Instructions & Frequently Asked Questions

You can pay your bill online at: https://www.lawngateway.com/mrwlawns/

We accept all major credit cards, check or cash. Payments are on a service by service basis or paid in full annually. A pre-pay discount is available for customers who wish to pay in full for the entire year.

Our regular work week is normally Monday-Friday. Unfortunately, the weather does not always cooperate. Our standard timing for an application “round” from the first customer to the last is around 8-10 weeks. The early spring application is more time-sensitive than most because we are trying to get the crabgrass control down before sustained higher temperatures provide the conditions necessary for crabgrass germination, so we try to get it done in March or early April. We are always keeping one eye on the forecast, and we do try to schedule around the worst of the weather. If we are unable to work during our regularly scheduled service, we will have to work on the weekends. If you would prefer that your applications not be scheduled for the weekend, simply let us know and we will accommodate you.

All of the products we use are safe for use around people and animals. To err on the side of caution, it is a good idea to keep them out of the treated area for 24 hours, or until the application is dry after watering. This not only increases the safety of the application, but also the effectiveness.

If the application is granular, water it in before re-entry. If the application is liquid, it is safe to re-enter when dry which usually occurs within 2 hours of the application.

We recommend watering in the application (rain works too). It would be fine to mow after it dries. If you are unable to water in the application (or wait for rain), it should be fine to mow at any time after the application as long as you leave the clippings down to avoid losing any product from the lawn. This is very important, because bagging your clippings will remove the product from the lawn. We recommend leaving down clippings whether it has been treated recently or not in order to keep the nutrients in the grass blades in the lawn ecosystem as a form of free, natural compost and to save you time and effort.

We can generally reschedule your service within a few days. It’s impossible to guarantee a specific date because we do schedule services based on when technicians will be in an area, and of course weather and other factors can cause scheduling issues. We will certainly make an effort to work with your schedule, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

We recommend mowing the lawn at 3-3.5 inches during the cooler part of the year (spring and fall), and 3.5-4 inches during the hotter part of the year (summer). Remember, however, that if the lawn is in drought conditions it is not growing. If the weather is hot and the grass is brown, mowing can damage the lawn, and you may want to wait to mow until you have gotten a little rain. In order to have a lawn that you can walk on, play in, and use during the summer, you must water the lawn to avoid damage.

When we choose the products we use, four criteria are considered.
 

• The safety of our products to our customers and their families
• The effectiveness of the product
• The cost and the value of the product to the customer for the money they have spent.
• The potential effects of the applications to the environment.

There are very few organic products which meet all of these criteria. If you insist on an all organic program, we will be happy to provide you with a cost estimate and program for your property. You can expect the program to cost more and be less effective than conventional lawn care programs.

You should start seeing results as soon as a few days after each application. Long lasting change however, requires 2-3 years of persistent service. If the customer follows instructions for proper cultural practices and additional recommendations, the lawn should be well established and able to recover from harsh summer weather with a minimum of additional inputs. Regular core aeration is recommended every few years.

We use a combination. Some products are better applied in a granular form and some are better applied in liquid form. All of our products are professional quality products.

If you maintain your lawn as recommended, you should not have to mow before the application.

We will place a yellow Pesticide flag in the lawn or landscape. We will also send you an After Service Summary with notes about the services performed and recommendations for maintenance as well as the price of the application. Unless you choose to have invoices mailed to you, the invoice will be emailed to the email account we have on file.

While pH can be a factor which creates a good environment for moss, the physical properties of the soil, as well as a thin lawn, are more important factors. Compacted, poorly drained and saturated soil conditions, low fertility, and shade are those physical factors which encourage moss. Reducing shade and regular aeration would be a big help. Also, adding organic compost and heavily seeding in the fall to thicken the lawn are all ways we can help reduce the moss in your lawn.

This question depends almost entirely on the weather. Lawns do best when they receive 1”-2” per week. In the spring with its frequent rain storms, the lawn will very possibly get enough water from precipitation alone. Depending on your sprinkler, you can accomplish this amount of water by watering 15-30 minutes, twice a week. It is generally better to water deeply a few times per week rather than watering every day. During the hottest part of the summer or after a seeding, your lawn may require more frequent or longer watering times. An alternative to watering during a prolonged drought is to let your lawn go dormant. This will cause your lawn to take on a brown, dry appearance, but it should bounce back in the cooler, wetter months. If you do let your lawn go dormant, we recommend not allowing foot traffic or pets on the lawn because it is less resilient and recovers from damage more slowly.

We recommend watering in the morning, after sunrise. Early morning (at dawn) is best because the water will not evaporate before it gets a chance to be absorbed by the soil. Watering when it is dark allows the surface of the lawn to remain wet for too long and will encourage lawn diseases and weeds. Watering in the afternoon can prove to be a futile effort due to increased evaporation. If you must water in the afternoon, wait until the sun is not shining directly on the lawn. Also, if you are using a garden hose, be sure to let it run for a few moments before beginning watering. Water that has been sitting in a hose in the hot sun is un-oxygenated and can actually scorch if applied to the lawn. Be sure  that only cool water is being emitted from your sprinkler before beginning watering.

Usually, in March, April, and May, we experience changing weather conditions. First, after several days without natural rainfall, the soil water bank begins to dry out. At the same time, drying winds increase evapotranspiration. The result is, the grass plants begin to wilt and go into drought stress. The remedy is to follow the instructions found here, and deep water the lawn until you see a return of green.

For most lawns, the early spring application is a granular combination pre-emergent herbicide (weed control) targeting summer annual weeds like crabgrass, foxtail, and some annual broadleaf weeds, and slow-release high-nitrogen fertilizer designed to give your lawn a quick boost at the beginning of the growing season. This application is not meant to kill broadleaf weeds such as chickweed or dandelions unless otherwise noted by the technician. Broadleaf weeds are treated with your winter and late spring applications.

This application will affect new seed that has not had time to mature. We do not recommend new seeding in the spring for a variety of reasons. It is recommended that all seeding be done in the fall. If you plan to seed in the spring it is important that you let us know. You will not be able to seed for 4-5 months after this application. We can adjust our schedule for your lawn and apply the pre-emergent application later in the season. However, this would increase the risk that your lawn will have crabgrass problems later in the year. If possible, avoid seeding in the spring.

This application should be watered in for best results. A rain event of less than 2” occurring within a few hours before or after your application will not affect the efficacy of your application, and may in fact be beneficial, saving you the trouble of watering the application in. Our technicians are trained to make good decisions with regards soil saturation. If the weather is too severe during working hours on the day we have scheduled, we will reschedule for the earliest available date and will keep you informed.

A few leaves here and there would not be a problem. On the other hand, it is very important that we get a thorough application of the crabgrass preventer in the application, because even a small area of untreated crabgrass can spread throughout the lawn. If you are not sure about the amount of leaves in the lawn, we recommend leaving the decision up to the technician. Let us know if you’re uncertain and we will add a note for the technician to pay close attention.

For best results, we recommend watering should occur within a few days. Usually, early spring precipitation is sufficient to activate the product. If the forecast is for no rain for more than a week after your service, you should take steps to water.