Five Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Landscaping Service

1. Is your landscaping company licensed? While in the landscaping business you can always get it done cheaper by contracting with someone who's new or with your next door neighbor's teenage son, there's a reason most reputable companies are licensed by your state's department of agriculture. Improper use of chemicals and fertilizers can lead to a lot of problems not just in your yard. Toxic runoff into storm drains, chemicals that drift on the wind and harm plants outside of your property or the killing of beneficial insects, household pets and favorite plants, no doubt all by accident, to name a few. Since applicants for a license are annually required to prove that they have current liability insurance, being sure your applicator is licensed will go a long way in helping you to protect yourself from these things as well as the possibilities of fines from the EPA in the event of an accident.

2. Do you know what fertilizers and pesticides they're applying? How toxic are they? What will be the long-term effects? Are they harmful to the environment? Are they being applied at the correct rate and time? Will they destroy beneficial insects and plants? Could a less expensive or less toxic chemical be used as effectively?

3. Are they picking up the grass clippings? It became fashionable recently for people to maintain a neat yard by picking up the clippings, however, regularly mowed grass will add beneficial nutrients back into the soil as the clippings decompose and will also greatly reduce landfill mass.

4. Are they responsible? If you have a problem, does your service show up, return your call and fix the problem? Everybody makes mistakes including landscaping companies. Be sure your contractor has time for that, too.

5. Is your lawn being over-treated? Take grub worms for example, just because you see one doesn't necessarily indicate a major infestation. Lawns with five or fewer grubs per square foot need not be treated at all. Also, for most cool season grasses such as bluegrass, three applications of fertilizer per year are enough. Over-fertilization causes excess growth and the need to mow more frequently, which can be dangerous to your grass in the event of a drought, but will certainly help to line the pockets of your landscaping company in the meantime.