Transforming a lawn from pale to lush is not the easiest of tasks although it can be done with expertise and correct diagnosis. As you can tell from our other articles on the site, our Featured Projects are current properties that are gorgeous, and our Transformation Articles are newly acquired properties that have hired us because of our ability to turn properties around. Enjoy the story!
This is what we were working with:
Can it get much worse? There are chinch bugs on the left side of the picture, it hasn’t been fertilized in a year and weeds of all different varieties running amok. Palm trees in the depths of the picture are lime green and lacking nutrition from inception.
What we did:
12 years ago I was the youngest pest control license holder in the state, I studied under Will Strickland the Horticulturist and my father Michael Juchnowicz who is a chemist and agronomist. Having dealt with many issues similar to this yard for over a decade I developed a keen eye for disease and deficiencies.
The first thing I noticed when on the property was severe malnutrition, chinch bugs and weeds. Fertilizer is expensive and many companies can not afford to do a satisfactory job, they instead opt for a liquid fertilization program which is cheap and ineffective. This was the case with this property.
We immediately fertilized this property with my father’s custom blend of granular fertilizer that he formulated for our SWFL soils. Having seen lawns like this before, I knew this would be the initial spark to a quick transformation. We then sprayed the weeds and sprayed the chinch bugs.
After 2 weeks:
After 2 weeks we came back to spray the chinch bugs again; we didn’t have to do this but we had an irrigation issue and we wanted to be sure that we would not have any set-backs. This second service of the month was provided for free and is within our normal program; we are not a company that up-charges and sells, we are a company built on fantastic results.
After 4 weeks:
WOW! Our program worked because we have taken a completely different approach than every other pest control/fertilization company. We do what we say we are going to do and we use real products. Almost every pest control/fertilization company in SWFL is based solely on a liquid fertilization program in which they use cheap and ineffective fertilizer at a high profit margin while providing less than mediocre results. We use our own custom blended granular fertilizer for turf, palms, plants and trees. Meanwhile the competition will use the cheapest of insecticides and never truly rid the problem in the turf; unlike them we don’t run a margin-centric business model, we run a results driven business model. Our growth is controlled by how much we invest back into your property and having long-term customer loyalty through consistent excellent results.
What not to do:
Having been through this transformation process many times, homeowners most often mistake is trusting their lawn care spray company to fix the issue although the issue was one that the spray company caused. If an individual or company has proven itself to be neglectful to your property, there are plenty of other companies that are more qualified and happy to have your business. If a liquid fertilization program has not worked on your property, do not switch companies to a similar type of program with a different company. Our price point is comparable to many national and local companies and we pride ourselves with taking care of your property and investing in your landscape.
We appreciate your time in reading this article and we hope it helps you with your next lawn project! Using the correct products is 90% of the job, and that is what we pride ourselves on!
About the Author:
Jeff Juchnowicz
Jeff began working for his fathers pest control and fertilization company in 2004. During that time he studied under The Horticulturist, Will Strickland and his father who is a chemist and agronomist, Michael Juchnowicz. He was the youngest L&O Pest Control License holder in the state having passed the test directly after his 18th birthday. Soon thereafter Jeff went to FGCU to study Marine Science/Environmental Studies. In 2008 he moved from Sarasota to Naples/Fort Myers to start his own company which eventually became known as Terra Garden Solutions. With a focus on an unparalleled level of service and a resounding commitment to quality products, the company has grown leaps and bounds. Today you will find Jeff in his truck and monitoring properties we service. Occasionally you will see him out with his Yorkie dog Barkley, don’t be afraid to smile and say hey!
