The American Lawn - Lawn America January 2008 Newsletter

LawnAmerica has partnered with Tulsa Habitat for Humanity to raise $60,000 to build a new home for one special family that is in need. This is a big challenge for our little staff of 25 employees. With the help of our loyal customers and friends though, we plan on reaching our goal by this summer so we can start construction. Our staff will then build the home on weekends and after hours and have it ready for a special family sometime in the fall.

Donate Online

We are now receiving donations online through Habitat for Humanity Web site. For every dollar you donate, LawnAmerica will match 100% towards the construction of the home.

You can donate financially online towards the LawnAmerica Habitat House by clicking here. Be sure you specify the gift as a tribute to "LawnAmerica House" so we can match your donation—otherwise we have no way of knowing that you made the donation toward our project and we cannot match your gift.

All of us at LawnAmerica are excited about this opportunity to give back in a small way to the community we love, and help one special family with a home they will love. Plus, I guarantee it will have the nicest lawn and landscape in the neighborhood after we are done!

Upgrade Your Service

Another way to participate in the Tulsa Habitat for Humanity project is to upgrade your standard lawncare program to the 7-step Showcase Care, or add one of the following optional services to your program, and we will donate $25 to Habitat for Humanity in your name towards the LawnAmerica House. Optional services which qualify are:

Core Aeration
Primo Turfgrass Growth Regulator
Tree & Shrub Fertilzation

Our slogan, “Making Your Neighborhood More Beautiful,” is being put to the test with the devastating ice storm in that Tulsa and most of Oklahoma has just experienced. With that in mind, we would like to offer our assistance if you need help in clearing tree damage and in repairing or removing trees from your property.

Many of our customers have experienced damage to their lawns from the recent ice storm in December. There are still many trees on the ground that need to be removed, and many trees that need to be properly cared for in order to ensure their survival.

As mentioned previously in the December e-newsletter, we have a good relationship with an excellent tree company based in Kansas City, Ryan Lawn & Tree. They have been doing a great job providing prices and excellent service in the Tulsa area since the ice storm, and are still here working with us to help you, our customer, to make sure the damage to your lawn and landscape is taken care of quickly to get ready for new spring growth.

Remember that Tulsa will be invaded by people from surrounding areas trying to make a few dollars also. By dealing with LawnAmerica and the professionals at Ryan, you can be assured that you will receive fair treatment and professional service.

Please visit our site to request an estimate regarding the damage to your trees. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we will be able to schedule the service.

How safe are the lawn care pesticides used by lawn care professionals and homeowners?

Homeowners should be aware that the use of pesticides does pose some risk, and their use cannot be made completely safe. The level of risk posed by a chemical depends on its toxicity and the level of exposure. Improper or inappropriate use of pesticides and other lawn care products by either the homeowner or the lawn care professional can increase the level of exposure, which in turn increases the level of risk posed to human health and the environment.

What can I do to minimize any risks to me or my family?

The simplest way to minimize risk is to limit your exposure to pesticides. If you apply pesticides yourself, read the entire label and follow all instructions, especially protective clothing requirements. Be sure to store all pesticides securely and out of the reach of children and pets. Regardless of whether you or a professional applies the pesticide, keep people and pets off the treated lawn immediately following use.

Although many products used on home lawns have no specific reentry recommendations prescribed by the product label, a good rule of thumb is to stay off a treated area until it has thoroughly dried, or, if possible, for 24 hours following a pesticide application. Some granular pesticide labels recommend, or require, that the materials be watered in. In this case, the area should not be entered until after the watering I completed and the area is completely dry.

Do lawn care professionals use products that pose greater risks than those used by the homeowner?

The pesticides regularly used by lawn care professionals are usually the same as “general use” products available to the homeowner. Licensed lawn care professionals occasionally use “restricted use” products (materials not available to the general public) to solve pest problems that are not responsive to general use products. Lawn care products are generally labeled with the same rate, the same precautions, and the same usage information whether packaged for personal or commercial use. The products purchased by the lawn care professional may be packaged in concentrates for shipping convenience and economy. But, before these products are applied to a lawn, they are diluted to the same strength as the ready-to-use products sold directly to the homeowner.

If you ever have any questions about the use or general safety of the products that we use, please contact us.

You should have received a pre-pay statement by now to say 5% percent on your total lawncare service for 2008. If you have not received a statement, please contact us regarding your 2008 service, and we will be happy to help you out.

If you still intend to pre-pay for your 2008 service, you can do so online on our Web site or call our office at 249-LAWN and we can take your payment over the phone.