Green lawn lined with stepping stones and manicured hedges and flower beds
Everyone wants a gorgeous, green lawn — but not everyone has time to do their own lawn care. This guide to lawn care services can help you choose the right team for your property. | Shutterstock, © aimful

Caring for your lawn can cost you time, money and stress. From mowing your lawn to removing weeds, comprehensive lawn maintenance can be a pain. Fortunately, you don’t have to tackle your lawn care alone.

If you want a healthy lawn without having to take all of the time and effort to make it look its best, you may want to consider hiring a professional lawn care company. Just make sure you do your homework on which company you go with. Not all lawn care companies are the same, and the services they provide aren’t all equal.

The reviews team understands that you only trust the most reliable companies with your lawn. The team has researched lawn care services across the United States, considering factors like price, customer satisfaction, services offered and more. 

In this Article

Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.

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    Types of Lawn Care Services

    Many homeowners believe that lawn care companies can’t help them if they need anything more than simple lawn mowing or fertilization. This is far from the truth. Lawn care companies help with a wide range of services depending on where you live and how the grass grows in the area. Lawn care services include the following:

    • Landscaping — Landscaping is the process of cleaning up your lawn and ensuring that it looks its best. Landscaping might involve everything from placing mulch to planting ornamental grasses.
    • Maintenance — There are a lot of services that fall under the category of lawn maintenance. This could include mowing, raking, aerating, fertilizing, putting down grass seed or sod and more.
    • Mowing — Keeping your grass nicely trimmed not only makes it look great, it also keeps your lawn healthier.Irrigation — It’s important that you water your lawn when it gets dry. A reliable irrigation system helps your lawn get the water it needs without allowing water to pool where it shouldn’t.
    • Fertilizing/treating Fertilizer comes in many forms and helps your grass grow. You can put down quick-acting fertilizer for an instant boost, or you can opt for slow-release fertilizer to help improve your soil and lawn over time.
    • Seeding — When your grass has bare spots, putting down the right type of grass seed can fill it in. You can opt for seeds that grow best in the sun or in the shade, grasses that thrive in the heat or cool season grasses that do best when the temperature is more moderate.
    • Aeration — When your lawn needs a boost in water, oxygen or nutrition, one of the best options is core aeration. Aeration introduces tiny holes into your soil, which allow your grass’ roots to take in more nutrients and water.
    • Tree and shrub maintenance — When trees and shrubs are overgrown, they aren’t just unhealthy — they can also be dangerous, with branches prone to falling. Keeping them trimmed allows them to grow healthier and look better.
    • Weed control — Controlling weeds allows your grass to grow in healthier and look lusher. Weed control uses both organic methods and traditional herbicides to kill off weeds and stop them from smothering your grass.
    • Pest control — When pests invade your lawn, they can kill your grass, vegetables, flowers and even new shrubs. Pest control kills off grubs, mosquitoes and other uninvited guests before they can harm your property.

    Every lawn care company chooses the individual services it provides, and not every company offers each of the above services. Be sure to compare each company’s specific offerings before you buy a package. 

    Person holding a fertilizer spreader over a green lawn
    Photo Credit: Adobe Stock, © evgenyb

    Professional Lawn Care Services Benefits

    While it may seem like it is just a project you should do on your own, lawn care is a time-consuming process that can easily take over the bulk of your spare time. You’ll need to research each individual lawn care process, invest hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars in the right equipment and spend hours tending to your lawn. The time and money you spend to do this yourself could easily be better spent tending to your house, family or indulging in your favorite hobbies.

    Hiring a professional lawn care service gives you many benefits. Professional lawn care services already have the technical know-how to diagnose and treat any issues your lawn might have. They also already have professional-grade equipment, products and tools to use on your lawn. Often, hiring a professional lawn care service is more cost-effective than buying all the tools you’d need to take care of your lawn yourself.  


    Professional Lawn Care Services Costs 

    One of the first questions that most homeowners have when they consider hiring a professional lawn care company is: How much will it cost? Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this question.

    There are many variables that determine how much you’ll pay for lawn services. Some of the factors that lawn care companies look at when they offer you a quote include:

    • The size of your property
    • The number of services you need
    • The cost of the tools and products needed to complete the services you want
    • The shape of your property
    • Whether or not there are gardens, water features, rivers or other fixtures on your property
    • How often you need service
    • The overall condition of your property
    • The number of technicians needed to service your property

    The best way to determine exactly how much you’ll pay for lawn care service is to collect a few quotes from competing companies. Most lawn care companies allow you to quickly get a quote online or with a single phone call. Getting a number of quotes ensures that you’re not overpaying for service, and it allows you to consult directly with a lawn care professional. 


    Preferred Provider for Lawn Care Services: TruGreen

    The reviews team’s top recommended lawn care service provider is TruGreen. TruGreen is a professional full-service lawn care company providing everything from fertilization to aeration. With a wide range of plans and packages available and nationwide service, TruGreen is a top choice for homeowners almost everywhere. 

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     You can get a free quote from TruGreen by calling 877-386-6512 or by filling out an easy form.

    TruGreen’s Offerings

    TruGreen focuses on offering a variety of package plans to busy homeowners. A plan can be the perfect solution for homeowners who need maintenance and lawn services and don’t want to tackle these tough tasks themselves. TruGreen’s currently available plans include: 

    Plan Services
    TruComplete℠ Lawn Care Plan– One aeration and overseed per year
    – Eight general service visits per year
    – Fertilization
    – Grub and pest control services
    – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control
    – An analysis of your current lawn condition
    – Satisfaction guarantee
    – Service by lawn care professionals
    TruHealth℠ Lawn Care Plan– Eight general service visits per year
    – Fertilization
    – Grub and pest control services
    – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control
    – An analysis of your current lawn condition
    – Satisfaction guarantee
    – Service by lawn care professionals
    TruSignature℠ Lawn Care Plan– One aeration and overseed per year
    – Eight general service visits per year
    – Seven tree service visits per year
    – Fertilization
    – Grub and pest control services
    – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control
    – An analysis of your current lawn condition
    – Tree and shrub services
    – Satisfaction guarantee
    – Service by lawn care professionals
    TruNatural℠ Lawn Care Plan– Five general visits per year
    – Natural fertilizer application
    – Weed control services
    – An analysis of your current lawn condition
    – Satisfaction guarantee
    – Service by lawn care professionals
    TruMaintenance℠  Lawn Care Plan– Six general visits per year
    – Fertilization
    – Pre-emergent and targeted weed control
    – An analysis of your current lawn condition
    – Satisfaction guarantee
    – Service by lawn care professionals

    TruGreen also offers the following services a la carte:

    • Mosquito control
    • Soil amendment services
    • Tree and shrub services

    Locations

    TruGreen is currently available in all 48 of the continental United States. This makes the TruGreen team an excellent choice for most homeowners. 

    The Cost of TruGreen Plans & Services

    The specific price you’ll pay for TruGreen’s services will depend on the package you choose, your property size and your location. Here’s what you might expect to pay for TruGreen’s most popular plans in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, with a lot size of about 2,300 feet, based on a quote the reviews team received. 

    PlanPrice
    TruComplete Lawn Care Plan$48.95 per standard visit
    $204.00 per aeration and overseed visit
    TruHealth Lawn Care Plan$48.95 per visit
    TruMaintenance Lawn Care Plan$46.95 per visit
    TruNatural Lawn Care Plan$99.78 per visit

    The reviews team didn’t receive a quote for the TruSignature Lawn Care Plan. 

    Is TruGreen Worth It? 

    TruGreen is rated 4 stars by Trustpilot, with 59 percent of customers calling the company “excellent” and 18 percent calling it “bad.” Positive reviews note quick service, while negative reviews mention technicians missing appointments. All ratings are as of March 2020. 

    “Excellent service. I appreciate getting the reminders of when you will be here. Your employees are courteous and very competent.”

    — Customer, 5 stars, Trustpilot, 3/4/2020

    “We are currently using TruGreen and a few weeks after the mosquito treatment, we were still getting bitten by mosquitoes. When my husband called for a re-treatment he was told if it’s more than two weeks since the last treatment, they won’t come out. This was very disappointing as no where on their advertisements does it state that…it states ANY TIME between treatments if we are still having mosquitoes they will re-treat, not the case with us… Last year we used them and there were no issues, but this time around they did not support what they claim in our situation.”

    — Val and Sam, 2 stars, Trustpilot, 6/27/2019

    With nationwide service, positive customer reviews and plenty of packages to choose from, TruGreen is the reviews team’s top choice for lawn care services.

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    You can get a free quote from TruGreen by calling 877-386-6512 or by filling out an easy form.


    Frequently Asked Questions

    How much does lawn care cost? 

    Unfortunately, there’s not a simple answer to this question. The price you’ll pay for lawn service will be influenced by a wide range of factors, including property size and location. The reviews team recommends getting quotes from a few competing lawn care service providers before choosing a company. 

    How much does TruGreen actually cost?

    The reviews team found that a visit from TruGreen can cost anywhere from about $50 to about $200, depending on the services you need. However, the price you’ll pay will be heavily influenced by your individual property size and the package you choose.  

    How much is insurance for lawn service? 

    You generally cannot insure the results of a lawn care company’s work on a residential property. The best way to protect your investment is to choose a professional, licensed company to handle your work. Look for a company that provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  


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    The reviews team rates and reviews products and services to help our readers save time, find value and make better decisions. This team is independent from the Today’s Homeowner editorial staff.

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