Lawn Care FAQs | American Turf & Tree Care

General Lawn Care

We know that there is a lot more to lawn care than just mowing and watering your lawn, but those are important places to start. Here are some common topics that we discuss with our clients.

What are your recommendations for watering my lawn?

It is vital to the health of your landscape that you supplement its water supply at all times of the year, so hopefully, this guide will help provide some direction to watering.

Turf:

First, get those sprinklers going no later than Tax Day (April 15th, even earlier if conditions are really dry) and continue through Halloween (Oct 31st.) Here is a basic schedule:

Mid-April through End of April: 1-2 days per week,
May thru Early June: 2-3 days per week,
Early June thru September 1st: 3-4 days per week,
September 1st through October 1st: 2-3 days per week,
October 1st thru turn off: 1-2 days per week,

This is a good schedule to follow, but there are always some things to keep in mind:

Full sun areas need more water than shaded areas
Make sure that the edges are watered adequately. Most weed activity occurs on/around the edges where the turf doesn’t get adequate moisture.
The best time to water is between Midnight and 6am.
If an area looks dry, take a screwdriver and push it into the ground. If you can't go deeper than a half-inch, it needs water.
Early and late season water helps prevent mite damage

Trees:

Trees need water too! Did you know that trees need water even at a low -25 degrees? Evergreens especially need supplemental water through our dry winters to make sure that they have a good start in the spring. We recommend treating your trees to some water about once a month, of course, weather permitting.

If you are not sure how long to water per zone, start with a minimum of 30 minutes per zone for a rotor-type head. For example, a lawn that has 5 zones should take a minimum of 2.5 hours to water one cycle. Each lawn is a little different, so these numbers can vary.

I have a brown spot on my lawn—what do I do?

Relax! Have your favorite beverage! With proper care (water, mowing, and nutrition) to the entire lawn, it will most likely go away on its own without having to do anything! A healthy lawn will naturally fix itself with proper routine care; many times, less is more.

I think I have fungus on my lawn—what do I do?

You likely do not have a fungus. Many people immediately turn to fungus as the problem, and that most often could not be further from the truth. The fungus requires lots and lots of water, and the reality is that most people do not water enough. So, you can't have a fungus among us without water.

Why do you recommend aeration in the fall?

We offer aeration services in the spring and fall. Aeration is most beneficial in the fall as well as spring because this is the time when the most root growth occurs in the grass. The fall is the perfect time to nourish cool-season grasses before winter dormancy, and it means you’ll have fewer weeds to battle in the spring. When you sign up for our lawn care program, choosing to include fall and spring aeration is the best way to keep your lawn as healthy as possible.

Why does my lawn look brown during the heat of summer?

You’re not alone! When temperatures are above 80 degrees, it can be tough on the cool-season grasses that make Colorado lawns look so good in spring and fall. To keep your lawn from going brown, you should water it at least 3-4 times per week with about an inch of water per watering.

Fertilizer is not a replacement for water, and even the best sprinkler systems are only 80% effective. Remember - we do live in a desert! It can be several weeks without natural rainfall, so if you’re not filling in those gaps, your lawn can suffer.

Want to test this yourself? Try pushing a screwdriver down into the soil. If it stops about an inch deep, your lawn needs more water!

Our Services

American Turf & Tree Care provides a wide variety of services, including lawn care, tree care, liquid aeration, weed control, and mosquito control. Here are a few questions we are frequently asked when providing our treatments.

Can I expect instant results since I am paying American Turf & Tree Care to treat my lawn?

A healthy, weed-free lawn cannot occur instantly or by one treatment. Beautiful lawns simply come with time and patience. However, with our treatments, you will see change happen quicker. Each of our treatments works with the other, and each will reduce weeds and improve the health of your lawn. Depending on your lawn’s condition, you can expect to have a beautiful, healthy lawn within a year or two, sometimes faster.

If my lawn is being treated this season, what else do I need to do?

The only thing you need to do if you're part of our lawn care program is water and mow. If you add more fertilizer to our program, you can damage your lawn. No "power raking" is needed, either.

See the question "What are your recommendations for watering?" to help with your watering schedule.

What can I expect from American Turf & Tree Care's lawn care service?

We work hard to help you get a perfect lawn with each treatment, however, it’s important for customers to have realistic expectations about lawn care. Despite our best efforts, there are many natural factors that are beyond our control and yours. Turf care is much more complex than just a treatment. Turfgrass is a living plant that is affected by the environment, weather patterns, cultural practices, pests, insects, traffic, pets, and many other natural variables we simply can’t control. To expect your lawn to always be perfect is unrealistic. You must be willing to be patient, allow our service and Mother Nature the time to permit the lawn to succeed.

What do I need to do after my lawn application?

We know you’re looking forward to getting outside and enjoying your backyard - but it’s important to let the product dry completely before traffic is allowed on the lawn.

We recommend waiting to mow until the day after your application, watering the application in before mowing, and mulching grass clippings 2-3 times before bagging, if possible. Your lawn care technician will happily answer any specific questions you might have about altering your normal lawn maintenance routine after our treatments. Your lawn care technician will not happily carry you across the lawn until our treatments dry, but thanks for asking.

What do I need to do to make sure my lawn is ready for service and avoid rescheduling?

Make sure the gate is unlocked, the dog is inside, and the lawn is cleared of debris and toys. We love your dog as much as you do, but treating your yard is a lot harder when Fido thinks we’re here to play.

Also, make sure you’ve had your lawn mowed at least once before service. Overgrown grass makes it more difficult to get our treatments to the roots of your lawn - making it less likely you’ll get the results you want!

Scheduling

Scheduling your treatment or follow-up may seem a little intimidating, but here are some tips that could help make it easy.

How do I make sure my services continue next year?

For your convenience, we automatically renew your services unless you request otherwise. Lawns and trees need continual care, and we only want you to have the best!

How does American Turf & Tree Care schedule my applications for my lawn or trees?

Our program is designed to give your lawn and trees what they need most at each point in the season, which means our services need to be applied within a certain window of time to give you the best results. Don’t worry - our customer service team will always text/email/call the day before service is scheduled to notify you of service.

You can manage alert settings through your account online, or give our team a call at 970-660-5510 for assistance.

What are American Turf & Tree Care's hours?

Office hours are generally 9am to 4pm.

Our technicians like to be at their first stop by 7am and are usually finished with their day by early afternoon. We do this to avoid the afternoon heat and wind through the summer. When temperatures are cooler, we have to wait until the temperatures are above freezing before we can take the trucks outside, so we sometimes have a later start in the early spring and in fall. When is my first and last application?

What if I need to reschedule?

We get it, life happens and sometimes a reschedule is in order. Please give us a call at 970-660-5510 to let us know ASAP, and we’ll do our best to find a day and time that works better for you.

Day-of requests can not be guaranteed since our drivers are already on the road, but we will do our best to accommodate.

What do I need to do to make sure my lawn is ready for service and avoid rescheduling?

Make sure the gate is unlocked, the dog is inside, and the lawn is cleared of debris and toys. We love your dog as much as you do, but treating your yard is a lot harder when Fido thinks we’re here to play.

Also, make sure you’ve had your lawn mowed at least once before service. Overgrown grass makes it more difficult to get our treatments to the roots of your lawn - making it less likely you’ll get the results you want!

Billing

Here are some common questions that we get asked about our billing process.

My price went up from last year! Why?

Our goal is to provide premier lawn care services at a fair price. We calculate our prices based on the size of your lawn or trees and also as a function of our product costs. We don’t raise prices just for fun.

If you’d like to speak with our customer service team about your pricing options, give us a call at 970-660-5510.

What billing options does American Turf & Tree Care offer?

Option 1: We can charge the credit/debit card of your choice as each service is performed. We will input your card information at the time of account set up and will apply charges at the time services are performed.

Option 2: We offer monthly billing where we divide the total annual service amount into equal monthly payments based on how many months remain in the calendar year. Services will renew into the next year by default into 12 monthly payments charged on your choice of the 1st or 15th of each month. For example; if you sign up for service on July 1st for a total service amount of $600 for the season, you would have 6 payments of $100 billed on the 1st or 15th of each month. The next season, the $600 service amount would be set up on 12 monthly payments of $50.

Option 3: Some customers like to pay for their services at the beginning of each year in a single payment. We offer a prepayment discount if you are interested. Please call the office at 970-660-5510 if you would like more details. The prepay window ends on March 1st.

Still have a burning question?

Give us a call at 970-660-5510 or fill out our easy contact form—our customer service team is happy to help!

Frequently Asked Questions