient composition and more). This entire process is included as part of our Extender service or is available as a separate soil analysis. There is a cost involved, which most find worthwhile as part of investing in the health of one's lawn and landscape. Our soil analysis service will help guide the next steps to revive your lawn to full health.

Products/Safety
Are your products safer than your competitors?

All our products are EPA certified for use on your lawn. The products that we use are available for use by any licensed competitors. Some of our competitors use terms like Natural or Organic in their business names, which can be misleading.  There is no natural or organic weed control that has been proven effective.   The difference in their product offerings are composition ratios, level of quality, their application method and safety practices. One way that we certainly are different from our competitors is that as a safety measure and courtesy to your family, who may be enjoying time outside, we do not apply on windy days, weekends, or evenings.

What sort of risks are associated with using these products?

Our products are EPA certified for safe use on your lawn. The EPA regulates the use of fertilizer and pesticides and has established that they must be applied in accordance with the label instructions. Used by our licensed applicators, in strict compliance with labeled instructions, our products do not represent any significant risk to your family or pets.    After we perform an application on your lawn, we will place a small sign to inform you that an application has occurred and to ask you to stay off the lawn until it dries (usually 2-4 hours depending on humidity).    We understand that most people want to use their lawns on the weekend, and we will never treat your lawn on weekends unless absolutely necessary, and we provide advance notice to you that this will be taking place.

What type of weed control products will you apply to my lawn?

The weed control products that we offer are certified with the EPA for use on your lawn. These weed control products are selective to the certain weeds that your lawn is infested with and will not harm your turfgrass. We will not treat pests (weeds) that are not present on your lawn. Lush Lawn custom mixes our weed control products to ensure quality and accuracy. Our products are commercial products that are not available to homeowners.

What is a pesticide?

A pesticide is a product that targets and controls a pest, such as: weeds, insects, or fungi. These types of pesticides are respectively defined as herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide. These are just a few examples of pesticides. Pesticides are classified by the EPA as either general-use (consumer grade that can be purchased over the counter) or restricted use (available only to licensed professionals).

What brand of fertilizer products will you apply to my lawn?

Lush Lawn offers commercial-grade premium fertilizer products made by Lesco, who has made a name for themselves in the industry for their quality, performance, and reliability. The products we use are a professional grade not available in retail stores.  Lesco offers a broad range of compositions in their products, which allows us the flexibility to select the right product for your lawn and the seasonal growing conditions. We are confident that their products will contribute to the health of your lawn while maintaining a safe environment for your family and pets.   Our weed control treatments are mixed by Lush Lawn to the correct formulation in a proprietary-designed bulk chemical mixing system at each branch. This ensures that the products are mixed exactly as needed, with no variation. This helps us to control weeds more effectively, using less chemicals on your lawn. 

When is it safe to get back on the lawn?

When the lawn is dry (typically 2-4 hours), it may be used as normal.

Are the applications safe for my family and pets?

All the products that we use are mixed and applied according to the requirements of the manufacturer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Michigan. In their diluted form they are considered by the EPA to be “practically non-toxic.” There are no credible studies linking the lawn care products we us – when mixed and applied correctly – to any adverse health effects. 

Lawn Care
Does my lawn really need dethatching?

For many years dethaching lawns was a popular service offered by lawn care companies. In the last few years new evidence has shown that dethaching lawns can be detrimental to their health, and because of that Lush Lawn does not offer this service. Thatch is a completely normal occurrence. In fact, all healthy lawns have thatch. A problem only exists if the thatch layer gets so thick that water and air have trouble getting to the root system. The thatch layer can thicken when there is an inadequate mowing frequency, over-watering, and over-fertilization.   Instead, aeration has proven to be the most beneficial lawn service outside of regular care (mowing, fertilizing, watering). The process of aeration punches holes in the lawn's thatch layer and soil substrate, allowing for water and nutrients to sink right down to the root system. Because aeration targets both the thatch layer and soil compaction, it is recommended to perform at least once per year in the spring or fall. For more information on aeration, click here to see our FAQ on aeration.

How should I schedule the run times on my automatic sprinkler system?

Watering your lawn is very important to the overall health of the turfgrass and to ensure that the treatments you have paid for do their work. If fertilizer is not watered into the lawn – either through rain or your sprinklers, it cannot provide the nutrients your lawn needs.    The best time to water is right before sunrise. This allows the water time to penetrate the lawn before the heat of the sun hits it. Michigan lawns typically need approximately 1” of water per week.  A long thorough soaking is better than many short waterings

Why did my lawn turn yellow after the application?

Sometimes after an application in the summer months, the yard will get a little “tip-burn”. The salts in the fertilizer may slightly burn the grass or it could be a little burn from the herbicide. Either way this condition is temporary. Please follow the watering instructions left behind by your service technician to aid in the recovery for a lush-green lawn.    Also, many times in the hot summer months, lawns will have diseases that show up only after you walk or drive on the lawn. Footprints and tire tracks are not necessarily the result of “fertilizer burn” or excessive weed control, it is the disease “melting out”.  Most times the lawn will recover on its own with fertilizer and water. Depending upon the severity of the disease a disease control treatment may be necessary to prevent further damage.   In the fall and winter, areas may turn yellow to yellow-brown after an application. This is normal for this time of year. The yard is going dormant and may not turn green again after this application until spring.

How tall should I mow my lawn?

We recommend that during the normal growing season you keep your lawn cut to approximately 3” in height. This is an optimum height for keeping the lawn healthy and green, it reduces the need for watering and is better for the grass, particularly during times of drought. Mowing shorter requires additional watering to keep your lawn green and can contribute to weed germination and growth.  In fall, as weeds stop germinating, you can lower your cutting height to approximately 2” which will help mulch any leaves that fall in your yard.

How long should I wait after an application before I water or cut the grass?

It is usually best to wait 24 hours before watering the grass following an application that contains weed control. Also make sure that within 7 days of the application the product has been watered into the soil either by rain or sprinkler to ensure the best results.    You can cut the grass any time after the product has been watered into the soil for granular fertilizer.

Fertilizer
How does a specialty application work?

Some lawns have aggressive weeds which our fertilizer and weed control program may not sufficiently treat. This is especially common when a lawn has gone a long time without any weed treatments. In such cases a specialty application may be required. A specialty application is a product which will specifically target the problematic weed. Applications of this nature are most effective when they are applied routinely to have a cumulative effect: like a "1-2 punch."   A specialty application will start to work right away and you should notice leaf curl within 7 days. However, without proper follow-up treatments, the stored energy in the weed's root system is likely to bounce back. For this reason, we perform on-going treatments with your routine fertilizer program until the weed is completely eradicated or a desired level of control has been reached. Specialty weed control is included as part of the full 7-application Lawn Care or Extender Programs.

I would like a fertilizer application with no herbicides.

Our fertilizer applications contain herbicides to kill the weeds in your lawn. If you are worried about the safety of herbicides - we understand, mixed and used improperly herbicides can be hazardous. However Lush Lawn uses a proprietary, computerized mixing system to ensure that herbicides are mixed at the proper ratio, and all our technicians are trained and licensed to apply them properly to your lawn.    Herbicides can be safely used when you (and pets) stay off the lawn until the spray-solution dries; this can take anywhere from 2-4 hours but can vary based on humidity. However, we understand that you may not be comfortable with herbicides and for that reason we do offer applications that are fertilizer only. Fertilizer-only applications are priced the same, and there is no guarantee for weed-control.

Do you perform a soil test to determine what my lawn needs?

The fertilizers we apply are a custom blend of nutrients that Michigan turfgrasses need each day of the growing season. This means that with each application we are replenishing the nutrients as they are continually being depleted by your lawn. A soil test is only necessary if your lawn exhibits abnormal symptoms, such as large dead spots, discoloration, lethargy, etc. A soil test will determine if additional remediation is necessary to remedy a pH imbalance, unusual nutrient-deficiency, or infestation. These instances are less common and are handled on a case-by-case basis. An annual soil test is included as part of the Extender program and can be added to any other program for a small charge to cover the laboratory cost and analysis involved.

Do you offer any natural lawn care options?

Yes! We offer natural lawn fertilizer and mosquito control treatments.   Our natural fertilizers provide Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus for your lawn. These fertilizers are made of from sources such as fish meal, manure, bat guano, earthworm castings, etc.    Our organic mosquito control treatment is designed to offer an alternative to our traditional pesticide program. This natural mosquito control is effective as it is safe.  The materials we use are 100% Organic. They are free of synthetic pesticides and safe to apply around pets, children, and wildlife with no negative impact to the local environment

Do you use liquid or granular products?

We use both liquid and granular depending upon the application. All our fertilizer is granular, which is more effective than liquid because we can apply a mix of fast and slow release fertilizers. Having a mix of both means that your lawn is fed continuously. Granular fertilizers are also easier to spread throughout the lawn so it is less likely that we will miss an area.   A lot of companies use liquid fertilizer that require you to receive more applications. The reason is fast acting liquid fertilizers do not contain the same slow-release abilities as coated granular fertilizers and need to be applied more often. Additionally, liquid fertilizers have a greater tendency to burn lawns if applied at too high of a rate.   Our weed control treatments are liquid, which is the most effective way to kill weeds that are present in your lawn at the time of application. The liquid is absorbed directly into the plant leaves causing them to die much more quickly than a granular application.

What results can I expect to see?

With the first application, as the weather warms up, you will see your grass start to “green up” faster than your neighbors, weeds shouldn’t be an issue early in the season as they haven’t started to germinate yet. After your second application, you will notice that any weeds you have will begin to curl and die within a 5-7 days after the visit. After several watering’s, the nutrients that we apply will start to be absorbed by your lawn, keeping it green.    If we are treating for a lawn disease or treating to improve soil conditions that were identified as part of a soil test, this can require multiple applications and/or continuing treatment to achieve and maintain desired results.   Lawn treatments are a cumulative process, which means that with each treatment, you are working nutrients into the soil and eradicating generational weed infestations. If your lawn has not been fertilized in a while, it will require some time and possibly some seeding, to fill in the thinning areas which have been taken over by weeds. The service technicians from Lush Lawn will keep an eye on how your lawn is progressing throughout the season to ensure you get the results you are looking for.

What if I would like fewer applications?

We are happy to accommodate your request for fewer applications and customize a program for you. However, our weed-free satisfaction guarantee only applies to a full 7 treatment lawn care program or our Extender program.    If someone else is offering you a weed-free, lawn with fewer applications, this is a red flag. Because weeds germinate constantly throughout the growing season, this means that lawns require frequent and routine attention to remain weed-free, which our 7-application program offers.    We have seen this happen over the 15 years that we have been in business. With fewer applications, your lawn will develop more weeds than your neighbor's. Give our full program a try, and you will find that your lawn becomes the best on the block.

Can you tell me how your applications are composed?

Early Spring: Application includes nitrogen for spring greenup. Depending upon soil temperatures, growing conditions and the date of your first treatment it may also include pre-emergent herbicide and broadleaf herbicide   Spring: Blanket application of broadleaf herbicide for weed control. Liquid pre-emergent control for crabgrass (if not done in first application) Nitrogen fertilizer with micronutrients will be added to improve summer hardiness. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer, (Fe) iron, (Mn) manganese, and broadleaf herbicide.   Early Summer: Apply our summer-formulated fertilizer with micronutrients and organic material. Weed control is applied as needed. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide.   Mid-Summer: Apply our summer-formulated fertilizer with micronutrients and organic material. Weed control is applied as needed. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide.   Late Summer: Apply a time-released balanced fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide spot treatment as needed. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide.   Fall: Apply a time-released balanced fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide blanket treatment. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide.   Late Fall: Apply a quick-release nitrogen fertilizer to promote a strong root system throughout the winter and ensure early spring green-up, and broadleaf herbicide spot treatment as needed. Application includes nitrogen fertilizer and broadleaf herbicide.

Can you help me understand why I need 7 applications?

To help you understand why we recommend 7 applications, some technical understanding is essential. Cool-season turf grasses such as those found in Michigan need between 5-7 pounds of total Nitrogen (per 1,000 sq ft) each season to perform at their best. Since the maximum application rate is 1 pound per application, that equates to 5-7 applications per season. Any less than 3 pounds of nitrogen per season, and our cool-season turf grasses will show color inconsistency and decline in density, allowing weeds to pop-up more readily.  We adjust our fertilization rates based upon your specific lawn. Lawns that have built-in sprinklers and are watered regularly will grow faster and require more nitrogen than a lawn that is not watered regularly. Knowing how you manage your lawn helps us in keeping it as beautiful as possible.   Getting the proper nutrients in your lawn is key, but equally important are keeping out the pests like invasive weeds and turf-feeding insects.   Weeds can grow faster than grass and consume the same Nitrogen that we apply to your lawn. Because weeds are routinely germinating and spreading their seed by wind, birds, etc., your weed-control should be just as routine as your fertilizer. Lawns with fewer applications will inherently have more weeds than lawns that get more applications.

How many times a year do you treat the lawn?

Our most popular and effective program consists of 7 treatments per year. We find that this frequency is very effective at controlling weeds that grow at every stage of spring and summer and provides the proper amount of fertilizer to help you grow a lush, green lawn. With less than 7 applications, you may see weeds coming back between treatments.   Perhaps your lawn is lush and weed-free now? That is fantastic news, but that's not by chance: either the sod farm (if your lawn is new), or the previous homeowner (if you just moved in), or you (good work!) has put in great effort to achieve that. If that same effort is not continued, your lawn will slowly degrade as it consumes soil nutrients faster than they are replenished, and weed seeds slowly infest as they are not routinely controlled.   The good news is that Lush Lawn has a weed-free guarantee with  your 7-application program, so you can rest easy knowing that your lawn is getting what it needs to stay healthy, vibrant and the best on the block!

When do you begin fertilizing?

Fertilization programs begin in-sync with seasonal growing conditions. In a normal year, the window for your first application begins around March 15 with pre-emergent treatments and finishes up by early November with the winterizer fertilizer.   This is an approximate window because we time our treatments based on soil temperatures and weather conditions to ensure the products applied work as intended. Subsequent applications will be timed every 4-5 weeks from your first application, with your last application coming in the fall. 

Grub & Insect
I have the grub preventer but I am still having issues with moles.

While grubs are a food source for moles, their favorite food is earthworms. So, if you have healthy turf with lots of worms you can still have moles. If this is a serious problem in your yard, we have a mole service to help provide a remedy.

What is Perimeter Pest Insect Control?

This service helps keep bugs out of your home by defending their most common place of entrance: your home's foundation. Foundations are notorious for having tiny cracks that bugs can slip into, but more often overlooked is the sill-plate. The sill-plate is the area where the home sits upon the concrete foundation. This wooden plate can warp over time, creating small crevices where bugs can waltz straight into your home. This warping is a common occurrence and we highly recommend that you have a licensed builder inspect your sill-plate and provide proper sealing if there are leaks. Meanwhile, our Perimeter Pest Control will help keep bugs away from your foundation and out of your home! This program is applied 5 times per season for maximum effectiveness. We treat around the foundation of your home and include window and door frames, and door sills where small openings provide easy access for insects.   Perimeter Pest Insect Control is a preventative application that targets all common insects that may try to find their way into your home from ground level. It does not target flying insects that may try to enter your home from elevated areas. Perimeter pest applications are performed between May and September when insects are most active.

What is Lawn Pest/Insect Control?

Lush Lawn uses a granular surface insecticide as a preventive and corrective treatment for surface-feeding insects. This group of bugs exists at or above the soil line, where they feed on grass blades. Insect damage can strain your lawn and decrease its resilience to systemic diseases. This makes controlling these insects necessary to keep your lawn in tip-top shape. Surface feeding insects increase in population and activity as temperatures grow warmer. This is a one-time application, typically performed in May-June, which targets insects during early activity. Protect your lawn by adding this treatment today.   Common surface feeding insects include billbugs, chinch bugs, cut worms, web worms and the list goes on. This treatment is a broad-spectrum product that will target nearly all insect activity at the soil level, without harming productive insects such as bees, butterflies, etc.

What is Grub Protection?

Grub Protection is a preventive treatment to help prevent the spread of grubs on your lawn. Grubs typically hatch mid-summer and feed on the roots of your lawn. Grubs are a problem which remain out of sight until your lawn starts to die off in patches where they have been feeding.