The Law Coach's Annual Playbook by Heritage Lawns & Irrigation

The Lawn Coach’s  Annual Playbook A Month-By-Month Guide For The Greenest Lawn In Your Neighborhood

Lawn Care: Game On! What is the secret to a beautiful, green lawn? Teamwork.

While it is extremely important to have a dedicated lawn care company keeping your lawn and its soil healthy and green, the best looking lawns have homeowners pitching in too.

To make it easy on you, the Lawn Coaches at Heritage want to let you in on our annual playbook to the greenest lawn in the neighborhood. We put together a play for each time of the year, what the homeowners should be doing during that play, and what a lawn care company should be doing. Good luck & game on! - Wes Ory, Owner of Heritage Lawns & Irrigation Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #1: Spring Fever • When to Run This Play: March through Mid-April  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Clean up your lawn by removing dead leaves and plants • Follow early mowing tips • Drop mower height down to 2 inches • Attach bagger to the mower • Mow off all dead grass  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Apply light treatment of organicbased fertilizer to lawn • Apply pre-emergent to control grassy weeds in turf • Treat trees and shrubs with dormant oil where needed • Apply first pre-emergent in flower and shrub beds  Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #2: Warming Up • When to Run This Play: Mid-April through May  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Plant annuals, add mulch, and clean landscaped areas • Water new seed as needed to keep soil damp • Begin mowing regularly • Trim before mowing • Never mow more than one third of your grass’ blade length to avoid added stress and damage • Each week, mow a different direction to reduce the creation of wheel ruts in the turf • Leave clippings on your lawn to reduce the amount of fertilizer needed  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Seed dead spots that can’t wait until fall • Apply light treatment of organic-based fertilizer to lawn • Apply second pre-emergent in flower and shrub beds • Sprinkler startup and backflow certifications • Broadleaf weed control • Dandelions • Chickweeds • Henbits  Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #3: Summertime Bliss • When to Run This Play: June  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Weed beds and light pruning of shrubs • Monitor lawn for insects, diseases, and heat stress • Mow regularly • Enjoy your lawn and the nice weather  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Apply perimeter pest control treatments • Apply slow release, organic-based fertilizer • Insect and disease treatments for lawn • Inspect and treat for bagworms if needed • Spot weed control treatments • Grub control treatments if needed • Perform insect and disease inspections and treatments for trees and shrubs • Tip blight in pine trees • Apple scab in crabapple trees Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #4: Heating Up • When to Run This Play: July through August  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Monitor for insects, diseases, and heat stress • Look for brown spots in lawn • Mow regularly • Weed and prune • Adjust watering for summer conditions  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Evaluate lawn and recommend seeding if necessary • Inspect and treat trees and shrubs for insects and diseases • Apply flea and tick treatments if needed • Inspect and treat for bagworms if needed • Sprinkler system summer checkup. • Spot weed control • Nutsedge (watergrass) • Crabgrass • Spurge • Plantain

Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #5: The Cool Down • When to Run This Play: September through Mid-October  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Proper watering of new seed • Mow new grass when ready • Plant mums and fall flowers  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Apply organic-based fertilizer • Seed and apply starter fertilizer • Verticut and/or aerate when seeding • Liquid aeration if not seeding • Apply perimeter pest control treatment

6 Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Play #6: Late Season Drill • When to Run This Play: Late-October through November  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Plant tulips and other bulbs • Mulch and rake leaves • Add mulch to rose bushes  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Apply winterizer fertilizer • Winterize sprinkler system • Apply perimeter pest control treatment • Deep root fertilization of trees and shrubs

7 Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Off-Season Training • When to Run This Play: December through February  • What Homeowners Should Be Doing: • Keep leaves away from foundation (to deter insects) • Prune trees and bushes • Winterize lawn mower • Remove hoses from outside faucets • Plan lawn projects for next spring  • What Your Lawn Care Company Should Be Doing: • Communicate with clients about next season’s plans • Apply needed soil amendments • Dormant Seeding

8 Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

Score Card Homeowner Out of 27 Possible 24 - 27 21 - 24 18 - 21 < 18 A B C D

Lawn Care Company Out of 34 31 - 34 27 - 31 24 - 27 < 24 A B C D

Are you getting what you’re paying for?

Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook

More Helpful Resources Looking for more helpful information from the Heritage lawn coaches? Check out these articles designed for homeowners: • 5 Reasons Your Lawn Still Has Weeds • Is It Safe to Let my Dog on the Lawn after a Lawn Care Treatment? • 4 Tips for Keeping Your Lawn Greener Than Your Neighbors Heritage Lawns & Irrigation: The Lawn Coach’s Annual Playbook