Why does my lawn need fertilizer at all?
Grass is a plant that gets cut every week. That takes a lot of energy, and Indiana soil doesn't give it back on its own. Without steady feeding, grass thins out, weeds move into the gaps, and the lawn turns pale by July. A full program replaces what mowing takes away.
What's different about Shades of Green fertilizer?
It's blended for our soil, not the whole country
Soil around Lafayette tests between 7 and 8.3 pH. In that range the grass can't absorb iron and other micronutrients from the ground, even if they're there. So our blend includes a micronutrient package applied to the leaf, where the plant can take it in directly.
The filler is fertilizer, not limestone
Most bagged fertilizer is padded with cheap limestone, which spreads badly and slowly raises soil pH, exactly what our lawns don't need. We fill our bags with biosolids, an organic fertilizer similar to Milorganite, that feeds soil microbes instead. It costs us more. We think it's worth it.
It's fed in small doses
We combine quick-release and slow-release fertilizer and visit every 4 to 6 weeks, March through November. That's 8 to 12 applications a year depending on the package, with the amount adjusted for the season.
When is the best time to fertilize a lawn in Indiana?
The short answer is all season, in the right amounts. Spring feedings green the lawn up, summer feedings are lighter to avoid stress, and fall feedings build roots for winter. The timing shifts a little every year with the weather, which is why visit dates aren't fixed to the calendar. The blog post "The Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn in Indiana" goes deeper.
How much does fertilization cost?
Fertilization isn't sold on its own. It's the base of every package, starting at $41 a month for a 3,000 sq. ft. lawn.
Compare the three lawn care packages
Standard
The essentials.
$41 / month*
Addresses the common problems every lawn in our area runs into. 8 applications.
Includes:✓ Custom-blended fertilizer
✓ Broadleaf weed control
✓ Two-part crabgrass program
✓ Grub Plus
✓ Spot weed treatments
✓ Micronutrient package
✓ pH adjustment
✓ Nutsedge control
✓ Free service calls
Preferred
For soil and root health.
$61 / month*
Everything in Standard, plus the two things that fix compacted soil. 10 applications.
Includes:✓ Spring Soil Builder
✓ Fall core aeration
Premium
For a thicker lawn.
$93 / month*
Everything in Preferred, plus seed. 12 applications.
Includes:✓ Fall Soil Builder
✓ Overseeding at a 5 lb seed rate
*Starting prices for a 3,000 sq. ft. lawn on a 12-month payment plan that begins in January. Standard is our minimum program; anything else can be added on its own.
Common questions about fertilization
Read more about lawn fertilization
Explore care for your property
Four things, all outdoors: we feed and protect lawns, we keep bugs out of yards and homes, we look after sprinkler systems, and we do lawn and pest care for businesses. We don't mow, and we don't treat landscape beds.
Lawn care, from the roots up
Fertilization, weed control, grub protection, aeration and fall seeding, timed for Indiana's seasons. Three packages, one price list.
Take your backyard back
Mosquito, flea and tick treatments for the yard, and a perimeter barrier that keeps ants, spiders and other crawlers out of the house.
Sprinkler care, spring through fall
Spring startup, system audits, backflow testing and fall winterization, in three yearly packages. And repairs when something breaks.
Care for your commercial property
Lawn treatments, pest control and winter snow removal for hotels, offices, restaurants, warehouses and other properties in the Lafayette area and the north Indianapolis suburbs.
Ask before you choose
What's included? What costs extra? How long before I see results? We'd rather answer those questions before you spend a dollar. Most of them are answered in the Learning Center.
