Fertilizer Freaks!!!!

[LAWNS AND MOWER]

Don't you love it when Mr. Joe Blow Homeowner tries to pinch a few pennies and decides to put down the fertilizer himself. This should be banned if Joe Blow has a LCO mowing his yard. They think more is better and lace the yard with a triple dose of 10-10-10. This happens to me about once a year and I end up having to mow the yard every 3 or 4 days. Joe Blow ends up spending twice as much to have his yard mowed. Anyone else have to deal with this???

LAWNS AND MOWER

[TGCummings]

Hit one today just like that. Here's the clincher: He's a biweekly account in love with sulfate. :rolleyes:

At any rate, I had a good talk with him today and we agreed less fertilizer, higher cuts. He's a good guy, he just didn't understand... :)

[JimLewis]

Fertilizer is automatically included for all of our lawn care clients. So they have no need to fertilize themselves. I figured out a long time ago that if I added a few things on to our packages (e.g. fertilizer, weed control in the lawn, etc.) that we could charge a good $25+ more per month, even though the cost of these extras is just a few dollars to me. So, now that's all we do.

None of our clients fertilize on their own. I guess it's another nice benefit of working in Yuppie neighborhoods. Most of them don't want anything to do with caring for the lawn. The last thing they want to do is go out and fertilize after their busy 60 hour week.

[LawnLad]

We don't compete with homeowners, our problem has been new customers who have "contracts" with an application company like TGCL or Scotts.

Because I respect contracts - I tell them for the first year they don't have to cancel, though I would prefer that they do, and we'll perform all other services. However, I expect the following year that they will have our service.

If someone does not have our application service - and we have to double cut their lawn - they get charged twice for the double cut due to excessive growth. We just have to edcuate the customer that no much N isn't necessary to keep the lawn going - it will be green, health and lush without so much growth.

Problem is that application companies want to give value to the homeowner, so they make it grow like crazay. Joe Homeowner now knows that TGCL was out doing their job. Just creates more work.

[accuratelawn]

I have a customer that we mow as well as do fertilization/weed control( 6 apps. per season). Last week I noticed a spreader and several bags of Scotts 28-?-? plus halts.
I wondered why he had this... Today I saw spreader tracks across the lawn and an empty bag in the landscape.
I can't wait to see this next week, now that the sprinklers are on!!

[KirbysLawn]

I'm the same as Jim Lewis. I do not mow any lawns that I do not fertilize also.

[Albemarle Lawn]

We've had homeowners use drop spreders with high-nitrogen fertilizer.

More streaking that a drunken night at the local college.

Ken

[jeffex]

One guy complained to me in the beginning of the season he hopes he can afford to have his lawn mowed this yr because of the stock market hit he took. Well he hasn't slowed down of the fert. apps. like I suggested so pay me weekly or cut it yourself.

[Bob Minney]

If one bag of scotts weed & feed will make my lawn look good then 3 bags should make it look 3 times as good, then I'll just water it in with some miracle grow.

You tell them let me take care of it but they see them ads on tv.

[corban]

Do many of you guys use Scott's? I find that it works fine, but I get a little embarassed when I have to tell people I get it at Wal-Mart. It just doesn't seem very professional.

[Likestomow]

I'm the same as Jim Lewis. I do not mow any lawns that I do not fertilize also.

I'm considering doing that this year, but I don't have a fertilizer license.

[TClawn]

Do many of you guys use Scott's? I find that it works fine, but I get a little embarassed when I have to tell people I get it at Wal-Mart. It just doesn't seem very professional.


I have never used a scotts weed n' feed, but I do know the the lebanon turf products, lesco fertilizers and lesco all green up much better than the scotts products do.

[Jason Rose]

Yeah I deal with that "double the rate to make it last twice as long mentality" One of my biggest properties too. 90,000 sq feet and the homeowners all go together and a couple guys that live there take care of the fertilizing. I have to dump 30+ times some weeks in the spring. This last season I was so fed up with that i told them flat out that if I find out they overfertilize again like that they can find someone else. Takes me double the time and for the same $$$. and I can't get away with 2 times a week, just not enough hours in the week for that.

Ok, i see mention of scotts fertilizer... It's crap! Have a customer that does his own (different place) and I do the neghibors with lesco. The one I do is always greener and grows half as much per week and we are both applying at basically intervals

[DennisF]

I have several customers that over fertilize and over water. I've spoke with them and they promised not to apply anymore than the recommended amounts at the right intervals. We'll see...if they do the same thing this spring I'll tell them goodbye. I'm not going to mow their lawns on 4 day intervals.

[Mo Green]

Do many of you guys use Scott's? I find that it works fine, but I get a little embarassed when I have to tell people I get it at Wal-Mart. It just doesn't seem very professional.

Then don't tell them. If they ask, just tell them you buy it through a local Scotts supplier. That's all they need to know.

[NickN]

<i>
I'm considering doing that this year, but I don't have a fertilizer license.</i>

Likestomow,
I did a little research for you.It doesn't appear that you need certification to apply fertilizer,just pesticides.So,no "weed & feed",but straight fert should be ok.
http://www.state.tn.us/agriculture/regulate/permits/index.html
Make sure to check this with the Dept.of Ag. though.

[procut]

Do many of you guys use Scott's? I find that it works fine, but I get a little embarassed when I have to tell people I get it at Wal-Mart. It just doesn't seem very professional.
Same Hear.

[Mo Green]

The requirement to have a fert license varies from state to state. Call your state dept. of agriculture for the real answer.