Lawn care: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What lawn care is

Lawn care is recurring mowing, edging and seasonal treatments that keep turf healthy and tidy. People hire it when they do not have the time or equipment to keep the grass in shape through the growing season.

Signs you need it

  • Grass grows faster than you can keep up with, or the blades look torn and ragged instead of cleanly cut
  • Brown patches, thin turf or weeds show up in the same spots every season
  • Clippings and thatch are building up and smothering the grass underneath
  • Edges along walks, driveways and beds have grown over and look untended
  • You want a set schedule so the lawn is handled whether or not you have time that week

What the pro does

  • The crew walks the lawn to check grass type, height, weeds and any bare or stressed areas
  • Mower decks are set to a height suited to the grass, and blades are kept sharp so the cut stays clean
  • Edging is trimmed along walks, driveways, beds and the curb, and stray grass is blown off hard surfaces
  • Fertilizer or weed treatment goes on at the time of year the plan calls for, if the plan includes it
  • Clippings are bagged or left in place depending on the cut and the grass, and the yard is cleaned up before the crew leaves

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Lawn size and how much of it is open turf compared with beds, trees or fenced areas
  • Grass type, since some grasses need more frequent cutting or a different height
  • Slopes and obstacles such as garden beds, toys, fences and tight corners
  • How often the lawn is serviced, weekly, every other week or seasonally
  • Whether fertilizing, weed control, aeration or leaf work is bundled into the plan
  • How much clipping or debris has to be hauled away after each visit
  • Access, such as a narrow side gate that a riding mower cannot pass through

What a written quote should spell out

  • How often the crew visits and the months the agreement covers
  • The mowing height and whether clippings are bagged or left on the lawn
  • Which edges, beds and hard surfaces are trimmed on every visit
  • Which fertilizer or weed products are used, and who applies them
  • What happens after heavy rain, a heat spell or a missed visit, and how a rescheduled cut is handled
  • How you are told when a visit is skipped or moved

Questions to ask before you hire

  • What mowing height do you use for my grass type, and do you change it by season?
  • Do you bag the clippings or leave them, and what do you do when the grass is wet?
  • How often are your blades sharpened?
  • Who applies any fertilizer or weed product, and are they licensed where my area requires it?
  • What do you do when a visit is rained out or pushed back a few days?
  • Will you edge along the driveway and walks on every visit, or only some?
  • Who do I contact if a mower damages a sprinkler head or a plant?

Red flags

  • They want to mow wet grass, which tears the blades and leaves a ragged cut that browns out
  • They cut the lawn very short on the first visit to make it look neat right away
  • They will not say what products they apply or who applies them
  • They cannot tell you what grass type you have or what height it should be kept at
  • They blow clippings into beds and onto the street with no plan for cleaning them up

What you can do yourself

A homeowner can mow, edge and rake clippings on their own with a well-maintained mower. Call a pro when you want products applied to the lawn on a schedule, when the yard has steep slopes or large open areas that need commercial equipment, or when the treatment you want requires a licensed applicator. Follow the product label for anything you apply yourself.

Licenses and permits

Basic lawn mowing is not commonly licensed; applying fertilizer or weed control for pay is treated differently in some areas and may need a pesticide or applicator license. Check with your state or local licensing agency.

Lawn care questions

Should lawn care include fertilizer and weed control?

It depends on the grass and the yard. Bundling them can keep the timing consistent, but the crew should base the products on your grass type and the season, and should tell you what they apply and when.

How often should a lawn be mowed?

Mowing frequency follows growth, and growth changes with the weather and the grass. Ask how often the crew plans to visit in spring and in summer, and how they adjust when growth slows during dry weather.

What should I do before the first visit?

Pick up toys, hoses and pet waste, and make sure gates are unlocked. Point out sprinkler heads and any bare or sensitive areas so the crew avoids them.

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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