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If your lawn is in need of tender love and care, it’s normal to consult with a professional lawn care company. Your lawn may need anything and everything from a soil pH test to fertilization, aeration and more. While you could do these on your own, if you’re lacking in time and equipment, calling in the pros can be the way to go.
If your lawn is sick, you may think to call up Lawn Doctor. But before you get started, you should know more about this lawn care company, from how it works to what it offers. We’ve created this in-depth Lawn Doctor review, evaluating services, costs, availability and more to help you determine if it’s the best fit for your lawn’s needs.
In this article:
- About Lawn Doctor
- Lawn Doctor services
- How to work with Lawn Doctor
- What others say about Lawn Doctor
- Cost of services
- Our top recommendation for lawn care
- Frequently asked questions
About Lawn Doctor
Lawn Doctor is a locally owned and operated lawn care company with 50 years of experience. Through Lawn Doctor, your specialist creates a custom treatment plan designed for your individual lawn. One major selling point is the Lawn Doctor Guarantee—if you are unsatisfied with your latest treatment, Lawn Doctor will return to reapply the application at no extra charge or refund the full cost of your most recent application.
Lawn Doctor provides lawn care services to 40 states through 450 local locations. It services every state except for Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.
The business is currently ranked at number 52 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500.
Pros and cons
| Custom-tailored plans | Not available in 10 states |
| Lawn Doctor guarantee | No set annual programs on site |
| Organic options | Locally owned franchises lead to inconsistencies in service quality |
Lawn Doctor services
The process starts with a lawn analysis, where an expert takes a close look at the composition and state of your lawn. Then, the lawn expert creates a custom treatment plan based on your lawn’s specific needs. The ultimate goal is to create a healthy and green lawn that will discourage weed growth on its own.
Here’s a rundown of the company’s core services:
- Fertilizing: Whether you have tall fescue or centipedegrass, you can get a customized plan that uses slow-release, enriched fertilizers designed for your lawn.
- pH Balancing: Having topsoil with the right pH can improve fertilizer absorption, reduce lawn fungus and reduce certain types of weeds.
- Core aeration: This treatment gives your lawn’s roots more space to grow, and it improves the movement of water and air in the soil.
- Power seeding: The power seeding service inserts seeds directly into your lawn’s soil—this is done mechanically through a machine called the Turf Tamer. Lawn Doctor claims that power seeding can give the seeds a germination rate of 90 percent, while overseeding (the standard process of dispersing seeds onto a lawn) has a germination rate of 10 percent.
- Weed control: Custom services are available for lawns that have problems with grassy, broadleaf, warm-season, cool-season, annual or perennial weeds.
- Pest control: Lawn Doctor lawn care programs use Yard Armour to protect against mosquitoes and ticks year-round. Chemical-free mosquito control treatments are available.
- Tree and shrub care: This service cares for trees under 20 feet tall and plants growing in landscaped areas. It includes a plant health evaluation, treatments for disease and insects, and fertilization.
- Special event sprays: If you have an outdoor event like a wedding coming up, you can request a Lawn Doctor professional to spray the area to protect it against mosquitoes.
- Natural lawn care: Lawn Doctor has a number of natural and organic lawn care services. These include organic soil enrichment and organic lawn fertilization. Lawn Doctor also uses Integrated Pest Management practices—employing chemicals as the last line of defense.
How to work with Lawn Doctor
When you sign up for lawn care service, it’s good to have an idea of what you want to accomplish in your yard by reading some Lawn Doctor reviews first. Lawn Doctor’s specialists are trained to help you decide which service plan would be best. Specialists know that a lot of people might not like the way their lawn looks but also don’t know how to change it.
All Lawn Doctor plans start with a free evaluation where an expert will gauge the condition of your topsoil, get to know your grass variety, and help you create a plan of action. You don’t have to be at the house during lawn service applications, but you should always evaluate your yard after each one. If there are any problems, you can speak up and put the company’s guarantee to the test.
What others say about Lawn Doctor
Many individual Lawn Doctor franchises have pages with the Better Business Bureau. There are a wide range of profiles, with some stating accreditation and an A+ rating, while others are not accredited and have an F rating. Reviews range from highly positive to highly negative, depending on the particular location.
“I purchased a home in Virginia Beach, with a yard full of weeds. After a few years of fighting the weeds and losing, I decided to try a local lawn service. After reviewing a few companies I decided to give Lawn Doctor a try. In a matter of just four months my lawn is 100 times better, keep in mind I started my services in the spring. Every visit the technician explains exactly what he is spraying and what changes I can expect to see in my yard. No hassle or upsale for extra services… If you expect professional service from a friendly, honest company, call Lawn Doctor.” — Eric
“This company is a scam. Their products do not kill weeds. The representative is disrespectful and always puts blame on clients. I paid good money and got no results. My neighbors asked about their service, and I categorically replied to never use them.” — Ira R.
Cost of services
You can see a couple of prices in online Lawn Doctor reviews, but these are specific for the customers’ yards and the plans that they chose. For example, paying $43.25 per treatment for a very small yard might be expensive, but it could be a steal for a larger yard. Most Lawn Doctor reviews don’t mention any other qualifying information, so the prices aren’t an indication of what you would pay.
You can find out exactly what you would pay by getting a quote. You can fill out your basic information online, but unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for an email or call from your local Lawn Doctor franchise to see a concrete price. You might also find cheaper prices from local lawn companies in your area—or more expensive ones.
Our conclusion
Lawn Doctor is a solid choice for lawn care, offering an extensive range of services, including organic options. Its signature Turf Tamer power seeding service is a major plus as is its pest control, and the company guarantees to repeat service or give you your money back if you aren’t satisfied.
However, while some people may enjoy the customized treatment plan, others might prefer to work with companies that offer designated annual packages on the website so they know exactly what the options are upfront.
Our top recommendation for lawn care
You might get a great price on the first quote you receive, but the only way to know if that’s true is to shop around a little bit. We recently compared a number of the top lawn care companies in the business, rating them on factors like plan options, availability, technology, reputation and customer service.
Overall, our top recommendation is Sunday lawn care, an environmentally friendly lawn care startup that sends customized kits to your door.
This approach combines all the fun of DIY—meaning you get to get your hands dirty and don’t have to let anyone you don’t know onto your property while you aren’t at home—with expertise, since the kits are created with the help of lawn care specialists. The kit you receive is chock-full of natural ingredients to boost your lawn’s health and color, from kelp to molasses.
To connect with the Sunday team or to get a quote, you can visit the company’s secure website and get a free lawn analysis.
Frequently asked questions
What does Lawn Doctor do?
Lawn Doctor offers an extensive range of lawn care services, including everything from power seeding to aeration and fertilization, through customized lawn care plans created by its local lawn care specialists.
Is Lawn Doctor any good?
We believe Lawn Doctor is a solid choice if you live in any of the 40 states the lawn care company services. From organic options to pest control with Integrated Pest Management and a service guarantee, Lawn Doctor has a lot to offer.
What is power seeding?
Power seeding is one way of overseeding your lawn. Power seeding uses a machine to cut slits into the soil, then mechanically deposits seeds into it. Lawn Doctor claims its power seeding leads to a seed germination rate of 90 percent.
Does Lawn Doctor have natural lawn care options?
Lawn Doctor offers several natural lawn care options, including organic soil enrichment and organic lawn fertilization.
