How to Select a Lawn Care Service in Maryland
Fertilizer applied to a healthy lawn at recommended rates will not pose a threat to water quality. In fact, most lawns benefit from annual fertilizer treatments to encourage dense growth and increased resistance to pests and drought. Thick, healthy lawns absorb rainwater runoff and help keep soil and other pollutants from reaching storm drains, local streams and other pathways to the Bay.
A lawn care service is a popular alternative for busy homeowners who want someone else to care for their lawns. If you decide to use a lawn care service, this guide can help.
How to find and compare lawn care providers
Follow these consumer protection tips when narrowing the field of potential lawn care providers:
- Make sure the firm and its personnel are certified and licensed.
- If your lawn care provider uses pesticides to control insects and weeds—including “weed and feed” products—he or she must be licensed and certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Regulation Section. Trained personnel are issued identification cards from the department and the business license number must be painted on the service vehicle. Call 410-841-5710 or visit egov.maryland.gov/mda/pesticides to search a database of licensed companies and certified pesticide applicators.
- Lawn care professionals who apply fertilizers to lawns must also be certified by the department’s Nutrient Management Program. View a list of certified professional fertilizer applicators - PDF - 1.43 MB or call 410-841-5959 for more information.
- Ask neighbors for recommendations. Satisfied customers are the best indicator of a good company.
- Get at least three estimates. Make sure that all companies are bidding on similar services. Don’t be afraid to ask for only the services that you want. Get in writing which services are optional and which are included.
- Don’t let cost be a deal breaker. High quality fertilizer, seed and other products will inevitably cost more, but in the long run are worth the added investment.
- Ask the company to measure your lawn before providing an estimate. Cost is usually based on the size of your lawn. This measurement is also needed to ensure that fertilizer is applied at the proper rate for your property.
- Ask if the service is automatically renewed each year. Are there are penalties if you cancel your service agreement?
- Ask what happens if you have a problem between applications. Will an additional service call be free, or will you be charged?
Ask the right questions
Once you have narrowed your list of potential lawn care service providers, it’s time to interview. Meet with a company representative in your home to answer questions, diagnose problems and learn as much as you can about the firm’s fertilizer program before committing.
Here are some key questions to ask:
Choosing Lawn Care Professionals - FAQs
Fertilizer applications should be made when the grass is actively growing. Confirm that your lawn care provider follows these University of Maryland guidelines:
- Warm Season Grasses—(zoysia grass and Bermudagrass) These grasses stay green throughout summer and turn brown early in the fall. They should be fertilized in early summer when they are growing most actively.
- Cool Season Grasses—(tall fescue, bluegrass, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass) These grasses grow best in cool weather. Shoots grow actively in the spring. Top growth slows in the fall, but root growth continues. Because Maryland weather is variable, these grasses may show growth at any time of the year. Most of the total fertilizer applied during the year should be applied in the fall to help the grass recover from summer stresses. Light applications may be made at other times of the year if the grass is growing. Applying fertilizer during periods of prolonged heat and drought stresses the grass, increases the potential for runoff and should be avoided. Applying fertilizer when the ground is frozen is prohibited.
Nitrogen, a major ingredient in most fertilizers, promotes grass shoot growth and leafy top growth. Nitrogen is available in two forms: slow release and quick release. Slow release nitrogen provides more uniform plant growth over a longer period of time, with less chance of injury to the grass and a reduced potential for leaching. Quick release nitrogen promotes rapid grass growth and dark green color, but is more likely to leach through the soil. Ask your lawn care provider to use slow release nitrogen on your lawn.
Liquid and granular fertilizers work equally well in promoting a healthy lawn. Slow release nitrogen can be applied in granular or liquid form.
Ask your lawn care service not to fertilize if heavy rain is predicted. Heavy rainfall may cause nutrients to leach through the soil or wash off the lawn and into storm drains. Nutrient losses will be minimized if slow release (water insoluble) nitrogen is used.
Soil pH is a measurement of a soil’s acidity or alkalinity. The lower the pH, the more acidic the soil and vice versa. Soil pH that is too high or too low inhibits the ability of the grass to absorb fertilizer and increases the likelihood that unused nutrients will leach into groundwater. Maryland soils can become more acidic over time. Turf grows best in soil that is slightly acidic; however, problems may start to occur if the pH falls below 5.4. Therefore, periodic applications of lime are often needed to raise the pH. Some companies apply a maintenance level of lime each year as part of their standard program. Others recommend a lime application based on soil test results. Find out what you’re getting.
Most lawn care services offer a variety of weed and pest control programs. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a method of controlling weeds and insects using a range of management strategies only when pests reach threatening levels. Frequent pest monitoring is required.
Lawn care companies should always provide homeowners with advance notice of pesticide applications so that lawn furniture and toys can be removed. The firm should place a chemical application sign on your property after treatment and tell you how long you should stay off the lawn.
Fertilizer sprayers and spreaders should be calibrated regularly in order to ensure that nutrients are being applied to your lawn at the proper rate. As a rule, the more frequently equipment is calibrated, the more accurate the fertilizer application
Professional organizations such as the Maryland Turfgrass Council provide ongoing training opportunities for their members. They also update members on new products, equipment, regulations and safety issues.
Make sure your provider follows Maryland's fertilizer law
Make sure that your lawn care provider plays by the rules. Maryland’s lawn fertilizer law includes new rules for lawn care providers that promote healthy lawns and protect waterways from nutrient runoff.
Here are ways to verify that your service provider is on board.
- Ask for a soil test. A soil test is the single most important way to ensure that lawns are not overfertilized. A soil test will also determine whether lime is required. Maryland law requires soil testing before phosphorus may be applied to established lawn.
- Who will perform the work? Be sure your lawn care professional is certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture to apply pesticides and fertilizers to lawns
- Understand the rules. Professionals must apply fertilizer using University of Maryland recommendations.
- Inspect your property after a lawn care application. Fertilizer may not be applied to sidewalks, driveways or other impervious surfaces. Any product that lands on these surfaces must be swept back onto lawns or cleaned up.
- Identify streams, gullies or other waterways on your property. Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law calls for “no fertilizer zones” of 10 to 15 ft. next to waterways to reduce the risk of fertilizer landing in or dissolving near the water.
- Know fertilizer blackout dates. Lawn care professionals are prohibited from fertilizing lawns between December 1 and March 1.
- Between November 16 and December 1 lawn care professionals (not homeowners) may apply nitrogen to lawns