EXTRA LAWN CARE SERVICES AND FEES

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Any major extra work requires extra compensation. Cost is based on size, materials required, time and conditions. Larger properties or any degree of difficulty like garden beds or hills, cost more. You are not just paying for our time—you are paying for our knowledge, all the equipment, materials, administrative staff and over head required to do the work.

Some lawns will require extra work: due to weather, damage, neglect, getting ready for the cold and dry winds of winter, wrapping plants in burlap or raking up leaves, acorns, pine cones, black walnut seeds, for extra weed pulling, like corner lots that are open to weed seeds, correct the ph, fix dog urine spots, adding special amendments. Pulling weeds, crabgrass, and quack grass takes time. There are hundreds of weed seeds buried in your soil, right now, and many of these weed seeds will germinate.

From time to time, we meet new people who make a mistake and applies Round up to weeds in their lawn or their own “home remedies” (salt to kill weeds) or their own grass seed, manure, weedy soil or bad fertilizer: Please don’t there is a fee for us to repair any damage you caused. Horticultural vinegar is only for weeds in cracks, it kills grass.

MOWING CLIENTS: REQUIRE A FLAT MONTHLY FEE-WE VISIT YOUR LAWN AND CHECK- BUT WE DO NOT ALWAYS MOW- We visit each property on a weekly basis, we assess- and cut, trim and blow if necessary. We will perform weed controls, both spaying and pulling, trimming edges if necessary. There may be a drought and mowing would damage or kill the lawn. whether 4- or 5-week month. The 5-week months are March, May and, August, we are budget-friendly it’s the same fee.

During the hot days of summer, it is vital to check for all conditions, vigour, insects (grubs and chinch) and diseases.  We will keep you informed regarding weeds, insect, diseases and conditions, we will control weeds, by spraying and pulling, monitor and document our findings for you.

Invoice is less if frost ends season mid month or we start mid-month in the spring.

We cannot work in the rain or extreme heat. We will return asap.

Our current monthly mowing rates vary from a minimum of $250. for small residential properties and more for large properties, plus HST. Mowing includes, trimming edges, blowing clippings and cleaning up. All other work is extra like removing leaves. Our schedule varies due to weather. Mowing, when not needed, kills or greatly weakens a lawn. Higher standards require higher fee. 

The mowing fee does not include anything else. Mowing properly keeps out weeds

Mowing too low during a drought can kill a lawn. It is very important to skip mowing, if not growing. Cut to 3-4 inches. If you need to very lightly trim edges to keep out weed seeds. Never cut more than 1/3 of turf. Dull blades tear turf, the lawn goes brown and is prone to diseases. Use mulching blades, sharpen every 48 hours of operation. 

 MANY ARE DOING IT ALL WRONG: We see it all the time, mostly at commercial properties, like gas stations. To save money and time, operators only cut twice a month and cut it real low. The result is grass dies or becomes weak and weeds fill in the area. Yes, its green alright, but its only nasty weeds. Taller grass keeps out weed seeds. Grass does not like to be cut short. Use mulching blades, leave clippings they feed the lawn. Cut weekly, bi weekly mowing is not recommended, it is hard on the grass and equipment. Bag clipping if extremely long or weedy, collect the weed seeds. Don’t add weed seeds or diseased plant material to compost. Home owner mower maintenance: Annually change the oil, air filter, spark plug, have a technician check it out, use hi-test gas. Never mow wet lawns.

Over seeding, do it in fall or spring. Soils need to be warm enough-65 F degrees, but not too hot or will not germinate. We use Endophyte enhanced grass seed: we use shade seed and full sun, sun grass seed-- same species of grass, so your lawn is the same uniform green. For your best results combine seeding with aeration, starter fertilizer and top soil. With over-seeding daily watering (damp and saturated but not running off) is crucial or seeding will not work, skip watering on rain days. We like to water until grass grows up one inch. Sunlight is also required.

NOTE: There is no guarantee of over-seeding success-if there is a surprise down pour the seeds can be washed away and it is up to you to water new seed properly. 

 There are thousands of species of grasses, some of these are not even grasses, but weeds like, quack grass and crabgrass. Native bent grass is a weedy grass- it is used on golf course putting greens and requires a lot of work, fertilizer and water, turns brown with summer heat and is slow to green up in spring. Best to remove small patches. Bent grass’ light green colour does not match other species like Kentucky Blue.

Don’t do it- the practice of digging a small gutter ditch along the borders, by sidewalk or driveways, this just lets in weed seeds! A light trim of edges of the grass is OK but long, thick grass is a natural barrier to the tiny weed seeds that blow in. It is OK to edge gardens.

 If a lawn is all weeds and cannot be renovated, it’s time to start over and sod. You get an instant weed -free, mature lawn all the same colour and species. Do the whole area, sod patches usually don’t look right –different colour green different species. New sod will need special care, we will provide it.

Any large sod jobs or landscaping projects over $500. require a down payment/agreement and payment plan (i.e. Before 33% Middle 33%-Final 33%) There will be a fee for late payment. Best done in spring or fall. Its OK to do even in November when sod and soil is frozen so does need heavy watering in, will root in spring. Sod is becoming a more common solution for extremely weedy lawns. Since the ban, basic lawn care cannot save a really weed-infested lawn.  Sod is about $5-7 per square foot. Even new sod will require special maintenance, especially in new sub divisions. There are different species of sod.

 Some poor lawns can be saved with a renovation: Far less cost than sod. Renovations includes cutting very low for good seed and soil contact, aeration, over seeding, enriched soil and special starter fertilizer. This process takes lots of watering, keep soil moist until you see growth, not soaked, ideal growing conditions, cool soil and air temperatures, so its best to do in the spring or fall. If you do not water, over-seeding will not work. There are no guarantees. You are responsible for any damage to any heads or lines. Starting at $499 for a small lawn.

Remember it is plastic-Lasts about 10-15 years, needs some maintenance, costs about $10 square foot, environmental concerns. Another option for areas where turf growth is challenged by huge root systems and shade, consider clover. 

There is never a charge for any small, reasonable, occasional, 10 minute clean up, like a small pile of leaves, branches or garbage but if it takes an hour only fair to charge $50 plus materials plus HST. A big fall cleanup of leaves, discuss /bags/or to curb). Fall clean ups usually require more than one visit, leaves don’t all come down all at once. Wet, frozen leaves are a real challenge!

We will quote a range of prices if the time required is unknown. Labour rate is 50 per hour plus materials and HST.

Trips to the dump start at $250 plus HST. 

We will pick up toys, some garbage like plastic bottles and bags but you must deal with any bio-hazards, masks, needles, Kleenex or animal mess.

 Will smother the grass, left on the lawn in fall are a home for insects, cause spring mould or leave marks on decks. If raking, don’t breathe in dust from mouldy leaves. Don’t compost diseased leaves or weeds (seeds). Granular fertilizer will roll off any leaves but liquid fertilizer will not. No charge if we clean up and bag small amounts of leaves for larger amounts there is a fee.

We do both mechanical core and liquid aeration, $125 plus HST. per 1,000 sq. ft. No need to rake up cores they are organic matter that will break down and feed the lawn. 

NOTE: We cannot be responsible for any damages, due to buried wires, stones, shallow irrigation lines. We use liquid aeration if the lawn is too weedy or lots of clover so they don’t spread via the cores. Both Cogeco and Bell lines are just under the turf so we stay away from the edges. 

As well, there is a 4 week wait period between liquid aeration and over-seeding.

If core- aerated there is no need for de-thatching. Thatch is rare, and the need for it is rare- de-thatching should only be done, very carefully, in spring, followed by over seeding, top soil and starter fertilizer. De-thatching can kill a lawn, if done improperly.

Going away? We provide security, if going away for the week end or all winter we do daily house checks-weather issues, leaves, snow, flooding, walking the property, mail pick up, bill payments and garbage days. We e-mail you pictures of each of our visits. 

To prevent break -ins and for your safety, we strongly suggest, both motion- detecting cameras for your home and car, it’s the times we live in. Most break- ins happen between l0 am to 3 pm. Halton police typically responded to 30ish crime incidents theft from autos, break- ins, robbery and assaults each week. All our workers are required to pass an annual police criminal check and have security training.

Also, consider outdoor lighting, you can be sued for slip and falls. Lighting can also accent some focal point. 

OVER-SEEDING: Seed germination requires a consistent couple weeks of warm air and warm soil temperatures so it is best to do in spring or in the fall. Its up to you to do watering daily is a must or seeds will not germinate.

What are the 2 most dangerous rooms in your house? the bathroom and kitchen-why? Because of slips and falls. So do not cut up your hot steak with a sharp knife in the slippery shower on a ladder. Chain saws and ladders are dangerous! In the winter keep the areas clear of snow: heat pump, gas meter. dryer and furnace vents.

 $180.00 + HST. We send your soil core samples to a 3rd party laboratory. I will report back for soil testing results and consultation. This is best done in the spring before any treatments. Included in our Best plan. I don’t believe its necessary to do a soil test each and every year.

Includes mowing very low—for good seed soil contact--aeration (core or liquid), over seeding, enriched soil with special starter fertilizer and this is best done in the fall, rather than the spring, gives your lawn better results. The fall has consistent temperatures and far less weed seeds blowing around. Right now, most lawns have hundreds of weed seeds buried in the soil, more if an open, corner lot.

Know your zone so plant can survive a spring cold snap. Water feature so soothing and can cover road noise. There are plants that can repel deer, drought or mosquitoes. Plants for pathways: Irish moss, Scotch moss, creeping sedum, creeping thyme, bugleweed, creeping jenny, dead nettle. Look up companion, rain and roof top gardening. Gardens take 3 years to settle in, the first year, they sleep, there is no growth and stress, second year a little growth, creep and the third really fills in, they leap!

 It is plastic- Don’t use weed barrier fabric, not porous so plants dry out.  

Connect with nature, have a garden, they provide serenity, calm anxiety. We recommend others and if time permits, we create a few small gardens of our own: Design, install and maintain. Let’s look at plant selection: How tall, how wide, light requirements, sun or shade, hardiness zones. Colours, smells, attract bees, birds and pollinators. Plant flowers Ajuga and Lily of the valley suppress weeds in shady areas. Consider long lasting perennials, bulbs, native and drought resistant plants, drift roses. The iconic and invasive ground covers, Pac Sandra, periwinkle and ajuga. We also install shrubs and trees. Gardens are never finished.

Weeds -we pull and spray them. We use insect controls (beetles, scale), traps. Pruning: to shape, keep to a reasonable height, remove dead, diseased, disoriented branches that grow inward or cross and rub against each other, never more than 1/3. Treat the damaged, diseased, moss, edging, aeration by pitch fork, add compost and mulch, winter fabric protection, stones and rocks. Best not to use small stones (pea gravel) they become bullets for lawn mowers or snow blowers, use larger river rocks. Use plants that are acclimated to this area. Fluctuating temperatures, especially in the spring, are stressful for the lawn, garden plants and trees. When to cut back perennials-after first hard frost or 5 days of under 50F weather.

We use Dettol or Lysol to sterilize tools to prevent spreading diseases.

No peat moss highly acidic, non-renewable.

Water in October and November they can be dry months and plants are dry and frozen until spring.

Some plants may need burlap protection from winter conditions. Good time to prune-too cold to plant anything. Try not to walk on frozen turf use icemelter, salt is very corrosive, keep dryer and furnace vents clear. Install an air cleaner you can’t see fumes or mould spores. 

Looking after gardens, grass and trees teaches us—that everything that receives love, care and attention-GROWS!.......Feed the good-- starve the bad.

These nursery growers provide wonderful plants, native species that are reliable and long blooming like roses and hydrangeas. Always try to get warranty and keep receipts.

 If necessary and at the right time and conditions, for euonymus, cedars junipers, fruit trees, roses, crab apple, hawthorne. Not to be used on some like beech, blue spruce. Japanese maple and others. Mixture of lime sulphur and horticultural oil it kills diseases, insects, scales and mites. 

Spices for dinner, soups, salads, make your own herbal teas- research have the right soil and drainage. Lemon thyme, nasturtium, basil, parsley, lemon balm, mint, cilantro, chives, sorrel oregano, tarragon, sage, rosemary, chamomile, fennel, stevia 

Many Benefits- keeps out weeds, reduce summer heat, use less water, holds moisture, insulates-keeps roots warm in winter. Bare soil is bad! Without mulch, bare soil is just blowing away. Stop soil and water erosion. Mulch looks great with the contrast between the mulch and plants, nice uniform look. We like natural pine or cedar. No rubber mulch or chopped-up skids. Some dyed black mulch goes grey, red mulch has harsh chemicals. Please, no mulch volcanoes around the base of the tree’s trunk, the roots grow up through them and choke and kill the tree! Mulch should not touch the trunk. Apply 2-3”. 

MULCHES: Shredded pine bark, composted pine mulch, hemlock mulch, valley cedar mulch, red, black and brown chestnut, forest eco-blend and GC wood fibre playground mulch.