Lawn fertilization: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering lawn fertilization

Fertilization is a repeat service that depends on accurate product choice, even application and clean handling. Your value is in reading the grass and the soil first, then applying the right product on a schedule the customer can follow.

What customers ask

  • Do I need a soil test first?
  • What is in the bag, and why are you putting it on my lawn?
  • How soon can my dog go on the grass after you apply?
  • Will the lawn look greener right away?
  • Do you also kill weeds, and is that included?
  • Why do you not put down more when the lawn looks thin?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask about grass type, sun, irrigation, past treatments and any soil test, then explain your plan in plain words before you quote.
  • Walk the lawn with the customer and point out the thin spots, weeds and any signs of disease, and show what you plan to treat.
  • Put the product, the nutrient ratio, the application rate and the number of visits in the written quote, all taken from the label.
  • Explain in writing when children and pets can return to the lawn and when to water, so the customer does not have to guess.
  • Show your calibration method and your spreader or sprayer setup on the profile, so the customer sees you are measuring rather than guessing.
  • If the lawn is not ready for fertilizer, say so and recommend the step it needs first, such as watering, aeration or dethatching.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of lawns before and after an application, taken from the same spot
  • The products and application types you use, with the product labels named
  • Whether you run soil tests and what you do with the results
  • Your service area and the seasons you cover

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Send a reminder before the next application with the date and any prep the customer should do
  • Offer a soil test when the lawn does not respond the way the plan expected, and explain what it will tell you
  • Suggest aeration or overseeding in the fall if the lawn shows compaction or thin turf, and let the customer choose

Licenses and permits

Rules for applying fertilizer for pay vary, and some areas require a certificate or limit when and where it can be used; weed control and other pesticide products applied for pay usually need an applicator license and may need a business registration in many areas. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you offer those treatments.

Questions

Do I need a pesticide license to put down weed killer?

In many areas, applying weed control products for pay requires an applicator license. Check with your state or local licensing agency, and follow the product label on every application.

How do I keep fertilizer off hard surfaces?

Use a spreader with a clean, calibrated setting, sweep or blow up any product that lands on the driveway or walk right away, and keep a clear edge along water. Avoid applying ahead of heavy rain.

What do I tell a customer whose lawn burned?

Tell them what you applied, when, and at what rate, and check the label to confirm the rate was right. Offer to inspect the area and recommend watering or a repair plan. Do not promise the lawn will recover by a set date.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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