Lawn Care vs. Lawn Maintenance
What’s the difference between Maintenance and Care? All you need to know going into the 2024 busy yard season!
"Lawn care" and "lawn maintenance" are terms often used interchangeably, but they can have nuanced differences in meaning depending on context. Generally, the distinctions are subtle and may vary depending on regional preferences and industry practices. However, here's a general guideline to understand the common differences:
Lawn Care:
Comprehensive Approach: Lawn care typically refers to a more holistic and comprehensive approach to tending to a lawn. It involves various services beyond the basic mowing, such as fertilization, weed control, aeration, overseeding, pest control, and disease management.
Improving Health and Appearance: The primary goal of lawn care is not just to maintain the current state but to actively enhance the health and appearance of the lawn. It's about achieving optimal growth, vibrant greenery, and an aesthetically pleasing landscape.
Lawn Maintenance:
Routine Upkeep: Lawn maintenance is often associated with routine tasks essential for keeping the lawn in good condition. This includes regular mowing, watering, edging, and basic tasks that prevent the lawn from becoming overgrown or unkempt.
Preservation: While lawn care focuses on improvement, lawn maintenance is more about preservation. It ensures that the lawn remains tidy and functional without necessarily emphasizing enhancements or specialized treatments.
In essence, "lawn care" implies a broader set of services aimed at actively improving and enhancing the overall health and appearance of the lawn, while "lawn maintenance" is more centered around routine tasks to keep the lawn in good shape without necessarily focusing on significant improvements.
It's important to note that these terms might be used interchangeably by some people or companies, and their precise meanings can vary in different regions or within the landscaping industry. When hiring a service, it's recommended to clarify with the provider about the specific services included in their "lawn care" or "lawn maintenance" packages to ensure you get the desired level of attention for your outdoor space.
In Roanoke Landscapes’ case, we provide an intuitive mixture of lawn care and lawn maintenance services. By offering three different Property Maintenance Plans to choose from you can decide what matters most to you.
If you’re someone who is just trying to avoid the hassle of weekly upkeep- IE Hours spent mowing in the heat of Virginia with the chance of coming across a bees nest, trips to the convenient store for gas, and frustrating sessions trying to get the weedeater working! But you don’t really mind occasional weeds in your garden beds, or trees and shrubs not always perfectly pruned, our Bronze plan is most likely your go to.
Bronze Plans
Our Bronze Plan, while keeping your lawn mowed at a frequency of once a week during peak growth season, and tapering off as the summer sun stunts rapid growth, only includes ONE mulch a year. Perfect for that Hey Spring! It’s Me look that keeps up with your curb appeal, maintaining your home valuation, but by winter it WILL look faded and tired. If that’s ok by you, that’s ok by us! Additionally, Bronze plans will only see one prune per year. Granted, your one prune WILL address each shrub and tree on your property. We prune by industry standards and for each individual plant. Meaning, we know the difference between what your forsythia needs versus your crepe myrtles and while on your property delivering your one prune of the year, we’ll be doing it right with your plants best interest at heart. But again, come winter, after summer growth, you’ll see unkept limbs until Spring the following year. Don’t start thinking crazy lorax trees, most people won’t think your yard looks unkept, but those looking to have their shrubs shining like topiaries- shouldn’t sign with a bronze plan.
Same goes for weeds in your garden bed. We remove them once a month when you’re signed with a bronze plan. Not terrible- but we won’t lie, you’ll see them during peak growing season in-between your monthly weed control. Plus side- you do receive turf treatments! You going to do that on your own? Nope! Not if you’re a- just get me out of yard duty kind of person. So if you’re someone that just wants their regular annual yard duties accomplished- the bronze plan is for you. While we’ve been honest about the downsides- we also understand that so many people out there just want their landscape maintained. The bronze does that while applying thoughtful care during your less frequent services.
Now, if you’re looking for more than an annual check the boxes and be done maintenance plan, but still aren’t striving for the Biltmore level attention. QUEUE the Silver Plan!
Silver Plans
An upgraded tier that takes your lawn care experience to the next level. Much like our Bronze offering, the Silver Plan keeps your lawn meticulously maintained with weekly mowing during peak growth and an expertly timed once-a-year spring mulch application. However, it doesn't stop there – we understand that your outdoor space deserves a touch of sophistication throughout the year.
In addition to the annual spring prune, the Silver Plan includes an extra fall touchup, ensuring your landscape remains tidy during the transitional seasons. Picture your yard receiving the attention it deserves, with a spot treatment regimen addressing crack weeds and lawn fungus as needed. Regular mowing is seamlessly integrated into the plan, maintaining the pristine look of your lawn week after week.
Our Silver Plan goes the extra mile with a one-off season cleanup at the end of winter, reviving your yard after the long, cold, and dark season just in time for the rejuvenation of spring. We understand the importance of a tidy space, and this service ensures your outdoor sanctuary emerges from winter in its best form.
Leaves, the inevitable byproduct of fall, are handled with care under the Silver Plan. Unlike the Bronze, which offers one leaf removal service, the Silver Plan includes two sessions – one while leaves are still falling and the second after all your leaves have hit the ground. This attention ensures that your lawn remains free from the burdens of fallen leaves, promoting a healthy and vibrant turf.
Furthermore, the Silver Plan introduces spring and fall fertilization, coupled with an acidified application tailored specifically to evergreens. This ensures that your plants receive the essential nutrients for robust growth and vibrant foliage. In September, aeration is seamlessly integrated, promoting aeration and nutrient absorption, vital for the long-term health of your lawn.
Choosing the Silver Plan signifies a commitment to a higher level of care for your outdoor space. Maintenance isn’t just the goal here; it's about caretaking first to keep your landscape healthy and looking good.
Gold Plans
Our Gold Plan is the best of premier lawn care and promises to transform AND maintain your outdoor space into a masterpiece. With a commitment to excellence, the Gold Plan goes beyond mere maintenance, offering an unparalleled level of care to ensure your lawn shines in every season.
One of the distinctive features of the Gold Plan is the meticulous attention your property receives from our mow crews. Pruning becomes a weekly affair, keeping your beautiful shrubs in peak topiary condition. Not a branch goes astray under the watchful eyes of our dedicated teams, ensuring that your landscape remains a stunning work of art.
With the Gold Plan, your outdoor sanctuary is treated to mulch in the spring, followed by touchups as needed throughout the year. The result? A landscape that's not only well-maintained but perpetually ready to impress.
In addition to the one-off season cleanup at the end of winter, the Gold Plan offers three off-season cleanups, ensuring your yard is always ready for those unexpectedly warm winter days. Enjoy the outdoors with the peace of mind that your kids and pets can play freely without the worry of hidden sticks or debris.
Leaf removal becomes a comprehensive affair with the Gold Plan, featuring three removal sessions – twice in the fall and once in the spring. This meticulous approach guarantees a leaf-free yard, promoting a healthy and vibrant lawn.
Ornamental care takes center stage with the Gold Plan, mirroring the Silver offering with spring and fall acidifier applications tailored specifically for evergreens. Your plants receive the specialized care they deserve, contributing to their long-term health and vibrancy.
At Roanoke Landscapes, we prioritize our Gold clients, delivering on our promise that your property takes precedence. Choosing the Gold Plan signifies a commitment to having your yard shine throughout the seasons. It's not just a service; it's a partnership in ensuring that your outdoor space stands as a testament to your style and uncompromising standards. If you've chosen the Gold Plan, we understand that you're not merely seeking maintenance – you're looking for your landscape to radiate brilliance, and we're here to make that vision a reality.