I got their info once about a year ago. They are organic "based" control and that was the first red flag for me. I know nothing about their business dealings but they have a franchise program that one can enter into for roughly $50,000 if memory serves me right. They had 2 or 3 different Levy's of "commitment." They were on the ball and info was slick and professional. It was started by 2 guys that worked for ChemLawn and/or TruGreen and went to them with an organic based program and got turned down. So they quit and started NaturaLawn. For me personally, I would have to go all the way organic or not go at all. Check out SafeLawns for the real deal.

http://www.safelawns.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=57dd23cbf11941c117fa550e9f5ebcba

 

NO MORE???? I am very interested to hear any information on this company. They seem to be doing something right. Whether that is just marketing or service and marketing they are pretty big for an organic based lawn care company.

I figured this would spark a large debate on organic based versus pure organic or how NLA is like Chemlawn, but doing it organically....something.

 

I have a customer who used them and hated them. He said they would come apply something and leave. He said they didn't know much about organics. He used only for a season or two and no change in the way the grass looks.
I had someone else tell me they use biosolids in their stuff. I wouldn't want human waste on my lawn.

 

I worked for a franchise in nj about 5 years ago. It was a joke. Its just a marketing ploy. We used team pro for pre emergent, eliminate , drive 75, manage, merit, mach 2 they only thing they stayed away from was 2 4 d and fungicides. They told customers they spot spray and that reduces chemical use by 75% and at the same time told us to blanket to reduce service calls. They grew to about 1000 customers while i was there over three years. They did alot of telemarketing to get leads the was before do not call list. It was in house and the that is what the techs did all winter. The offered corn gluten and milky spore but it was not effective and rarely used. Their fert did have molorganite (human ****) in it but they also used lesco at times. The guys who started it had a great markting idea.

 

When I first got into the business, I desperately wanted a job there to go the organic route. Well, I got a job in sales and I did have to call all of the cancelled customers (not fun) and had to sell 8 apps a year in PA (also, not fun).

I was disappointed in the products used (not because of biosolids), and the lack of flexibility in introducing new products. The owner wanted to use compost tea, and that was shot down by corporate rather quickly. I have to disagree with the CGM use though. There was a core group of customers that used it exclusively with great results.

Also, for those that think applying biosolids is disqusting, have any of you ever used them? Do you really think it smells bad? I thought the same way when I first got into organics, but poo, whether it human or chicken works. Why? BIOLOGY....

 

The guy here in CT is about as organic as Chemlawn

 

Also, for those that think applying biosolids is disqusting, have any of you ever used them? Do you really think it smells bad? I thought the same way when I first got into organics, but poo, whether it human or chicken works. Why? BIOLOGY....

I just put down some milorganite on my fescue lawn for just a slight boost and it does have an odor, but its gone in a few days. My lawn took longer to green up then it did with other fert brands. I think the milorganite is a great idea and I dont have a problem with human waste one my lawn as long as its safe. Putting on my lawns keeps it out of landfills.

 

Every lawn and every client is different enough for you to replace Natural Lawns, Chemlawn, or any other rigid, one size fits all corporation.
Learn through personal experience as much as possible so you can confidently tell your client what will work, where it will work and why or why not.
If you care about the people and their lawns more than selling what they don't need; it will never be important what the national companies are doing right.
What they are doing right is convincing the public that too much ferti and herb. is a great security blanket.

 

is there retail fertilizer the same stuff that they apply?

Also, is it granulated like synthetic?

I went on their website and found that the fertilizer is like 20% synthetic N and 5% organic N. I don't know where they get their P and K from but i'm assuming that it isnt from any more natural sources.

 

I just put down some milorganite on my fescue lawn for just a slight boost and it does have an odor, but its gone in a few days. My lawn took longer to green up then it did with other fert brands. I think the milorganite is a great idea and I dont have a problem with human waste one my lawn as long as its safe. Putting on my lawns keeps it out of landfills.

I use tons of biosolids - probably quite literally! I frequently use organic fert similar to milorganite, but out of New York and the mulch that I use almost exclusively if a blend of aged bark and compost the is made primarily from biosolids. It is sold through a company called New England Organics and I can tell you, the stuff is awesome! It has a nice fine texture that spreads nicely and it adds a boost of nutrients to the garden beds. I will admit, when I dig into the pile with the tractor, that burst of steam has a distinctive scent, although not offensive, but once its spread in the beds, you can't smell it.

 

Hobbsd,

The fertilizer that the franchises in NW Illinois uses comes from Spring Valley out of your home state of WI. No more than 20% slow release from milorganite. Nauturalawn#1 your comments about everything are right on the money.

Dan

 

The organic movement started big as a reaction to overuse of pesticides and fertilizers by farmers. By the 70s we had both in the well water here. The big question IMHO, is not how high an N number there is, but how much N is needed and when? What is the requirements for this individual lawn? Use synthetic as the winterizer and milorganite all through the summer?
It didn't sound like NaturalLawn is that 'natural' and duplicating them is not worthwile, but is it possible to out perform them and build a better more respected company yourself?

 

they sure have a great marketing plan and when i had a friend swear by them i told her to ask for msds sheets on everything they put down.
they never did show up in the mail???

 

1. Malorgnite (spelling?) is awesome! I have been on fine turf..golf..residential for many years and when you start to get wierd fungus's...It can be the way to go. keep in mind that it takes about 40 lbs per 2500sqft to equal a decent feeding, so using it across the board is very labor/cost prohibitive. It has natural fungicied qualities that can last for years.

2. The Naturlawn thing is all marketing. Take Tru -Green for example. They are the largest lawn co in america. Yet they lose 85% of their customer base within 5 years. Cold calling...scare tactics..advertising...commision based sales.

 

1. Malorgnite (spelling?) is awesome! I have been on fine turf..golf..residential for many years and when you start to get wierd fungus's...It can be the way to go. keep in mind that it takes about 40 lbs per 2500sqft to equal a decent feeding, so using it across the board is very labor/cost prohibitive. It has natural fungicied qualities that can last for years.
largest lawn co in america. Yet they lose 85% of their customer base within
2. The Naturlawn thing is all marketing. Take Tru -Green for example. They are the 5 years. Cold calling...scare tactics..advertising...commision based sales.

Is it still considered true that the nutrient in organic material stays in the ground longer, in a more readily available form, and therefore with much less leaching?
If that is the case I'm thinking a person would be able to get by with less NPK per feeding. Therefore not have to spend as much per feeding and spread the cost out to a more frequent monthly routine rather than every 6-8 weeks.
Also without irrigation this summer, anyone who put down fertilizer after the first week in June, has put their lawn at risk. Is it true that, organic fertilizers would have been safe for monthly applications even in this summer?

 

Sort of......I'm not an expert in the science of it, but I can tell you that a healthy and balanced turf will withstand a lot more than you might think. We had a severe drought here a few years back. Through proper watering (prior to the drought), mowing, and a well balanced turf....my lawn stayed green and mowable all season. Keep in mind I don't know how bad your drought is and I feed heavily in the fall...never in the spring. In my experiance spring feeding is one of the single biggest mistakes regarding turf durability throughout a stressfull season. Sure the lawns that are spring fed will beat mine for a little while, but it's more important to win the war than to win any one battle.

 

Sort of......I'm not an expert in the science of it, but I can tell you that a healthy and balanced turf will withstand a lot more than you might think. We had a severe drought here a few years back. Through proper watering (prior to the drought), mowing, and a well balanced turf....my lawn stayed green and mowable all season. Keep in mind I don't know how bad your drought is and I feed heavily in the fall...never in the spring. In my experiance spring feeding is one of the single biggest mistakes regarding turf durability throughout a stressfull season. Sure the lawns that are spring fed will beat mine for a little while, but it's more important to win the war than to win any one battle.

Good way to look at it. If you want to build soil biology, the fall is the best time to do it.

 

Is it still considered true that the nutrient in organic material stays in the ground longer, in a more readily available form, and therefore with much less leaching?
If that is the case I'm thinking a person would be able to get by with less NPK per feeding. Therefore not have to spend as much per feeding and spread the cost out to a more frequent monthly routine rather than every 6-8 weeks.
Also without irrigation this summer, anyone who put down fertilizer after the first week in June, has put their lawn at risk. Is it true that, organic fertilizers would have been safe for monthly applications even in this summer?

Since your talking about milorganite, I see no problem applying 5 lbs/m of it in early june, but would add about 1/2lbs of sop. Sop and fe in milorganite will help with the stress. Milorganite is 90% slow release, and will take 6-8 weeks to total release their in the summer

 

they sure have a great marketing plan and when i had a friend swear by them i told her to ask for msds sheets on everything they put down.
they never did show up in the mail???

I owned a NLA Franchise and lost my "Sack". My startup Cost ended up being 100x more than what is stated on their Franchise Information. I spent 15K on Literature before I earned a dollar. How they manage to get away with this is their Iron Clad Franchise agreement. It is like selling your soul to the devil.

During training they insisted they used Corn Gluten for pre-emergent control. I couldn't't't understand how they could treat a 10K lawn with one 50lb bag of fertilizer knowing as I did on the rate corn gluten has to be spread to be effective. I found out when my material arrived, it was Team Pro, not organic Corn Gluten.

The same year I bought a Franchise a young man in Portland OR bought one. We trained together. This young man's dad passed away and left him enough money to start his own NLA business. It sickens me to announce that this young guy lost his money with his NLA Franchise too. His location closed a year or two after mine.

In another example, A New Jersey Franchisee who had been doing lawn care years before buying a NLA Franchise decided to end his association with NaturaLawn of America and go back to being an independent lawn care company. NLA went after him in the courts and because of a Non Compete clause in the franchise agreement he was forced to close his doors.

They treat you like kings until you buy the franchise. After they get you, your treated like red headed step kids while the owner and his minions set off to find the next years batch of suckers.

Hope I don't sound too bitter.... HA HA

Best advice I can give anyone looking at franchises is "DON'T". For the money you end up shelling out, you're better off putting the cash into marketing a company of your own.

 

I too believe that spring fertilization is not good. Glad to hear someone else say that To me it is like waking up and start popping sugar pills to get going in the morning. Burns up the energy reserves as well as stimulating the surface roots before anything else.
If Milorganite is 6-8 weeks for total release, then it would serve as a winterizer in September assuming adequate amounts of N.
Does anyone know of a web source for the release and shelf life in the soil of all the different fertilizers?

 

I used Natural lawns of America For the first time this year I have A Zoysia lawn and have not been pleased with the results this season. Also had aerating and overfeeding done with unhappy results, once they aerate they just drop the seed with any covering and seeing g very little germination even had them come back with very little results. Will more than likely move on from their service.

 

Why are you seeding a Zoysia lawn?

Only "organic" weed control I personally seen work is Urea , which can burn out broad leaf weeds like dandelion and clover.