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Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is a pre-emergent application?
A: Pre-emergent applications put down a microscopic layer on the soil that prevents many seeds from sprouting, including crabgrass. This invisible shield is usually put down in early spring before the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees. It remains active throughout the spring and most of the summer months when the seeds begin to germinate, unless the soil is vigorously raked or dug up.
Q: What is slow release fertilizer and what are the advantages of using it over other lawn fertilizers?
A: Slow release fertilizers are actually microscopic coated capsules of fertilizer that breakdown and release their important fertilizer and trace elements over a long period of time. This ensures that your lawn's root system gets those nutrients in measured doses that won't over-stimulate the plants into a sudden growing spurt requiring more mowing.
Q: What is a lime treatment and what will it do for me?
A: Lime is a naturally occurring element that can be applied to the lawn to help balance the soil's pH so that it is more conducive for turf grasses to thrive. Included in a lime treatment is also a calcium supplement. Lime naturally helps control the acidity in top soil. To get the full benefit of readily available food to your lawn, the top soil must have the optimum pH level. If the pH level is too high, the soil is not able to break down the nutrients in the soil and makes it more difficult for your turf grass to absorb those nutrients. Some soils may require more than one treatment per season. Our lawn technicians will be able to give you an accurate assessment of your soil's condition.
Q: What happens after it rains after one of your treatments?
If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times! Easily this is the most common question we hear, because it rains within 3–4 days of many of your treatments! That's usually a good thing too, because all our treatments consist of a pre-emergent herbicide, fertilizer, or both. These products need to be watered in within a few days for best results. Research and our experience have shown that even a hard rain will carry these products down into the soil, and they will stay there to do their job. Now if it's one of those toad-stranglers, that's classified as an act of God, and we sure can't control that. Sure, you may loose some product in this case, but not enough to justify re-treatment.
Liquid post-emergent products applied on existing weeds can be affected in a negative way with rainfall too soon after treatment. Our invoices will usually state to delay watering for anywhere between 3–8 hours, depending upon the season. So if a heavy rain comes in before that, enough of the product may not have been absorbed to be totally effective. We do use special "sticker" products on days when rain is forecast to help increase the effectiveness of weed-control products if it does rain. When the temperatures are warm (over 70 degrees), I have experienced good weed control even if we've had 30 minutes for the product to dry and be absorbed by the weeds.
We cannot assume that any amount of rainfall after a treatment will totally negate our treatment, because it will not. We ask that if it does rain too soon after a treatment of post-emergent weed-control, wait 7–14 days to see if your weeds completely die. If they don't, call us then and we will be out promptly to spray post-emergent again on any persisting weeds for no charge.
Q: Are any of your treatments harmful to pets or children?
Homeowners should be aware that the use of pesticides does pose some risk, and their use cannot be made completely safe. The level of risk posed by a chemical depends on its toxicity and level of exposure. The simplest way to minimize risk is to limit your exposure to pesticides. The best way to do that is to use a professional, such as Tee To Green, who will use only the proper products with people who are trained to use pesticides properly. By using a professional, you'll have no need to store the concentrated pesticide in your garage, thereby eliminating the risk posed by that.
The pesticides used by lawn care professionals are usually the same as "general use" products available to the homeowner at your local garden center. The products used by Tee To Green are packaged in larger and more concentrated quantities, but they are diluted to the same strength as the ready-to-use products sold directly to the homeowner. When diluted and applied according to label instructions, the products we use pose no unreasonable risk to you, your pets, or our technicians. If anybody should be concerned, it is us, the people who are using the products every day! We have the full confidence in the effectiveness and minimal risk factors when using our products.
When we do a blanket liquid treatment, usually early spring and late fall, we do ask that the pets be off the lawn until the product has had a chance to dry. This is usually about an hour. After that, pets and people can re-enter the lawn according to label instructions. With dry fertilizer applications and spot-treatment of weeds, as long as your dogs are nice and won't eat up our technicians, they can stay out on the lawn if you don't want to keep them inside.
Q: Are there any contracts to sign with Tee To Green?
No! We are a continuous service, meaning that we continue to come out every year until you tell us to stop. There are no binding 1-year contracts though. If at any time you need to skip a treatment or stop service, just call us and we'll do so.
Lawncare is a continuous process, so most of our customers just want us to come out without being re-sold every year. We will send each customer one notice in December with pre-payment options and letting them know when we'll be out for their Step 1 treatment in February or March of each season.
Q: Do I need to be home at time of application?
No. We'll just leave your invoice along with instructions on your door. If you have a locked gate, dog, or just want to be notified by phone the day before your treatment, just call us and we'll be happy to do that.
Q: Do I need to water in your treatment?
Yes, if we do not receive any rainfall within a few days of our treatment. All fertilizers and pre-emergent products need to be watered into the soil to be effective. If you want your lawn to look it's best, you need to be watering your lawn every week or so anyway.
Q: What's the difference between your program choices?
Our best program is a 7-step program. With this, we are coming out about every 6 weeks though early summer, when your lawn needs weed-control and fertilizer the most. In late summer and fall, we space out the treatments to about every 8 weeks.
The minimal program we offer is a 3-step program which mainly concentrates on weed-control with the early spring and late fall liquid weed control treatments. We also come out in late spring for on spot-treatment of visible weeds.
In between those, we can design either a 5 or 6-step service to meet your needs and your budget. Keep in mind that the more often we come out, the better your lawn will look and perform. Don't expect the results of a 7-step service while only subscribing to 3. In this business, like any other, you generally get what you are willing to pay for.
