Frequently Asked Questions

Taking care of your lawn and landscape is no easy job, which is why hiring a professional lawn care company like Pretty City Lawns for your lawn and landscaping needs will give you the best results.

We offer a wide range of lawn care and landscaping services including regular lawn mowing, weed control, fertilization, pest management, shrub trimming, tree care, aeration and overseeding, spring and fall clean-up, leaf removal, mulching, planting, poison ivy removal and more. If you are in need of a service that you do not see mentioned on our website, give us a call.  Chances are we can accommodate you.

Contact us directly through our website or phone number to schedule a free consultation where we will assess your yard and provide a customized estimate.

No. While we would prefer talk to you in person, for a better understanding of your needs and preferences, we understand that it is not always possible for you to be at home when we come out. In that case, and with your permission, we will stop by your property, make an assessment, and call or text you with your free quote. Make sure if you have a locked gate that we have access to the areas you want serviced and that your pets are safe inside. 

Our basic mowing service includes cutting the lawn, trimming around obstacles and borders, and blowing grass clippings off paved surfaces. More importantly, we keep our lawn mower blades sharp, and we will alternate mowing patterns every week to ensure a fresh cut lawn.

Yes. Weed whacking, also known as trimming, is included, along with blowing grass clippings from all hard surfaces.

Our mow crews provide mowing service to all areas of your property that would be considered “the yard”. Areas that are enclosed by a border or that have shrubbery are considered to be flower beds and would require Plant Bed Maintenance Services. We have expert Plant Bed Maintenance options available for areas that would not be considered “the yard” and may require more detail than just mowing grass.

We do offer lawn bagging as an optional add on service. However, our basic mowing service does not include bagging. If you would like to add this service onto your basic mowing, call our office to get this scheduled.

We determine what height to cut your lawn by a number of factors but most commonly it is based on the time of year. When we begin mowing your lawn in the spring we will mow it lower. As the temperatures warm up your grass usually needs to be cut higher in order to combat the heat. During the hot summer months, we mow your lawn very high allowing it to be as thick and green as possible. As the weather transitions to the cooler fall months, we will slowly begin to cut the lawn a little shorter each week. If you would like your lawn cut higher or shorter at any time please contact our office and we will do our very best to cut your lawn at the height you prefer.

Our basic lawn mowing price starts at $45, but of course, pricing is based on the estimated amount of time it will take our team to complete your grass cutting. Things that will affect the estimated amount of time include property size, property layout, current landscaping condition, the complexity of the landscaping, and your requested scope of work. Give our office a call for your free lawn mowing quote!

When our crew arrives on site, they are expecting to get right to work. If you do keep your fence gates locked, we advise that you use a “coded” lock and provide that code to our office where we can securely keep the code on file. Often weather delays can change your regular service day. We have found it to be smoother for our clients if we have the ability to lock and unlock the gate for you. If our crew cannot unlock your gates at the time of service, they will skip the inaccessible area. Our crew will service that area the following week.

Yes, our lawn mowing crews are trained to walk the property once the mowing service is finished and close any gate we opened during the service.

Of course not! While our crews do appreciate your efforts, it is not a requirement to pick up your dog mess before your mowing service. Our commercial equipment will ride over what is present and mulch it into the lawn.

As a professional lawn care service our clients expect us to keep their grass mowed on schedule. This requires us to make good judgement calls on when to delay a mow. During months of the year when your lawn is actively growing it is better for us to come out and mow the lawn wet than it is to skip the lawn and run the risk of it going multiple weeks without a cut. If you ever feel like your lawn is too wet to be mowed on your scheduled day, please contact us right away and we will be happy to pause your service. We do our best to make the best decision for our clients but because of the subjectivity of this type of situation it can be hard to get right every time for every client’s preference.

If you have not had your lawn mowed in a while, it may be over 6 inches when the crew comes to perform that service. We require our crews to provide a completed, professional job to our clients. To do this in tall grass, we may have to mow over the property twice, slow down, and bag or rake up clippings. Lawns between 6-10″ will incur additional charges to account for the extra labor and equipment wear. Usually, this is twice the base rate for that visit. We consider lawns over 10″ tall “field mowing” or "brush clearing". Pricing for field mowing or brush clearing varies, so please ask before signing up for it.

You can ask us to trim your shrubs when we come to mow, but it's important to know that this requires an additional fee.

Our primary lawn mowing service areas include Fayetteville, Eastover, Hope Mills, Parkton, Stedman, Wade, Rockfish, Spring Lake, and Raeford North Carolina; as well as surrounding neighborhoods and townships. It should be noted that service to residences farther away than 15 miles from our shop will require an additional fee.

Plant bed maintenance services include trimming, weeding, and mulching to keep plants healthy and looking nice. Other services include seasonal clean up, fertilization, soil amendments, and pest and disease control.

Yes. We can safely remove your unwanted plants and trees up to 15' tall.

Yes. We can transplant your plants for you.

Of course! We'll be happy to transport your cherished plants to your new property and replant them there.

Absolutely!

Yes. We offer professional brush clearing and tall grass cutting services that help you reclaim and enhance your outdoor space.

In general, payment for services rendered is due the same day a job is completed. For example, if we are mowing your lawn, we will let you know, either in person, or via text message (if you're not home} that your lawn is done. You can pay us at that time. Out of town clients should arrange to pay for their services in advance.

If you prefer, for ongoing services we can set up a pay schedule for you, whereby you pay your bill at a set time each month. For example, you may have us mow your grass twice a month on the 15th and the 30th and pay your bill each month on the 1st.

We except cash, check, debit card or major credit card. You can also pay us using Venmo, Pay Pal, Cash App, Square or Zelle; or on our website by scrolling to the bottom of the page and clicking the "Pay Your Bill" link.

All active-duty persons qualify for a 5% discount on regular lawn mowing service and a 10% discount on most landscaping projects.

We are available seven days a week, including most holidays, from 7am to 7pm. Contact us to schedule a consultation.

For mowing, we offer flexible scheduling based on your grass growth rate and desired level of maintenance, typically ranging from weekly to bi-weekly mowing. Our most common lawn mowing schedule is bi-weekly, but you can choose the frequency: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, every ten days; your lawn, your choice.

We always try to get every client on a mow day of their choice. However, the day we mow your lawn each week is generally based on the zip code of your property. We are normally in each zip code multiple days per week, but this is not always the case.

Yes. One-time mows are a little more expensive, but we will do them.

In the case of a rain delay, we will automatically reschedule your home as a high priority the next serviceable day.

If you use our lawn mowing service, you won't be contractually obligated to pay for a set number of grass cuttings during the year. Need to skip a week? Just say so. Want to postpone your first mowing of the year, or suspend mowing for the season early? No problem.

If you call or email our office at least 24 hours before your mowing day, you can cancel service for that week. We will come the following week to cut your lawn. For landscaping projects requiring the purchase of plants and planting materials, we will need 48 hours' notice.

Of course not! There is no need for you to wait at home for our crews to come. Our goal at Pretty City Lawns is to simplify your life, by showing up and taking care of your lawn service or landscaping for you. So go to work, drop your kids off at school, enjoy your time, while we take care of your yard work. Be sure if you have a locked gate, our crews have access to your lawn and that your pets are safe inside.

All of our services are guaranteed. If you are not happy with a service performed on your property, contact us right away.

Absolutely, all our staff are fully licensed and insured to ensure the highest quality service and your peace of mind.

Yes, we can provide references and testimonials upon request.

We normally work without contracts. Not that we have anything against contracts, per se. It's just that most of our customers prefer not to be contractually obligated. However, that being said, we do offer contracts to our clients who request them.

Lawn maintenance or lawn care (mowing, watering, leaf removal, aeration, weed control, etc.) is just one aspect of landscaping, which includes flower beds, gardens, tree and shrub planting and trimming, mulching, pathways, and more.

To keep your lawn looking its best year-round, weekly mowing is advised. Increasing the time between cuttings will result in more overgrowth and weeds, especially in the Spring and Summer months when your grass grows a lot faster.

Yes, pet waste, particularly dog poop, is considered bad for your grass as it contains high levels of nitrogen which can burn the grass and cause discoloration if left on the lawn for too long; essentially, too much pet waste can kill your grass.

We recommend mulching leaves, if you don't have many, as they will add nutrients to your soil and make for a healthier lawn. Raking up the leaves will not harm your lawn but you’ll also be missing out on the benefits leaves provide. One note of caution, do not ignore blankets of full leaves on your lawn, either raking or mulching is necessary. If you don’t, the leaves can actually do more harm than good since they’ll block sunlight and air from getting to the grass. This problem can be compounded when it rains, eventually leading to turf diseases or dead grass.

If not handled properly, yes, they can be. We have the proper equipment and training to apply them effectively without them harming people or pets or getting into the watershed.

These are weed-control products that act to inhibit growth before it can start. They’re typically used in early spring. Crabgrass is a top target of pre-emergents.

These are weed killers used on select weeds that pop up later. Dandelions are a good example. Some are spot sprays and some cover a broader area, so you have to be careful with them and not damage plants you want.

Yes, English Ivy can damage your vinyl siding, as its tendrils can find small cracks and crevices in the siding, gradually widening them and causing potential water damage over time; additionally, the ivy can trap moisture against the siding, leading to discoloration and warping of the vinyl material.

Dogs that ingest the plant may have gastrointestinal upset with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. Even if your dog doesn't have a reaction to poison ivy, it's a good idea to avoid contact.

Call a pro! Tree pruning can be dangerous work, and a pruning mistake can damage a tree. Unless you know the right way to cut and the branches are within reach from the ground, you shouldn’t prune a tree yourself.

Actually, fall is. New spring grass sometimes doesn’t have time to get strong enough for summer, which is harsh on grass. Fall seeding and watering allows several weeks of growth that leaves grass prepared for a great start the next spring.

Many may assume springtime is the ideal season for landscaping installations, but for plantings like trees, shrubs and grass, fall is the best time for projects because of the warm days and cool evenings and the increased precipitation that assists new plant establishment. With fall plantings, you’ll have six to eight months to get roots established before warmer months, weeds are less frequent and the soil temperature is still warm. However, for perennial and annual flowers, springtime is the best time for planting.

Absolutely! Every living plant does its job to filter carbon dioxide out of the environment — one tree alone can remove 26 pounds of CO2 annually equaling about 11,000 miles of vehicle emissions. Plants also help keep debris and pollution out of our water supply. On top of that, trees that cast shade on your home will keep it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter giving your air conditioner and heating units a break. If you’re thinking about planting additional trees, shrubs, or flowers, they will all benefit our environment in their own unique way, so go for it!

There are many benefits, including, helping the soil retain moisture, contributing to soil health as the breakdown of the mulch happens over time, blocking the sunlight to pesky weeds, helping to keep them at bay, repelling insects, depending on the type of mulch used, controlling soil erosion.

Mulch shrub beds in spring, but not until after the soil has a chance to warm and dry a bit. You want a 2 or 3 inch layer, generally speaking. About half of that will work into the underlying soil before you go to replenish in fall or the next spring. Keep the mulch a couple of inches away from trunks of trees and shrubs; never pile it up, volcano-like, against them, as that can invite pests and diseases.

Your grass has a layer or decaying organic material called the thatch. When it gets too thick, sunlight, water, and other nutrients can’t penetrate. Aeration creates temporary “holes” to reduce the thatch and allow nutrients to penetrate.

Core Aeration and Overseeding provide the most optimal results for your lawn when done in the fall. Core Aeration will help your lawn with increasing the air flow to the roots of the grass, increase the effectiveness of fertilizer or any seeding that is done, increase water intake, and improve the root depth and strength. Overseeding your lawn will improve the thickness of the turf and in turn making it healthier while also raising your home’s curb appeal. These two processes work hand in hand to benefit your lawn.

Aeration should take place during high growth periods. This is typically during the cooler times of the year when there’s plenty of rain, mainly the spring and fall. Aeration puts stress on the turf, which could be detrimental when the turf is highly stressed already due to high heat and periods of drought. At Pretty City Lawns, we recommend fall aeration with overseeding to loosen the soil and develop new growth at the same time. Aeration is great for any lawn but especially if it gets a lot of foot traffic, is part of new construction with compact soil, or is part of a thatch management/prevention program.

You should dethatch your lawn to remove built-up thatch, a layer of dead grass material that can prevent water, air, and nutrients from reaching the roots of your grass, leading to poor growth, disease susceptibility, and overall unhealthy lawn conditions; dethatching helps improve drainage, allows for better root development, and promotes a healthier lawn by giving your grass better access to essential elements.

Over time, soil naturally loses important nutrients. Fertilizer provides a slow release of organic nutrients along with carefully blended amounts of nutrients which help your lawn by promoting new leaf, cell wall development, and root growth. Using quality fertilizer will also aid in nutrient uptake, provide a barrier to protect your lawn from surface and subsurface insects which could cause massive destruction, as well as protect the root system during harsh winter months. Lawn fertilization requires a balance of chemicals at various times of the year. Having a professional company provide this service eliminates a lot of headaches for you as a homeowner. 

Fertilization works throughout the growing season. In spring, it helps make a strong start. In summer, it can provide a needed boost in hot, dry weather (for warm season grasses only). Fall fertilization is important because it promotes strong growth ahead of winter, making grass and plants ready for the spring.

Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day, normally between 11 am and 3 pm. Water in the morning between 6 am and 10 am, when there’s less sun, heat and wind. If you can’t water in the morning, water in the late afternoon between 4 pm and 7 pm. Avoid watering at night, as it invites mildew, fungal diseases and outdoor pests.

Remove lawn debris such as sticks and leaves, complete a final mow on your grass cutting it a little shorter than normal, core Aerate your lawn , apply a winter fertilizer application with a post-emergent weed control.

Yes, you should consider testing your soil, especially if you're starting a new garden or have concerns about your plants or your lawn. Soil testing can help you determine how to best care for your plants and soil. For example, you can use lime to raise the pH of acidic soil, or sulfur to lower the pH of alkaline soil.

 A "privacy screen planting" refers to the act of strategically planting trees and shrubs in a specific area, usually along a property line, to create a natural barrier that blocks unwanted views from neighbors or passersby, essentially providing visual privacy in a yard or garden by using vegetation instead of a solid fence; this can be achieved by using a combination of different plant species with varying heights and textures to create a dense, aesthetically pleasing screen.