after application frequently asked questions

How long should I wait to go on my lawn after an application?

People and pets are free and safe to be on the lawn once the grass is dry to the touch. Dry time will vary depending on the time of day and weather conditions. A lawn will be dry much quicker on a warm sunny afternoon compared to a cool dewy morning. Temperature and wind always affect these times. We always offer recommended wait times on invoices that will be emailed or left with you at each application..

Should treatments be watered in?

Normal fertilizer applications will use moisture to breakdown and move into the soil. This includes moisture in the atmosphere. Most applications would still benefit from extra water within a few days of the application. If you receive a special treatment, like an insecticide or grub control, we recommend watering that in if there is no measureable rain within a 2-3 days of the application. These products will realistically lose effectiveness if not watered in. We will state this type of information on your invoice in these circumstances, so please read invoices following treatments.

Will rain harm or interfere with the application?

Rainfall is good for your lawn and the fertilizer application. The weed control is usually rain-fast within an hour or even less. If rain appears before the weed control does dry, it could be less effective. If this happens, we are happy to revisit your lawn in 10-14 days to check on progress. If there are weeds persistent in the lawn, we will retreat them at no cost to you.

How long after an application can I mow my lawn?

Ultimately, we’d prefer that you wait until the following day before mowing the lawn. This allows ample time for weed control to be taken in through the leaves of the weed. But we understand that with busy schedules that this can be difficult. Most of our lawns do not have many weeds, so often it is ok to mow your lawn several hours after the application but we ask you to keep the mowing tall! We would hate for you to chop off a weed before the weed control was absorbed down below the cutoff point.

Mowing before the application is also okay, but honestly we love when a lawn isn’t freshly mowed when we arrive. It makes it easier for us to see weeds, so that we can spray them with weed control. As well, the more surface area of a weed for our products to stick, the more successful we can be eliminating it.

Is it okay to bag clippings after an application?

We always recommend not collecting your grass in a bagger for the first mowing following an application. Most fertilizer prills (pellets) fall down into the grass nearer the soil, but some may be sitting in the grass canopy. There is a risk that if bagging, you may pick these up with the mower and they would end up in your bagger providing zero benefit to your lawn. By not bagging, fertilizer prills picked up would just be thrown right back down into the lawn providing all the benefit that they are intended for.

While on the subject of bagging, it is also recommended not to ever bag your lawn, if possible. Grass clippings form normal mowing are great organic material for your lawn. The clippings returned to the lawn break down quickly and provide a free organic food source. It is also good for the soil for the same reason. With proper mowing, grass clippings do not create thatch issues. With this said, we understand that sometimes bagging may be necessary if mowing grossly overgrown grass or in an attempt to collect leaves.

What height should I mow my lawn?

The single most important thing that you can do for the health of your lawn is to mow at the right interval and height. We recommend mowing your lawn between 3 - 4” high depending on the time of year, seasonal temperatures and amount of rainfall being received. The warmer it is and the less rainfall that is being received, the taller you should mow your lawn. In early spring and late fall, 3 - 3 1/2” is recommended. During the heat of summer, we recommend 3 1/2 - 4” or taller.

Mowing tall will produce a healthier and better looking lawn. It will preserve soil moisture through heat and drought. Additionally, grass blades are where photosynthesis takes place. The larger the surface area of the blade, the better this can be performed. This will produce deeper, stronger roots and a healthier plant. Lastly, taller grass shades the soil preventing weed seeds from receiving needed sunlight to germinate. This will help prevent weeds and crabgrass. Mowing too short stresses your lawn and leaves it weak and vulnerable to recovery and weed invasions.

Concerning mowing interval, mowing should be completed frequently enough to only remove 1/3rd of the height of the grass blade. The 1/3rd rule will cause the least amount of stress for your lawn and allow it to maintain a healthy balance between blade growth and root growth. This can be difficult during early spring when grass is growing very fast. This often requires mowing more than once a week during times of rapid growth.

Can I receive less applications?

Creating a beautiful, weed free lawn is progressive process. For starters, there are many different weeds that germinate and grow at different times of the season. Missing applications will create windows that we are unable to treat these weeds to eliminate their existence and spreading throughout your lawn. Additionally, our goal is to create a lawn that serves as its own defense against weeds. The best defense against weeds is a thick and healthy lawn. Fertilization and keeping your lawn well fed is an essential part of the equation of a weed free lawn. We have found that performing less applications has created less than desirable results. Customers are less happy, not getting what they are looking for. Our best lawns are those that receive all the treatments through the growing season.