NJ Lawns Community

I'm so frustrated! I hired the cheapest lawn service I could find ($25/mow) and now my lawn looks terrible. They mow too short, don't edge, and I'm pretty sure they never sharpen their blades. The grass looks shredded and brown in spots. I've been trying to fix it myself but I think the damage is done. Is my lawn salvageable? Should I fire them and do it myself? I need some hope here!

Oh boy, I've seen this before! The '$25 mow' services often do more harm than good. Here's what they're likely doing wrong: 1. **Mowing too short** - should be 3-3.5" for cool season grass 2. **Mowing wet grass** - tears instead of cuts 3. **Dull blades** - makes grass look gray/brown 4. **Bagging clippings** - robs soil of nutrients The good news: your lawn is probably salvageable! Stop using that service immediately. Here's your recovery plan: 1. Raise mower height to 3.5" 2. Water deeply 2-3 times per week 3. Apply a light fertilizer 4. Overseed bare spots in fall 5. Consider learning to mow yourself - it's not hard! I know it feels overwhelming, but lawns are resilient. With proper care, it should recover in 4-6 weeks.

Definitely fire them! The old saying is true - you get what you pay for. A decent lawn service in this area is more like $50-80 per visit, and it's worth it. If budget is tight, consider: 1. Learning to mow yourself - YouTube has great tutorials 2. Splitting costs with a neighbor 3. Doing it yourself on weekends Also, check if they were insured! The last thing you want is them damaging your irrigation system or hitting a utility line.