The This Old House Reviews Team believes TruGreen is the top lawn care company in The ATL. TruGreen offers decades of experience, comprehensive lawn care programs, and a variety of a la carte services. Alternative lawn care providers include Weed Man and Lawn Doctor.

TruGreen is known across the country, providing services to 2.3 million residential and commercial customers nationwide, in every state except for Alaska. Instead of offering one general annual program, TruGreen offers five, with increasing levels of comprehensiveness. The company’s a la carte services include pest control. TruGreen’s services are performed by TruExpert℠ Certified Specialists. All specialists pass the TruExpert Lawn Certification Program, an intensive 10-day course that covers topics from horticulture and agronomics to safety. TruGreen’s Healthy Lawn Guarantee® promises full-program customers that a lawn care specialist will return to your lawn as many times as needed at no extra cost. TruGreen also offers a mobile app and an online chat function. We give TruGreen a 97 out of 100.

Why You Should Hire Professional Lawn Care in Atlanta

Every lawn has unique needs, based on its soil composition, grass type, amount of shade it gets—the list goes on and on. Proper lawn care goes beyond searching “lawn care” online. It needs to be specialized for your individual lawn. And the people most equipped to do that are professional lawn care companies, with expertise performing custom lawn analyses. Lawn care specialists can execute every aspect of lawn care, from weed control to pest control. Some companies offer different levels of plans, meaning you can choose between just a few services you may want, and a more extensive plan that takes care of everything for you.

The Most Common Grasses in Atlanta

Proper lawn care requires knowledge of your particular grass type and its needs. Grass types are broken down into warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses. Atlanta is located along the edge of the transitional zone, meaning it is suited to both warm- and cool-season grasses. Homeowners tend to have warm-season grasses more often, since they are more heat- and drought-tolerant. Here are some of the most common grasses Atlanta homeowners will come across.

Bermuda: This hardy grass is very resilient and can stand up well to foot traffic, making it ideal for families with pets and children. However, it does not tolerate shade well. Centipede: This grass is low maintenance, as it grows slowly and doesn’t require frequent mowing. However, it takes longer to develop into a full lawn, and doesn’t tolerate much foot traffic. Zoysia: This vibrant grass grows dense turf and is weed- and drought-resistant. But it grows fairly slowly. St. Augustine: This coarse-textured grass is tolerant of shade and salt but is vulnerable to disease and pests.

How to Choose Lawn Care in Atlanta

Before you choose which lawn care company to go with, you should look into several factors to make sure the company is the best fit for you and your lawn’s needs.

Cost: Your budget is a major consideration when making your decision. Different lawn care companies charge different amounts based on different services offered and factors like the size of your lawn, the condition it is in, and more. You can receive free quotes online by submitting your name, address, and basic contact information. Many companies use an online tool that allows them to map out the exact dimensions of your lawn for a precise quote. Plans and services offered: Not all lawn care companies offer the same annual programs and a la carte services. It’s a good idea to consider how many services you need, and whether you should go with a company that offers a wide variety of services or something more streamlined. Reputation: You never want to let just anyone onto your property. Read expert reviews to find out if the company is reliable, trustworthy, and competent. Guarantee: The best lawn care companies offer guarantees that their services will be effective. For full-program customers, TruGreen guarantees to return to your lawn as many times as needed between scheduled treatments to re-treat at no extra cost. This increases confidence that you’re putting your money toward something worthwhile. Organic options: Some lawn care companies offer organic solutions and natural fertilizers, providing an environmentally friendly solution to traditional lawn care.

Atlanta Lawn Care Tips

Choose the proper grasses for your transition zone

You need to evaluate several factors when determining which type of grass to plant in your transition zone lawn, especially because you have more options. Look into your soil type, soil pH, and the amount of sunlight your lawn gets on a daily basis. If you get a lot of shade, make sure to invest in a grass type that thrives in shade—cool-season grasses typically tolerate it better.

Eliminate crabgrass

Crabgrass is a persistent weed in Atlanta and Georgia in general. It is best combated by prevention, using a selective pre-emergent herbicide. If it has already sprouted up, use a selective post-emergent herbicide.

How much should you water your lawn?

On average, your lawn needs 1-1.5 inches of water per week. The ideal way to do this is either one or two deep waterings, which leads to stronger root development than daily waterings. Adjust how much you water your lawn based on your weather forecast.

How do you aerate your lawn?

You can hire a professional lawn care company to aerate your lawn, or you can rent or purchase an aerator to aerate your own lawn. There are several common types of aerators, including core aerators and spike aerators. Core aerators are more popular, and pull plugs or “cores” of soil out of your lawn. Spike aerators puncture many tiny holes, but if not used carefully, they can further compact your soil.

How do you get rid of weeds without killing your grass?

Corn gluten meal is one way you can kill weeds without harming your grass. There are also selective herbicides on the market like A.D.I.O.S. that target weeds but leave grass unharmed.

Is your lawn safe for pets after an application?

You should allow your lawn to dry for 1–2 hours after a treatment before allowing pets or people on it.

Our Rating Methodology

To provide readers with the most objective, accurate, and detailed recommendations, the This Old House Reviews Team continually researches lawn care service companies on the market. We take the following steps to obtain up-to-date information about the industry and each company we review:

Analyze more than 100 customer reviews from third-party review sites, such as Yelp, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews, for each company Secret-shop for lawn care plans and packages to get a sense of cost, offered services, and the overall shopping experience for prospective customers Speak with representatives on the phone to simulate the customer service experience from each provider Update information on a regular basis to ensure the most accurate information when plans or services change with each company

We use the data from our research to build an in-depth rating system that allows us to score lawn care providers on a 100-point scale. Here are the factors in our evaluation and their designated scores:

Plan options (30): As one of the most important factors for homeowners shopping for a lawn care service, this one is weighted heavily based on each company’s lawn coverage. Companies that offer more options, such as irrigation, weed control, seeding, and aeration services in addition to a general plan, score higher than others. Trustworthiness (30): Each company’s reputation is another significant factor for homeowners to consider before signing up for a plan. We scored providers based on their BBB score, accreditation, and offered guarantees available with each purchase. Additional Benefits (20): We gave extra points to companies that provide a few additional services and benefits with their offered plans, such as organic treatments, pest control services, and a mobile app for digital communication and plan management. Customer Service (10): In this rating category, we awarded points to customer-focused lawn care service providers who offer weekend availability and easy communication through phones, online chats, and online resources. Availability (10): We also scored companies based on their overall availability, rewarding those that are nationally available over local companies only operating in select cities or ZIP codes.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.