Frequently Asked Questions
Our Services
- How long has Green Thumb been in business?
- What other services do you offer?
- Is your service guaranteed?
- Can you call me before doing any applications?
- Can I contract less than five services?
- Do I have to get my entire lawn serviced or can you just do the front lawn?
- Do you clean off my driveway and sidewalks after a treatment?
- Are your technicians licensed to apply pesticides?
- Why does Green Thumb’s service start later in the year than other companies?
Green Thumb has been locally owned and operated since 1994. Our staff has over 33 years of combined experience.
We offer soil sample analysis, lime treatments, flea and tick control, and spot seeding. Soil analyses are sent to the lab for a $25 fee (subject to change). All of our other service pricing depend on your individual lawn size.
Absolutely! We are a service company so if the results of any application are not satisfactory, please call us. We will re-apply or refund the cost of that application. Not only do we guarantee satisfactory results, we will apply extra applications of fertilizer, weed, and insect controls as needed if any problems arise.
Sure! Please write “Call First” on the top of your contract and your technician will contact you the day before your scheduled service.
Our most beautiful lawns are fertilized and inspected five times a year. However, it is possible to achieve satisfactory results with a minimum of three applications on some lawns. Please call our office to discuss a possible reduced service program that will suit your needs and expectations.
Some of our customers opt to only have their front yard serviced for the curb appeal. Please let us know if you’re interested so we can adjust your square footage and price accordingly.
You bet. We always try to leave these areas looking cleaner than when we arrived.
Yes, all of our technicians are licensed by the New York State DEC.
Green Thumb will always put the needs of your lawn first. For this reason, if you are a returning customer, your early spring application will typically occur a little bit later than those who are new to the program.
Here is why:
Your late fall winterizer is applied at a time when the lawn is beginning to go into dormancy. The lawn will not use all of the available nutrients at this time. In fact, most of these nutrients are stored over the winter. This is done purposefully, so that when the lawn comes out of dormancy in the early spring, there are plenty of nutrients available to provide the turf with a quick burst of green.
Also, we would prefer that our customers get the most out of each treatment. By waiting until weeds begin to germinate in the spring, we can be sure to nip these unwanted plants in the bud. The spring is one of the best times of the year to control weeds. If the first treatment is done too early, it will not affect them and weeds will instead grow rapidly throughout the lawn.
Finally, crabgrass is probably one of the most difficult to control weeds. Green Thumb uses the most effective controls available, but the timing of the application is essential! If a crabgrass preventative is applied too early, it will breakdown with rain and sunlight, and lose its effectiveness by the time we reach mid-summer. All of this boils down to one simple point: When it comes to lawn care, timing and patience are critical.
Our Treatments
- Do you use liquid or granular materials?
- What treatments are included in my annual cost?
- Do you offer programs with less toxic materials?
- Are Green Thumb’s treatments safe for children/pets?
- Why do other companies offer more yearly treatments than Green Thumb?
- What are those brown spots on my lawn?
- I have moles. Does that mean I have grubs?
- Does Green Thumb control moles?
- Does Green Thumb control earthworms?
- Does Green Thumb control ants?
- Does my lawn need lime?
- My lawn had leaves on it when it was treated. Will it still be effective?
- It rained right after my lawn was treated. Will it still be effective?
Both! We use granular fertilizers and liquid weed controls. The combination of these two media allow us to provide your lawn with a long lasting green color and exceptional weed control.
There are five scheduled applications per season with anywhere up to eight materials being applied at one treatment session. We do our best to control any existing problems and prevent further problems from arising. Your lawn’s pre and post emergent weed controls are all included and followed up on with every service. Preventative and curative grub and other insect controls are also included. Fungicides may also be applied from time to time depending on current weather patterns and signs of infection – however, some lawn diseases can remain persistent in turf even with proper fertilization and fungicide application. If there are any problems between applications, please call us so we can schedule a service call at no additional cost.
We offer three general programs – Classic, Restricted, and Pesticide-Free. If you’re interested in our Restricted or Pesticide-Free programs, we will happily custom tailor a program that best suits your expectations as well as your concerns.
The products that we use are of minimal risk to children and pets. However, because we are sometimes applying pesticides, it is important that we all act responsibly. Please make sure to keep small children and pets off of the treated area for 24 hours after application. Once this time period has elapsed, families are free to enjoy their lawn in all the ways they usually do.
Keep in mind, by allowing Green Thumb to care for your lawn, it is no longer necessary for you to store lawn care materials inside your home or shed. Green Thumb technicians are highly trained and NYS certified. We only apply what is necessary, and do so in a responsible manner.
Lawns in this area require a certain amount of fertilization throughout the year. Our experience and knowledge of the area has proven that 5 treatments (every 5-8 weeks) ensures the best results. Our program is designed to supply the grass with all the nutrients required, and each treatment is balanced in such a way as to correspond with the weather. Along with these treatments, we come prepared to tackle other concerns such as crabgrass, weeds, surface insects, grubs, and disease. There are times when the lawn may require additional treatment in between scheduled visits. We are happy to apply most of these necessary services at no extra charge!
Unfortunately, the appearance of brown spots in your lawn could be the result of any number of things. Grubs, surface feeding insects, disease, drought, and dormant grasses are just some of the possibilities. We advise you not to take these problems lightly. Ignoring the problem or misdiagnosis only allows for matters to worsen. Contact us right away and let Green Thumb figure it out for you!
No. Moles do eat grubs, but their main diet is actually earthworms. A better way to tell if you have a grub infestation is from skunk damage. Skunks will dig up the lawn severely when grubs are present. Also, if there are grubs in the lawn, the turf will pull up like a piece of carpet because the roots have been eaten away.
No. Although we do guarantee control of grubs, and use products that minimize surface feeding insects, we cannot guarantee control of mole activity. Moles primarily feed on earthworms, which tend to thrive in healthy soils. Furthermore, moles will be more active in lawns that are close to wooded areas. As a courtesy, we will inspect your lawn for grub activity and apply a granular castor oil repellent to encourage moles to leave your property. We can also recommend local wildlife control experts if needed.
No. Part of our role in lawn care service is to add essential nutrients to the soil, which in turn create the proper conditions for a healthy root system. Earthworms will thrive in healthy soils. Although we take measures to control all turf-damaging insects, the available products do not control earthworms. This should not be discouraging, as earthworms do us the favor of naturally aerating the soil to allow for reduced soil compaction, better airflow, and turf root expansion.
Our surface insect control will temporarily minimize ant activity. The problem is that most ant colonies are located much farther down into the soil than our products are designed to leech. Essentially, only those ants that are close to the surface and come into contact with our insect control will be affected. The best way to keep ants and their mounds from entering a lawn is through a thick and healthy turf root system.
This is an important question. If the soil pH in your lawn is not properly adjusted, our materials will not work as well and certain weeds may thrive in these conditions. Typically, the soils in our area tend to be acidic, and require lime in order to lower the acidity and balance out the pH level. Our experience tells us that applying lime every two years is a good preventative maintenance practice.
However, because each lawn is unique, the environmental conditions on your property may be different than the average. It is extremely rare for us to find a lawn where the pH is too high. Often it is just a little too low and lime is beneficial. Sometimes, the pH is very low, and lime needs to be applied heavier and more frequently. Properties containing pine trees are always good candidates for lime treatment.
The late fall application is applied in granular form. These fertilizer pellets are designed to roll off of moderate leaf cover. If the leaves form a blanket over the lawn and are wet, they may hinder the transportation of the product to the soil. In this case, your technician will simply leave you a note that he was there, and ask you to call us when the leaves have been raked so that we may apply the treatment effectively.
Most likely, yes. We have been very happy to learn that most of the products we have been using are enhanced by light or moderate rainfall. Of course, there are exceptions to this. If the rain is too heavy, it is possible for some weed controls to lose effectiveness. Aside from that, all fertilizers, granular products, and insect controls need water in order to work properly.
If you receive a treatment, and the weeds do not start to wilt after 2 weeks, feel free to contact us, and we will be happy to return to your property and retreat at no charge!
Billing and Payment
- What are my payment options?
- Does this price include everything I’ll need for my lawn?
- What if I want to cancel my contract?
Almost all of our residential customers either pay for the year in advance or make eight monthly payments throughout the season. By paying in advance, returning customers enjoy an extra 5% off of the cost of the service. Otherwise, the monthly payment option is suited toward those who prefer to pay their bills on a monthly basis. Please note that your monthly payments are not per service. Your initial payment plus all monthly payments are equal to your current seasons annual cost.
If neither of these options are suitable for your needs, please let us know, and we can tailor a payment method that will work for you!
Green Thumb accepts cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards.
Your annual cost listed in the contract encompasses all of your lawn’s fertilizer, herbicide, and insecticide needs for the season. There are some services that most lawns will not need every year and are not included in your contract. If you’ve hired a landscaper to take care of your lawn and landscaping, your technician can make recommendations for additional services to improve the overall health of your lawn.
You may cancel your contract at any time. Upon cancelling, we expect prompt payment for all services rendered. You will not be charged for any remaining applications if the contract is cancelled mid-season.
Lawn Maintenance
- What can I do to help my lawn look its best?
- What precautions should I take after my lawn has been serviced?
- How long should I wait to walk on the lawn after it’s been treated?
- How long should I wait to mow the lawn after it’s been treated?
- When is the best time to water my lawn?
- Should I bag or mulch my grass clippings?
- When is the best time to seed?
Generally speaking, we recommend the two following practices: mow the lawn at the tallest setting on your mower and water regularly. Every lawn is different so it’s always best to speak directly with your technician about your lawn’s unique requirements. Always refer to the instructions left behind by your technicians at each visit.
We always recommend waiting 24 hours before re-entering treated areas on your property. This ensures that enough time has passed for all dusts to settle, and all sprays to dry. As a further precaution, we recommend watering a day or two after applications to rinse all spray residues off of the leaves, and to bind the fertilizers to the soil profile. After out materials are watered-in and dried-out, the lawn may be used and safely enjoyed.
As recommended by the manufacturers of the products we use, please keep small children and pets off of the treated area for 24 hours after treatment. Once this time period has elapsed, families are free to enjoy their lawn in all the ways they usually do.
Because many of the products that we use for weed control are liquid, they are designed to absorb into the plant tissue and work its way through the inside. In order for this to work as effectively as possible, we ask that you do not mow the lawn for at least 24 hours. In the instances where we have treated for emerged crabgrass and/or nutsedge* (usually in the summer), it is often beneficial to wait a full week before mowing the lawn.
Believe it or not, this is an easy question. To keep things simple, we have found that most lawns thrive when watered daily. Watering amounts depend on weather, but 15-20 minutes per area is about average. Typically, watering in the early morning is the most beneficial. Never water at night, this can bring out diseases in the turf.
Most of us believe that mulching the grass clippings is very beneficial when developing a thick and healthy lawn, especially when it is being fertilized consistently. The reason is that once the fertilizer is absorbed into the grass plant, many of those nutrients are stored toward the top of the grass blade. By returning these clippings back down into the soil, it recycles the nutrients and allows the turf to maximize the benefit of each treatment.
Keep in mind, when the lawn is growing quickly, such as in the springtime, it is possible that these clippings can build up on top of the thatch layer. During these circumstances it is advised that clippings are bagged every other mowing.
September is the best time of the year to seed your lawn. The weather is cool, the soil holds more moisture, and crabgrass is no longer germinating. We strongly suggest using this time as an opportunity to fill in those thin areas or bare spots.
Although spring may seem like a prime time to seed, it is not. Those who attempt to seed in the spring usually wind up with patches of crabgrass and weeds by the time the summer hits. If you do choose to seed during this time, we will not be able to apply pre-emergent crabgrass control.
*Nutsedge is a common weed in many home lawns and turf grass areas, usually yellow or purple nutsedge.