Maintaining a lawn requires mowing, trimming, fertilizing, and caring for any surprises or problem areas. If you are considering hiring a company to take care of some or all of these tasks for you, here are some questions to ask yourself about what you need from a lawn care company: What services do you need? Do you enjoy mowing but need help getting grass to grow near those trees? Maybe you need help with one or two services, or maybe you need a little bit of everything. Most companies offer fertilizing, weed, pest, and disease control, aerating, mowing, and small tree and shrub maintenance, re-seeding, sodding, soil testing, and aerating. Once you decide what services you need, you can consider service specific criteria. For example, if you're looking for mowing services, think about how frequently you would like the lawn mowed, what your expectations are regarding missed visits, and areas of your lawn that need extra care or caution. Most mowing companies are “mow and go” crews that mow, trim, and blow a lawn quickly and sometimes offer a few additional extras. What’s the purpose of your lawn? Is your lawn a place where pets and children play or a lush, green carpet surrounding your home? A yard that experiences daily wear and tear may lead you to make different decisions regarding chemicals or expensive details. What is your philosophy on chemicals? Laws differ from state to state but when herbicides, fertilizers and other pesticides are applied to your lawn, they should be done by a licensed professional. Many lawn care companies are learning to include organic and natural alternatives to traditional lawn care. If organic lawn care is the choice you wish to make, look for [...]