- The cost of fertilizing your grass (and other lawncare) services varies a lot, depending on the size of your yard and where you live.
- Make sure you get the right kind of fertilizer (slow-release vs. quick release). Follow the directions closely.
- Most lawncare service providers offer total seasonal or annual packages, bundling multiple helpful services.
If you’re looking to add some green to your grass, lawn fertilizer may be the solution you’re looking for. But how much does lawn fertilization cost? This can vary depending on your soil type, grass type, and other environmental factors. Plus there are a bunch of other lawncare products and services that can help keep your grass green and healthy. Search online for the best solutions for your own yard.
If you don’t know the first thing about lawn care, don’t worry. After reading this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of what to expect when hiring someone to take care of your yard maintenance (or DIYing it). A quick online search will give you an idea of the right plans and the associated costs.
Types of Lawn Care Services
The most common types of lawn care or landscaping services are as follows: fertilization, aeration, weeding, mowing, and seeding. There are a few key factors that affect how much you’ll pay for your lawn care service. Price points vary greatly depending on what type of service you need, how big your lawn is, and where you live.
Keep in mind that costs will be different in Chicago than they would be in Dallas. Pricing can also change based on whether or not a company offers season-long packages. These typically cost less per month than an individual visit, but would save money over time if your lawn needs additional work.
Average Cost of Fertilizer Treatments (And Other Services)
There’s a wide variety of potential prices for lawncare treatment. It all depends on how much (or how little) you need done. Regardless of your lawncare needs, here’s what you can expect to pay, on average, for various common treatments.
- Mowing – $25 to $60 an hour (or $150 to $200 per acre)
- Fertilization – $80 to $380
- Lawn Aeration – $70 to $190
- Leaf Removal – $190 to $540
- Weeding/Trimming/Edging – $100 to $500
- Watering – $40 (one time) to $1,000 (seasonal)
You specific costs will depend on the square footage of your lawn and the going rate in your local market. If you’re looking for ongoing lawncare services, be sure to get estimates from a few different providers to compare them.
Why Homeowners Need Regular Lawn Care
Maintaining a beautiful lawn requires more than just occasional mowing. Homeowners should fertilize regularly and possibly aerate their lawn as well. A healthy, green lawn is an indicator of your property’s overall health. Be sure to schedule regular maintenance appointments with a reliable contractor. Or, if you have the time and ability, put in your sweat equity to keep your lawn looking lush.
When you care for your lawn, it helps keep your home safe from other potential problems like erosion or damage from pests like ticks and fleas. If you need yard work done but don’t know where to begin, check out local experts for cost estimates on common projects. Many companies offer seasonal or year-round packages, with monthly (or quarterly) bills.
Winterizing Your Yard
Yard maintenance costs are lower during winter months, but you’ll want to avoid forgetting about your lawn entirely. If you live in a cold-weather climate, give your yard a thorough once-over before frost sets in and temperatures drop below freezing. That way, you can make sure everything is taken care of for springtime.
These tasks includes cleaning up leaves, raking grass clippings, and applying a layer of mulch to protect against weeds. For most homeowners, these tasks should only take an afternoon or two. It will help save time when then warmer weather arrives.
Sodding, Re-seeding, or Hydroseeding.
If you’re looking for an entire new lawn, one of your first questions should be whether or not to get sod. It’s easier than seeding a lawn from scratch, but it’s more likely to survive and thrive for years. If you decide that sodding is right for you, then it makes sense to find out how much grasses are currently going for in your area. For example, average cost per square foot ranges from $1-to-$3.50, depending on where you live. That means that an 800-square-foot yard could set you back anywhere between $800 and $2,500.
Other options, like manual seeding or hydroseeding, are also viable. They require more time and patience, but are generally a bit cheaper than re-sodding your entire lawn.
Fertilizing Grass
The best time to fertilize your lawn is in late winter and early spring, when grasses are actively growing. There are two types of fertilizer you can use for home lawns. First, there’s slow-release products. These often come with a three- or four-digit numbers, like 10-10-10 or 4-4-2 or 18-6-12. These numbers represent the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash in the product. Here’s some more information about how to pick the right mix.
Secondly, there are quick-release products. Quick-release products are generally used more frequently because they release their nutrients quickly into soil. However, they can burn your lawn if not applied properly. Make sure you follow the directions closely.
A good rule of thumb is to apply slow-release products every other year, while using quick-release fertilizers twice per year. Most experts recommend applying one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet at each application. A 50-lb bag will cover about 5,000 square feet.
Watering and Irrigation Systems
One of the most important things you can do for your lawn is to take care of your watering and irrigation systems. Without an effective watering and irrigation system, it’s impossible to achieve even green and healthy grass growth. The two main types of watering and irrigation systems are subsurface drip systems and above-ground sprinkler systems. For small lawns (under 3,000 square feet), sub surface drip is a popular choice as it keeps water low where plants need it most.
A properly designed and installed subsurface drip system will cost between $1,000 and $4,000 per acre. Above ground sprinklers work best on larger lawns that require high volumes of water in order to keep them looking green all year long. Installing an above ground sprinkler system costs between $1,500 and $3,000 depending on how many zones you install. (A zone is defined as a separate area that requires its own timer or controller.)
The Bottom Line
A lawn needs proper care and maintenance to maintain a healthy appearance. If you’re planning on hiring a lawncare service, make sure you understand the costs and procedures involved. For example, synthetic fertilizer might be your best option if you want the greenest lawn possible. Or maybe you’d rather fertilize manually using compost or animal manures.
Talk with your local lawn care service to figure out what will work best for your lawn. The process of lawn fertilization is fairly straightforward. The cost, however, varies depending on where you live and who does the job.
Shutterstock
