Frequently Asked Questions

Read through our most frequently asked questions, or contact us at (937) 839-5296 for more information on our lawn care services. In addition to our seasonal tips, Lawn Plus LLC also recommends our customers follow our lawn maintenance advice below in order to achieve a healthy lawn. Located in West Alexandria, we serve Dayton and nearby areas including Eaton, Kettering, Huber Heights, and Centerville, and areas further south including Cincinnati, Fairfield, Liberty Township, and Springboro. Make sure to also check out the local organizations we proudly give back to!

Lawn Care Basics

When you hire Lawn Plus LLC, you are hiring lawn health experts that not only diagnose the problems in your lawn, but can also recommend the best way to fix it. Lawn health isn’t complicated; anyone can spread fertilizer, right? Yes, but does that person know when to apply the correct product, what product to apply, and at what rate to apply it? At Lawn Plus we take pride in using the best products on the market to get the best results. While products from the store do a good job, professional grade products work better and usually we can apply our products for a similar price as what you’d pay at the store. Best of all, you get our help if you have any issues which you wouldn’t get if you apply a fertilizer you buy from the store and take the DIY approach.

We get this call a lot in the early spring. Lawn Plus makes the best decision for your lawn and pays close attention to the weather. The larger national companies start as early as they can, sometimes even in mid to late February. They only care about getting product applied to your lawn as soon as possible so they can get paid. We usually start in early to mid-March when the weather conditions are good and the product will work best on your lawn. We don’t apply in the wind and rain either, like most companies. There may be two to three days in a row when we aren’t working because of weather conditions. When product is applied under poor conditions, you don’t get maximum results. We want to do it right the first time!

All lawns have their own personalities. You may be dealing with different soil types, shade versus full sun, or different grass types. Shade versus full sun and soil types usually play the biggest role in dry conditions and lawn health. Different grass types can also show up during dry weather, as well as insects and disease, since some grass types have more of a natural resistance to lawn pests.

You can purchase any phase as a stand-alone service. If you purchase the Phased New Construction Package (three of the four phases), you will receive a 10% discount off the total price.

Please follow Lawn Plus’s written instructions and remain off the treated lawn until the lawn is dry, or as an extra precaution wait 24 hours. With the sun and wind, the material dries relatively fast but waiting as long as possible is best.

Seeding & Aerating

When you hire Lawn Plus LLC, you are hiring lawn health experts that not only diagnose the problems in your lawn, but can also recommend the best way to fix it. Lawn health isn’t complicated; anyone can spread fertilizer, right? Yes, but does that person know when to apply the correct product, what product to apply, and at what rate to apply it? At Lawn Plus we take pride in using the best products on the market to get the best results. While products from the store do a good job, professional grade products work better and usually we can apply our products for a similar price as what you’d pay at the store. Best of all, you get our help if you have any issues which you wouldn’t get if you apply a fertilizer you buy from the store and take the DIY approach.

We get this call a lot in the early spring. Lawn Plus makes the best decision for your lawn and pays close attention to the weather. The larger national companies start as early as they can, sometimes even in mid to late February. They only care about getting product applied to your lawn as soon as possible so they can get paid. We usually start in early to mid-March when the weather conditions are good and the product will work best on your lawn. We don’t apply in the wind and rain either, like most companies. There may be two to three days in a row when we aren’t working because of weather conditions. When product is applied under poor conditions, you don’t get maximum results. We want to do it right the first time!

All lawns have their own personalities. You may be dealing with different soil types, shade versus full sun, or different grass types. Shade versus full sun and soil types usually play the biggest role in dry conditions and lawn health. Different grass types can also show up during dry weather, as well as insects and disease, since some grass types have more of a natural resistance to lawn pests.

You can purchase any phase as a stand-alone service. If you purchase the Phased New Construction Package (three of the four phases), you will receive a 10% discount off the total price.

Please follow Lawn Plus’s written instructions and remain off the treated lawn until the lawn is dry, or as an extra precaution wait 24 hours. With the sun and wind, the material dries relatively fast but waiting as long as possible is best.

Weed Control & Fertilizing

Just like our slogan says: “Give a weed an inch…and it will take a yard”®. Weeds compete with grass for space, water, nutrients, and light. They can be very aggressive and take over a lawn quickly if not kept in check. Proper mowing, watering, and fertilization help control weeds more than anything; a thick lawn has a better chance to choke out weeds. Unfortunately, there are no preventative broadleaf weed products on the market, so we have to stay on them as they come up throughout the season (spring and fall).

Lawns require fertilizer to maintain health and vigor. The key is applying the correct fertilizer at the right time. A well-fertilized lawn will make your lawn healthier and thicker, which will help fight against weeds, drought, and disease. A slow-release nitrogen should be used to prevent excessive upper growth, as the roots are the key to any plant’s survival. The healthier the plant, the better, and fertilizer is a critical component to having a beautiful lawn.

The first application of the season is typically applied somewhere between March 1st and April 20th depending on the weather, and is meant for Crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds. It’s too cold to spray for broadleaf weeds during the first application. We apply a blanket weed control application on the second application in the spring, and then again on the third application in the fall.

Watering & Mowing

For the best results, we advise 24 hours. If you are mowing high, you can technically mow the same day and still be okay, but waiting 24 hours is best.

You should mow your lawn at a minimum of 3” during the growing season. Depending on the lawn, maybe even a little higher. You should be able to walk across your lawn and leave a slight imprint and then watch it spring back up. If it lays flat and doesn’t spring back, you are mowing too high. If you can’t leave an imprint, you are mowing too short. Mow your lawn frequently enough so that you don’t remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade, and remember to keep your blades sharp and change directions each time you mow.

We don’t like to see clippings removed from the lawn. Clippings are vital to the growing cycle and return nutrients and organic matter to the soil. The only time we recommend bagging the clippings is when the lawn has gotten too tall between mowings to remove the clumps. Otherwise, you can wait for the clumps to dry up and mow it in another direction to spread the clippings out.

If you don’t have an in-ground irrigation system, it can be hard to thoroughly water your lawn. During a drought you need to water your lawn at least every 30 days just to keep the growing point alive. Anytime you water the lawn, you want to water deep and infrequently. This will encourage deep root growth, and by watering 2-3 days apart you will limit leaf disease. If you have an irrigation system, you should water 2-3 days a week, deep and infrequently. You want to shoot for about 1- 1.5” of simulated rainfall a week.

Lawn Pests & Diseases

Grubs and insects are usually in our lawns every year. Weather conditions and population of the pests are what determines the amount of damage. Grub and insect control is not needed every year, but during the years that these pests are present you may wish you had used them. We view grub and insect control as insurance on your lawn. Just like any other insurance, you hope you don’t need to use it. But, it’s there if you do.

Successful pest control requires the cooperation of the homeowner. Here are some ways you can help our spring, summer, and fall treatments:

  • Check caulking around exterior including window casings.
  • Place exterior lighting as far from structure as possible.
  • Keep garbage cans tightly covered.
  • Avoid stacking firewood on the ground near the structure.
  • Check sealing of entry points including those around plumbing, electrical wiring, etc.
  • Be certain that all ground level doors seal properly.