The evergreen service

When you hire a lawn care company it is always a good idea to understand exactly what you are getting when you sign on the dotted. One of the most frequent complaints I hear is the "Evergreen Service," which is a diplomatic way of saying, "until you say stop, we will will continue to service your lawn year after year to infinity.

This is usually found in the small print of the invoice (or contract), listed as: Continuous service for your convenience. And that's OK if it's what you want, but increasingly, I see this tactic has soured more customers than creating happy homeowners who have found it anything but beneficial.

Some companies even use this negative billing as an underhanded way to squeeze every last dime out of a dissatisfied client. I know, because I used to work for one that did exactly that, and then threatened the homeowner with legal action if they didn't pay.

In some instances, customers who have cancelled their service are still getting applications the following spring, and being billed, much to their anger.

So what do you do if you are a victim of negative billing?

1) If you previously cancelled the service- DON'T PAY! This is their mistake, not yours.

2) It is very important you keep all correspondence with the company to back you up; cancellation number, who you spoke to, the day(s) when you cancelled the service etc.

3) Don't be goaded into resigning out of guilt or the promise of free applications. Believe me, they will up-sell you somewhere in the future. If it sounds too good to be true, well...you know the rest.
And if a company is willing to do an application without your authorization in the first place, do you trust their moral compass moving forward?

4) If you still feel your getting harassed over non-payment issues, understand their are other avenues you can explore- Consumer Protection Agency, or Better Business Bureau come to mind.

5) Don't forget websites like Homestars, and leave a scathing review, or an account of your experience for others so they can avoid the same mistakes. If every instance of negative billing was followed by a negative review on a site like this, the practice would come to a screeching halt.

Bullies aren't just on the playground, and sometimes the only way to deal with a bully is to push back.

It's not easy being green

Today I would like to address a concern I hear every year, whataboutism. 

It goes something like this: "What about my neighbour? His lawn is green and my lawn is the colour of straw, yet he does nothing to his and I have a lawn service."

We can break this down to a number of factors that would explain the difference.

1) Your neighbour has southern exposure and since you are across the street from him, your house faces north. Properties that are located on the north side of the street always green-up faster because they receive more direct sunlight as Mother Nature flip-flops between winter and spring.

2) Your lawn has excess thatch build up. Yeah, you didn't prepare your lawn for winter like your neighbour did by cutting it short and now once the snow has cleared, and you have a lot of matted, dead patches of grass. This issue will also impede green-up until the thatch is raked and removed to allow for new growth.

3) Your neighbour used a quick-release fertilizer. I know you said he does nothing to his lawn, but if you were watching him 24/7...well, that would be creepy. Most lawn companies use a slow release fertilizer. This product is much healthier for your lawn, feeds it over a longer period of time and is less likely to invite unwanted insects like grubs or chinch bugs.

4) Your lawn is predominantly Kentucky Blue Grass, his is not. KBG seems to take its sweet damn time greening-up every spring and coaxing it along by dumping more fertilizer on it is not the answer. As we know, insects are attracted to higher levels of nitrogen, and KBG lawns in particular.

5) There is a deeper issue. Other factors that can delay lawn green-up are a soil deficiency. In other words, key micro-nutrients important to your lawn heath might be missing, and only a soil test will be able to expose what's missing. There might be a PH issue where the lawn is too acidic or too alkaline and need a corrective to provide optimum growth potential. There also could be an insect called a Leather Jacket affecting the lawn health, and unfortunately, nature has to run its course as applying nematodes this time of the year is just a waste of money.

Whatever you do, don't ask your neighbour about it. Since he does nothing with his, chances are he won't know any of what I discussed here either.

Spring in your step

It's been a while since we had this conversation...well, any conversation, since the last post was back in July of last year.

But spring is now here and thoughts are turning away from shoveling the white stuff. The focus has shifted to the lawn and garden.

In previous years, I've expressed opinions on everything from  fertilizer ethics to not doing an aeration prior to mid-April and warning Round-Up is not for use on your grass. Nothing has changed there.

In fact, new information and products in the lawn care industry have been sadly lacking and somewhat humdrum making anything I have to say at this time, redundant.

Sure, The Ministry of the Environment is still considering altering the cosmetic pesticide bylaw...slowly, and there are rays of optimism on the distant horizon, but don't expect any changes in 2019.

And sure, one or two lawn companies out there are playing by the rules...finally.

But the truth remains; dealing with weeds and insects are still the main concern --- the products available, unfortunately, remain listed in the "control only" column and not the "absolute kill."

As long as this is the case, keeping your lawn healthy with timely applications, proper cutting and consistent watering remains the best defense. To avoid this regimen will only invite unwanted issues, and have you pulling your hair out by the end of May.

Remember: Mother Nature cranks it up a notch in just over a month from now, and the weeds will explode with vengeance, so you will need to be on top of your lawn problems to maintain your curb appeal.

And if last year's surprise ice storm in April taught us anything, it was, nothing is absolute.

How low can you go...

...or more appropriately; how low should you go?

Given the heat we are experiencing, I would hope no lower than 3 inches when cutting your lawn. In fact, 3 1/2 is preferable.

It amazes me when I see turf scalped to a putting green in extreme conditions like our current summer heat and humidity.

No matter how much you water, you are just asking for problems in the way of insects, weeds, crabgrass and burning from the sun.

For some, leaving grass longer for drought tolerance and overall health looks unsightly and unkempt, but it doesn't have to be that way.

A lawn cut at 3 1/2 inches, to me, looks much better and healthier than one shaved to barely an inch above the soil.

I much prefer a healthy green  (long) lawn than one going dormant and the colour of straw. Generally the higher the grass the less water you will need on a weekly basis.

Ultimately it is a choice of personal preference, but keep in mind; if you aren't going to practice proper cutting techniques under extreme heat conditions, it really doesn't matter what your lawn care provider does. The results will be the same...absolutely nothing.

Making amends

I'm not one to dance on someone's grave, but I must admit there was a fair bit of tap-dancing at the Liberal's crushing defeat in the recent Provincial election.

With a blue majority back in town there is hope, (however small), an amendment to the cosmetic pesticide bylaw might be on the table.

Now, before you swing your arms up in protest, I'm not expecting carte blanche for the lawn care industry. I don't advocate a return to the days where everyone and their mother had access to 2-4-D.
I do however, expect equality where the lawn care industry is given exemption under the bylaw and  to be included with the likes of the farmers, the golf industry, sod growers and forestry who already benefit from exemption status.

I would love to be able to offer my customers absolutes and guarantees again and put an end to the creeping weeds that now dominate the home landscape.

In fact, why not make it so only licenced professionals are allowed to apply the products. This would assure an army of students, with one day of training, wouldn't be spraying your lawn.

And if it means I have to fill out an annual report on my usage and operate under IPM protocols only, I am happy to do so. These are concessions I am willing to make.

We are talking a less than 4% increase in pesticides already in use to save a struggling industry, perhaps a decrease in health related incidents from allergies and I can stop watching Fiesta and its iron-base weed control eat my equipment from the inside out.

Maybe I'm dreaming, like when you buy a lottery ticket and think of what might be, but for now, it's a possibility that makes me smile and dream on.

Here comes Spring!

With April on the horizon, we have been fortunate to dodge the bullet of extreme weather other areas have suffered---most notably the east coast---and are simply waiting for more warmth before charging to the great outdoors.

Here is a sample of what we can expect over the next month or so...

APRIL 2018 LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN ONTARIO

Dates	Weather Conditions
Apr 1-6	Snow showers, cold
Apr 7-12	Sunny, turning mild
Apr 13-16	A few showers, warm
Apr 17-20	Sunny, cool
Apr 21-24	Rainy east, sunny west; cool
Apr 25-30	Rainy periods, cool
April	temperature 5°C (avg.) precipitation 40mm (20mm below avg. east, avg. west)

In all an average April, with the Farmer's Almanac touting the following for the rest of the lawn-care season. 

April and May will be a bit cooler than normal, with near-normal precipitation. Summer will be hotter than normal, with rainfall below normal in Southwest Ontario and above normal elsewhere. The hottest periods will be in early and late June, early July, and mid- to late August. September and October will be warmer and slightly drier than normal.

Not ideal but...

As long as I'm not trudging through soggy slop, or watching lawns whither and die in a crispy golden brown, I'm a happy camper.

So here's hoping with fingers crossed.

Waiting for Goldilocks

With a 2017 lawn season that was mainly too wet and too cool, to the year before which was too hot and too dry, I wonder when we're going to get a year that is just right?

With global warming perhaps those days are over and the age of unpredictability is here? Yet, the Farmers Almanac predicted what we got in 2017...more or less...so, not so unpredictable.

Even with the cooler temperatures and all the rain at the top of the season, we still ran into chinch bug problems in July and the usual outbreak of crabgrass. These are infestations, I believe, are only going to get worse for the average lawn since the tool box in Ontario is scarce of any adequate controls.

So what to do?

Lawn care has always been a team effort, between us, the home owner and the weather. Yet, now it seems the weather has gone rogue, which makes it even more important to concentrate on the health of the lawn to hold back the invasion of weeds and insects.

If a homeowner is not prepared to make sure their grass is cut properly and watered adequately...well, in the long term, it's not going to matter what we do and you are going to be disappointed with the results.

Just remember, that porridge isn't going to make itself and Goldilocks will pass by your property until she finds a lawn where the conditions are just right.

See you again in 2018.