Lawn Care Dollars & Sense

Snow covers much of the country for approximately five months per year, and then comes the first hint of Spring, where the ground warms, bugs come out of hiding, here come the weeds, and your corporate offices want to impress its customer by having picturesque grounds.  Guess what, in about three months from now YOU need to be fully prepared.

It all started from English traditions.  It was at the end of the War of The Roses and the rise of the Tudor Dynasty that the English lawn came to be loved and admired.  Upon settling Virginia, British landowners spent considerable sums of money, as a symbol of status and power, to show off the “Jacobean” style of lawn grooming with its closely cut and manually kept lawns, that became the envy of the European gentry.  Throughout the 19th century, the love of well-kept lawns continued to expand, with American landowners making lawns a status symbol that still lives today.  Mass production of the “push-mower” expanded in the 1870′s and the American obsession of lawn care for business was born.

Since restaurants strive for profits, and you compete for increased dollars, lawn maintenance represents a significant “first impression” to your property, and if maintained poorly can create a negative impression that will cost you the loss of customers.  It is the customer’s awareness of its surroundings, when first entering and leaving your business that triggers the brain response about the experience.  The Department of Psychology at the University of Wooster did a study about perceptions of lawn care, and found “appreciation for nature is a significant motivation vehicle…there is a strong connection between the natural environment and social response…”  If your property is groomed, eye-catching, colorful, and clean; whereby the pleasure stimulus/response mechanism is triggered, your opportunities become greater for that customer to return.  People store visual experiences in their memory along with feelings.  Since the body continually takes pictures of every event within the environment.  You have heard of the saying, “first impressions;” therefore, you want every opportunity to influence your customer to influence a repeat mentality.

Since we are talking about lawn care, you need an advantage to increase customer traffic?  It is all about planning, organization, creativity, how much it costs, and the bottom-line getting what you need out of your contractor.  To set up your program the following things must be considered: 
1) How to hire a lawn maintenance contractor; what do you look for? 
2)  Do you need year-round or seasonal maintenance? 
3)  What type lawn care do you need depending upon the type of grass you pick? 
4)  What about weed control and fertilization. 
5)  Where do you stand with trees and shrubs? 
6)  Are you planting annuals for seasonal color? 
7)  What are your policies for mulching beds? 
8)  What about sprinkler maintenance and repair? 
9) How much do you need to spend?

Your selection of experienced lawn care vendors will determine your success or failure of this most important investment.  First, establish a budget, determine the projects scope; write down what is needed, and determine the type of services you require from the provider. Do you only demand the cutting of grass, weeding, fertilizing, or do you need Spring/Fall clean ups, mulching, irrigation, planting of bulbs, etc.  It is also extremely important for you to thoroughly investigate your vendor prospect.   

Considerations include how long the provider has been in business, what levels of expertise and education do the employees have, are the employees authorized to work in the United States.  Many states require licensing, which means you need the vendor data on file, with a continuous annual update.  Insurance is also a big concern; be looking for a company that will provide you a certificate of insurance naming your organization as the additional insured with respect to the work performed.  SLM insists on all of its landscapers carrying comprehensive insurances including general liability, worker’s compensation and automobile insurances, for no less than $1,000,000 each; this way you are protected.  Is the company affiliated with local or national trade organization, such as the PGMS – Professional Grounds Management Society or ALCA – Associated Landscape Contractors of America?  You are also going to want to consider guarantees.  Will the lawn maintenance or landscaper stand behind a guarantee on their work, which also includes plant material?

So, are you considering year-round or seasonal maintenance?  Do you have a checklist for the months in question?  If not, these are items you need to consider: limestone, winter fertilizer and moss killer applications, Spring/Fall leaf clean-ups, aeration, pruning and hedge trimming, blowing off driveways, walkway, edging every 4 to 5 weeks during the winter, just to keep the lawn looking crisp, haul away seasonal debris, and soil testing.  Usually during the winter, it is advisable to cut back service to twice a month for about 4.5 months of the year.  If doing the job correctly, you will want your vendor back every two weeks, just to keep the restaurant grounds looking good for the when the Spring and Summer months hit.  It is best monitored when you have access on-line to a report that shows a series of checks and balances from the vendor on what services are expected and what was performed.

The type of actual lawn care or cutting of grass depends on the type of grasses you have, each being unique to any given environment.  Here are the types used throughout the United States.

• Kentucky Bluegrass – is a cool season, moderate to fine textured grass.  It has a high frost tolerance, so it is a good choice for most northern sections of the United States.  The “bluegrass” has a blue-green type of color.  Kentucky Bluegrass does not tolerate shade, needs a lot of watering and has a low drought tolerance.  Kentucky Bluegrass can be planted as sod, or done by seeding.  Kentucky Bluegrass should be mowed at between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.
• Rye Grass – Rye grass can be either a perennial or an annual variety.  Perennial rye grass has one of the highest wear tolerances of all cool season grasses, so it is often used for playing fields and lawns.  Annual rye grass is often found in cheap grass seed mixes, but it is a bad choice for a lawn because it only lives for one year.  It is useful in the South and the West to over seed to add green to the lawn in the winter.  Perennial rye grass is a shallow rooted grass with a fine texture with glossy blades.  It likes full sun, but can tolerate some shade.  It requires a lot of watering.  Be carefully about purchasing this type of grass for your business.  Ryegrass should be mowed at between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.
• Fescue - Fescue grass is a cool season grass that does not like high levels of heat, and will not withstand heavy traffic.  It is fairly shade tolerant, unlike most cool season grasses.  Fescue grass should be mowed at between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches.
• Tall Fescue – The Tall Fescue grass should be cut slightly taller than other varieties of grass.  Tall Fescue is a clumping type of grass that does well in the sun, or in partial shade, and is popular in areas like the Southwest, where there are mild winters and warm summers.  Tall Fescue is fairly drought tolerant.  Tall Fescue grass should be mowed at between 1 1/2 to 3 inches.
• Bermuda - Bermuda grass is a creeping turf grass that has deep roots.  It is a popular warm season grass found all over the southern part of the United States.  It is a medium to fine textured turf that spreads by surface and by an underground runner, and does best when cut short.  This type of grass endures heat and drought; however, if the grass gets too dry, it typically turns brown or yellow and will go dormant.  It also tends to go dormant if the temperatures stay below 50 degrees, or if there is too much shade.  Bermuda grass should be mowed between 1/2 to 1 inches.
• St. Augustine – St. Augustine is a deep-rooted grass that is very course and thick, which spreads by surface runners.  It is typically found the Southeast and Gulf Coast including Texas and Southern California where there is hot weather.  It is by far the most shade tolerant of all of the warm season grasses.  It also does well in direct sun.  The one downside is St Augustine grass requires regular watering in the heat.  It is so thick and prone to thatch.  In addition, this grass does not produce seed, so consider your budget for it is necessary to plant sod or sprigs regularly.  St. Augustine grass should be mowed at between 1 to 3 inches.
• Bentgrass - Bentgrass is a cool season, low-growing grass with thin blades that should but cut as low as 1/4 of an inch.  It is considered a high-maintenance type of grass, that requires frequent watering and mowing and other care.  Creeping Bentgrass is commonly used on putting greens.  Colonial Bentgrass can be kept a little bit taller and would be a better choice for a lawn, but not necessarily within a restaurant setting.  Bentgrass is mowed at between 1/4 to 1 inches.
• Centipede – Centipede is a warm-season grass commonly found in the Southeast and Gulf Coast states.  It spreads by stolons (horizontal stems that grow at the soil surface or below ground.)  It has shallow roots, which make it somewhat intolerant to drought.  This is a very low maintenance variety of grass.  It goes dormant and turns brown in cold temperatures, and can be killed at temperatures under five degrees Fahrenheit.  It is shade tolerant, does extremely well in full sun, and cannot tolerate beach areas due to salt.  It does not bear heavy traffic and recovers very slowly.  Centipede is mowed at between 1 to 2 inches.
• Zoysia - Zoysia is a warm-season, deep rooted grass.  It has thin blades, is low growing that should be cut as low as 1/4 of an inch.  Zoysia is an extremely drought-tolerant grass that has a high resistance to traffic.  It is a slow growing grass and extremely slow to recover; therefore, it is not good where there is a lot of foot travel.  Zoysia grass does well in the Southern regions of the United States and California.  It goes dormant and turns brown at the first sign of cold weather.  It tolerates moderate amounts of shade and can be planted as sod, plugs or sprigs.  Zoysia is mowed at between 1/2 to 1 inches.
• Buffalo – Buffalo is one of two North American native grasses; the other is Blue Grama Grass.  It is a temperate grass that is a low maintenance choice among many businesses.  It grows to about 4 or 5 inches and will not get any taller.  It does not need to be mowed if you choose to keep it tall.  It spreads by both seeds and runners.  Buffalo is mowed at between to 2 3 inches.

Weed control and fertilization is essential for any healthy restaurant lawn.  Since weeds germinate and grow during all season of the year, it is necessary to provide a pre-emergent (before weeds come up) and a post emergent (kills existing weeds) product.

A typical weed control program consists of early spring (February to April) pre-emergent with fertilizer application, depending upon where the restaurant is located.  The idea is to apply the pre-emergent herbicide approximately 30 days before weeds appear.  Most weed control products last approximately 60 days depending on how much rain falls on the product after it is applied.  Excess rainfall weakens the weed control.  It is a good idea to reapply after 60-day; however, this time you a fertilizer should be used with a post-emergent herbicide.  This will kill weeds that have already come up and are showing above the soil.  If the restaurant lawn is in good condition (weed wise) there should not be many weeds left after the second application.  If there are still weeds showing, one final dose after 60 days, and the last application in the fall.

Tree and shrub pruning should be considered as preventive maintenance.  Many problems can be prevented by pruning correctly during formative years for a tree or shrub.  The reasons for pruning include:

• Promoting the health of the plant
• Removal of dead or dying branches injured by disease, severe insect infestation, animals, storms or other adverse mechanical damage
• Removal of  branches and branch stubs that rub together
• Encouraging flower development and dense hedge growth
• Improving plant appearance
• Protecting people and property

What about planting annuals for seasonal colors?  Annual flowers can provide colorful accents, which affects the psyche of the person entering your restaurant.  The key to color triumph is to plant in an area that can be cared for adequately.  Color can have a huge impact on your patrons more than any other design element at your facility.  Nevertheless, nothing has more of a negative impact that a poorly maintained color area.

When making choices with your supplier, consider soil preparation, which begins with the addition of large quantities of organic matter to obtain optimum aeration, drainage, and water holding characterizes.  Beds should consist of at least 50% organic matter for best results.  In addition, bed areas should be raised to a minimum of 4 to 6 inches to avoid drowning during wet, rainy weather.  If you plant perennials, these plants prefer a pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 for optimum growth where there is usually the addition of “Dolomitic” lime to raise pH or sulfur to lower it.  Fertilizer will need to be added, pre-plant and weed control is a must, and the timing of when to plant is a great consideration.  Most spring annuals cannot be planted until after the danger of killing frost has passed.  Many warm season plants, such as periwinkles and caladiums, cannot tolerate cool soil temperature.  Therefore, delay planting until the medium reaches 70 degrees.

Mulching is one of the simplest and most beneficial practices for your grounds.  It is simply a protective layer of materials that is spread on top of soil.  They can be organic including, grass clippings, straw, bark chips and similar materials, or inorganic such as stones, brick chips and plastic.  Numerous benefits of both organic and inorganic mulches include:

• Prevention of soil erosion.
• Reduced compaction from the impact of heavy rains.
• Conservation of moisture thus reducing the need for frequent watering.
• Maintenance of a more even soil temperature.
• Prevention of weed growth.
• Providing a finished look to the property.
• Improvement of the condition of the soil, since mulch decomposes slowly.
• Improved root growth.

Time of application depends upon what you hope to achieve.  Mulches provide an insulating barrier between the soil and air.  This means that a mulched soil in the summer will be cooler; in the winter, mulched soil may not freeze as deeply.  However, since it acts as an insulating layer, mulched soils tend to warm up more slowly in the spring and cool down more slowly in the fall.

What about sprinkler maintenance and repair?  Water is the most important factor in the care and growth of your restaurant lawn and plants.  Proper watering is a vital part of the care and feeding of all growing plants.  Since 75 to 80 percent of a plant’s weight is from water – without proper watering the plant will shrivel up – and die!  In order to sustain the necessary growth during periods of inadequate rainfall, you need an experienced vendor who understands installation, repair and maintenance in order to nourish your lawn, plants and trees.

So, how much is this going to cost?  There are many factors you must take into account including an estimate for the actual cutting of the lawn, if equipment is required, labor, size of the property and the condition of the acreage.  The biggest issue today has to do with the cost of fuel.  Natural gas prices alone have risen $.72 over the past three years, according the U. S. Department of Energy.  Without exception, every time the price of fuel goes up, fertilizer goes up also.  Lawn care maintenance professionals must be concerned about the cost of gas driving from one job to the next , using lawn mowers, gas trimmers and blowers all use gas, and worst yet, operating heavy equipment on a trailer, which increases the price.

There are three ways to price lawn service:

1. Per Service Pricing – Fixed per-visit (usually inclusive of mowing, edging, trimming, blowing, litter / debris pick up within mowing area)
2. Per Month Pricing – Flat monthly rate regardless of # of service visits within the month (number of months & months with extra 1/2 or whole week usually factored into that monthly price, can request pro-ration for weekly services not rendered do to weather or other unforeseen circumstances)
3. Seasonal Pricing – Fixed annual rate regardless of the number of service visits (usually inclusive of planting seasonal flowers, spring and fall clean ups, pruning, etc.)

It depends in what area of the country you are located in, what you want done, and your budget constraints.  Giving your customers the entrance of beauty to increase profits is what it is all about, and there are ways to save money by working with sources who understand what you need.