Burnt out yards...

[DoetschOutdoor]

So far this year, Ive had about 5 customers that just refused to give up being serviced from companies like Truegreen or Chemlawn. Most of these customers are women who will give in to having 15 treatments applied a year just because the guy on the phone says this is what they need. Well after these companies put down several applications when its 100 degrees outside, several of these yards died out badly and require agressive treatments. It is not rocket science to get a nice thick lawn and really only takes a few applications and regular care. I take pride in my lawns and now when I leave some properties, my work does not look as good as it really is because Im mowing over a burnt out lawn due to 15 fert. treatments. And yes I have told these customers that I can get them on a program but several just cant give up the big companies!!!. Now sign here and pay me the big bucks to aerate, dethatch, overseed, etc. because you thought I was some kid who didnt know what I was talking about!!! I guess I just had to vent

[topsites]

Bashing some nationwide corporation that has been around since the early 1900's is highly unprofessional in my book.

It is possible the chemicals burnt it, but it is just as possible the hell-bent Lco's "weekly cuts all season" attitude did it, as cutting grass too often in the heat can and will ruin it just as well.

In either case, Chemlawn would likely be more than willing to undertake a restoration at no cost to the consumer.
But if they were to launch an investigation, and upon their finding of the results being an indication that it was indeed too-frequent cutting that burnt the lawn (and not their chems), would you be willing to offer said restoration at no cost as well?

[grasswhacker]

Bashing some nationwide corporation that has been around since the early 1900's is highly unprofessional in my book.

It is possible the chemicals burnt it, but it is just as possible the hell-bent Lco's "weekly cuts all season" attitude did it, as cutting grass too often in the heat can and will ruin it just as well.

In either case, Chemlawn would likely be more than willing to undertake a restoration at no cost to the consumer.
But if they were to launch an investigation, and upon their finding of the results being an indication that it was indeed too-frequent cutting that burnt the lawn (and not their chems), would you be willing to offer said restoration at no cost as well?


Trugreen/Chemlawn is unprofessional and stinks:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/trugreen.html

[Roger]

TruGreen and Chemlawn are not unique companies.

What evidence do you have of 15 apps? If your season is eight months long (about 35 weeks) that means an app is being done about every other week. Is this true?

[dcgreenspro]

c'mon, we have all seen thier act before fert, fert, fert, etc. Thier lawn treatments are terrible, inconsistent and 99% of the time not even needed. But, there they go applying more quick release to what is already pumped up lawn. They stay in business because of the name and familiararity.
What the hell needs 15 apps a year????Are they spraying bentgrass fairways and tees??What a joke.
The reason that lawn probably burnt out was the lack of root development brought on by continually throwing N down when it isn't even needed. The plant only knows to keep forcing topgrwth and color and little, if any, deep, fibrous roots. but hey, the more these guys f- up, the more business i get.

[DoetschOutdoor]

I wasnt really bashing them in my first post but I do not agree with the way that they market by putting continual pressure on some customers that really do not know about their lawns. Around here, my nice lawns get cut once a week...no if, ands, or butts. The lawns grow too fast and I know for a fact that my mowing with sharp blades and alternating patterns has never caused a lawn to become burnt out. That is complete crap to even speak of that. These lawns have been aerated and overseeded by me for 2 years and at the beginning of this season looked great. When the warm weather set in, I would notice a fert. sign in the lawns every 2-3 weeks. One time, I was cutting one customer when the fert. guy showed up and said " he might as well do the other lawn since he was in the neighborhood." The 15 applications was a little sarcastic but of my 2 worst lawns now, I know they have had close to 10 apps put down not counting what I dont know about. I was not starting this post to bash anybody because im not about that. Im just a little pissed that these companies that are supposed to know it all have caused a few of my nicest yards to become my worst. And NO, these companies do NOT offer free restoration of the burnt out yards, we tried that already.

[Scotts' Yard Care]

I have to agree that these chem guys are generally the most detrimental thing ever to hit the lawns in our area anyway. It's a one size fits all program that lays the N on thick and often. We watched a lawn in the same cul de sac we mow in get treated by a national chain and the lawn just keeps getting ever larger brown spots in it. One lawn we mow that could be a real good one starts out great in the spring and then the chem guy hits it. Now it's a sickly yellow brown from a full summer of apps. We told the customer and he said that he HAD to have the lawn sprayed. Go figure.....

[Olylawnboy]

Topsites, do you have a Chem-Lawn franchise or what? You are sticking up for them?
I have two accounts that deal with them, and frankly, just for the name. And like has been said, I find thier flags on these two properties every three weeks or so through the season. In my state you have to flag when you put down pesticides. So what the heck are they doing? OK, yea, they spray lawns, they spray shrubs, they spray trees,. But you know, just because you see a bug or weed in the lawn or landscape doesn't mean it needs a treatment. But it does if you sell treatments!

[Olylawnboy]

Wow, Chemlawn has been around since the early 1900,s. come on!

[Roger]

I am not going to defend TGCL, but my findings are quite the contrary to many of the posts here, and other threads. A few years ago, I did have problems with major growth spikes after a liquid app. Something changed about 4-5 years ago. It could have been materials or application rates, I don't know.

I have gotten to know the many who services many of the lawns I mow (about 20% of my customers). He puts down 5 apps on most of them, some of them less. A few he puts down a sixth one, late February, which has no impact on anything for me. The growth spikes are gone and most of the lawns are in good shape. I would rate his work above average, better than many full-time applicators, but note quite as good as one or two other applicators that service the lawns I mow.

I used to have great disdain for their work, but the results have been good the past few years. I believe this man has worked for them (or some variation of TGCL) or over 25 years. In the past 10 years, he is the only one in my area, with the same truck. I think painting with a broad brush across the entire company is wrong. Obviously, some locations have a problem, but other locations have positive results.

[dcgreenspro]

consider yourself one of the lucky ones!!!!

[sweatyclippingcoveredguy]

Topsites my friend, I must disagree with you here, a one out of a hundred occurrence. Although like most stereotypes it doesn't happen in all cases, I agree with the thread conjurer here. Chemlawn is a company that is out to make a buck. As evidenced by a thread directing to a link showing the most profitable LCOs earlier last month, Trugreen reigns supreme. Why? Because they do their work whether or not it needs it. Often, I've seen it poison the grass. Officially, fertilizing applications must be layed down every 7-9 weeks to cause ideal results. Now I don't know whether the thread poster is exaggerating, but with how many calls I got from the phonebook this year divided by about 50 major LCO in my area, I would assume that people are fed up with Chemlawn Fking up their yards. In response to the "burning out the yards" which I myself have witnessed, (by large corporation LCOs that cut it during dry spells) even these yards will come back with enough rain. Only inproper overfertilization (and maybe some disease) would cause such a drastic death that can't be fixed without thorough renovation. I guess the thread poster here needs some fancy little doorhangers full of photoshopped imaginary heaven grass with super-smiley perfectly clean looking men adoring his corporate logo. Only then will you defeat the hierarchy of chemlawn.

[Total.Lawn.Care]

TruGreen and Chemlawn are not unique companies.

What evidence do you have of 15 apps? If your season is eight months long (about 35 weeks) that means an app is being done about every other week. Is this true?

My neighbor was using a fert service a few years ago. I cannot remember who it was, but yeah, they came every otherweek and applied something. Funny thing is, they really do not take care of thier lawn anyway. I have been trying to get them to let me start takign care of it, they just do not want to pay anyone.

[Charles]

I have a customer who uses the service. Yard looked good at first. Now it just looks burnt even though we have had plenty of rain

[cantoo]

I don't see why they would over fertilizer the lawn on purpose. Wouldn't they be better off just cutting the rates and still making an appearance? Why waste the cost of the fert? We only have the Weed Man around here and the local guy does a good job from what I have seen. I have no idea of their rates.