Lesco Ferts

[jdjoe_97]

I just bought my first fert. from Lesco. I hope I made the right decision. I plan a four step program. The first app is going to be with Dimension .1. What kind of experience have you had with Lesco. I thought there prices were a little high. This stuff cost me $17.64 / 50# bag. The guy said it'll cover 12k square feet. I think I cant stretch it to 15K easily. My cocern is I think I charge to little for apps. I usually mark up the fert. 25% then charge a flat $30 or 40 to apply it. Please help me with anyfeed back you have. The Lesco guy said going rate around here is for fert app including material is $120/acre. I think he's blowing me smoke. Thank again Joe

[leeslawncare]

Lesco is the best in the industry in my opinon when it comes to fert,seed an most of all help from their staff .There stuff may be high but rember "you get what you pay for " .

[TLS]

jdjoe 97,

Just dont inhale! Anyway, if you figure your price structure for approx 1 acre. It would be $66.15 for your marked up fert, and then $40.00 for your flat fee. Thats $106.00. I would charge at least the $125.00 if not more. Just a qusetion, how are you going to kill the broadleaf weeds with a granular program? This is something I have had very little luck with. There is such a small window of opportunity where the grass is wet, yet not raining that it wasn't worth the hassle. I now have mine sprayed. No comparison.

Good luck.

[Randy Scott]

Why do you want to stretch the fert. out more than what is recommended? So it doesn't work as effectively? Why?

[jdjoe_97]

I only said I may stretch it out to cut my input cost. The Lesco guy siad it could be applied at up to 15k/bag. I assumed that he told me 12K/bag just to sell more fert. I am sceptical that my customers will be willing to pay the suggested rate of $125/acre.

[dhicks]

I have used Lesco for two years and nothing else. I'm glad that I did. Not one customer of mine has any of those pretty little yellow flowers popping up. I'm amazed that the neighbors who use Scotts and Chemlawn have a nice assortment of pretty yellow flowers. Even this early, for being in Maryland, my lawn and my customers lawn are thick, lush and a deep green.

There may be better products on the market, but Lesco is close and I trust my Lesco staff. Never did me wrong, yet!

[JLC]

The guys at my Lesco are great. Their products are worth the money because their service is excellent. You get what you pay for. Unless your a hort grad their experience is priceless. As for the 125 an acre, I'd say this is quite conservative.

[TJLC]

I agree. I go into Lesco and say " what do I need for this time of year. They take the guesswork out of it for me.

[gway]

i dont know where you kids are from but out here in chicago area our lesco is awefullll...overprised products and thier knowledge of the product and customer care is the worst!!! ive had to replace 2 new trans on 48 walk behinds and they gave me some run around and basically would not cover the warrenty because of some lame response. i stopped useing lesco and now use a different distributor out here and the $$ are sooo much better and they actually help you out if you need help...and reading these posts i think we all need some help...

p.s. if the bag of fert says it covers 12000 sqft it means it will cover 12000 sqft. open anouther bag and use that for the extra 3000sqft!!!

[Island Lawn]

LESCO GOOD!

(4/13/01 7:51am EST)


Hmmm
My displayed post time seems to be 12 hrs behind.

My edit time seems 6 hrs behind

[Edited by Island Lawn on 04-13-2001 at 01:04 AM]

[shorelinelawn]

Yes the prices are high. Wait until you go to step 3, the insect application. My Lesco guy quoted me something like 59.00 a bag ( 14000 sq ft ) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what every one else charges for the Insect application, but this seems WAY too high . The rest of their program seems reasonable enough. But the product does work very well. My one neighbor uses scotts, the other Chem lawn. Guess who's lawn looks the greenest ! Also condsider that I use my equipment on my customers lawns too, so I maybe bringing back some weeds on my tires and such.
Dimension was 19.40 a bag. Step 2 broadleaf is 29.00 a bag.Step 4+5 were about 15.00 a bag. Average price was 30.00a bag. I only charged my customers about 25-30 for the first application( 1/4) acre lot. After reading what you guys said you charge, I guess I need to raise my pricing , a bit !!!

[thelawnguy]

What is this step stuff? Sounds like the ad for Scotts, for the homeowner who doesnt know how to read turf.

The 50+ bag stuff is with Merit, expensive but does the job well, if the problem is grubs. There are less expensive alternatives from Lesco depending on the severity of the infestation.

[shorelinelawn]

Well, I only used the word "step" , because thats what was used by the saleman at the local Lesco outlet. I understand that just because it's April 14th, doesn't mean that it's time (or not ) for Dimension !

[SLSNursery]

I'm with Gway - spread at the recommended rate. It is not very good advice to stretch a product out. You will not get the expected results if you use 25% less product. Sometimes you can get away with 'stretching out' straight fertilizer, but this is usually in order to put less Nitrogen down at one time. With combo products, the rate(s) are pre-determined to put the correct amount of A.I. (active ingredient) on the site.

Shoreline - remember that it doesn't really matter what others are charging for the 'insect application'. You might want to determine what insects you are trying to control before you blanket price an application for customers. Take some time out and investigate IPM techniques, or at least investigate what problems each of your lawns has. If you find out that grubs are a problem, $60 for 14,300 square feet is a pretty inexpensive insurance policy. But, like Bill 'thelawnguy' said, you need to determine how severe your infestation is, if there is one at all! For instance, Dylox seems pretty cheap for grub control, compared to Merit, at $30 for 10,000 square feet, without fertilizer. That's about $45 for the 14,300 square feet, but it only lasts for 21 days, and usually the turf has sustained some damage by the time you react to the grubs.

If you allow the market alone to determine your prices for these applications, then you won't be allowed the flexibility necessary to implement necessary applications. Take the extra time to evaluate your sites, determine an approach for each, and then calculate the necessary charges. You will be able to charge even more for this custom type service, and your customers will gain confidence in your abilities.

By the way, if you aren't licensed for pesticide application yet, a few courses might not hurt.

[John DiMartino]

I dont get it,the active ingredients in lesco,scotts,and all other chemicals are the same-if your lawn looks better,its not because you used Lesco-it because you either applied at the higher rate,appied in more ideal conditions,or the stress on your lawn was less than neighbors.Soil conditions also play a role.I 've used them all-they all work excellent,I dont see Lesco being any better than Scotts or any other brand.In fact Scotts fertilzer is definetely better-but more expensive than Lesco.Pat yourselves on the back-your lawns look better due to your better judgement on how ,when and what to apply,and the mowing,more so than what name is on the bag of,or jug of pesticide.The spreader stickers I use make my spray jobs more efective,and longer lasting too.

[Gtotoy]

Now wait a minute, as far as i understood Lesco makes Scotts, and no not all fert is the same, prill size is very important, also im very upset at the fact that home depot is selling lesco, i had a customer cancell my fert program because he can buy lesco with dimension there for 17.50 a bag, i pay 16.42, shouldnt there be a higher markup for homeowners????? Oh well!

[John DiMartino]

I said all the chemicals are the same,I was reffering to pesticides mostly,which they are,the fertilizer end of it varies according to what the N-P-K is,and the size of the particles.Most are sulfur coated urea anymore it seems,except quick release.Scotts has the best using homoginized particles.No arguing that.I use Lesco,too,I have yet to use anything that didnt work,when I followed the directions on the label.My last fertizer was from United horticulture supply-was exact same make-up as lesco-but cost me 50 bucks a pallet less than I had bought Lesco for last year.

[Gtotoy]

this was what my post was referring to John, and you never made any mention that you were talking about pest..., i recall that scotts and lesco are one and the same, so how can one be better than the other, ehh`/>?