Best 5 Lawn Care Companies in Iowa City, IA

Understanding Iowa City's Climate

Iowa City is in the Cold climate zone, enjoying moderate summers but fairly cold winters. The area sees an average high temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit and an average low of roughly 41 degrees Fahrenheit. It averages 35 inches of rain per year, with January as the driest month and June as the wettest.

Local climate affects lawn health in a number of ways. Your grass may look lush and green in wetter months, but excessive rain can wash away soil nutrients. Drier months will require increased watering to keep your lawn from turning brown and dry. Local climate greatly affects when you fertilize, seed, and aerate your lawn.

What To Consider Before Choosing a Lawn Care Company

Take into account the following factors when picking a company and building a lawn care schedule.

Services Offered

Full-service lawn care companies provide a number of services to maintain your lawn's health across different seasons. These typically include the following:

• Core aeration
• Fertilization
• Overseeding
• Pest control
• Soil amendment and pH control
• Killing weeds

Reputation and Experience

Reputation and years of experience are important factors to consider when hiring a lawn care provider. You can read real reviews and learn more about various companies via sources like Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. Remember that a newer company might have fewer customer reviews but still be as reputable as an established service provider.

Environmental Practices

A company's environmental practices may also be important to you. Some service providers use strong chemical pesticides and herbicides that can be bad for the environment and hazardous for your family and pets. Others pride themselves on using organic and natural lawn care products. These can be environmentally friendly when used correctly.

Pricing

Pricing for Iowa City lawn care varies depending on whether you purchase a one-time service or an annual plan. One-time services are generally cheaper but don't include follow-up visits for continued lawn maintenance. Annual plans include seasonal visits. You should choose this option if you want hands-off treatments that will keep your lawn healthy all year.

Potential DIY Solutions

If you prefer doing your own lawn care, you can purchase the equipment and supplies you need from local retailers. Lawn and garden centers sell grass seed and fertilizer, and you can often rent walk-behind aerators from heavy-equipment rental shops on a day-by-day basis. DIY lawn care is a large time commitment, however, and you'll miss out on the specialized knowledge a professional lawn service can provide. Full-service lawn care companies can evaluate the health of your lawn and soil and prescribe the right treatment to make sure your yard reaches its full potential. Some companies have DIY subscription plans depending on your lawn care needs, in which the company provides customized lawn care products that customers are responsible for applying to their lawns.

Lawn Care Service Costs in Iowa City

The cost of lawn care varies based on the service you need, but on average, full-service lawn care costs $73–$164 in Iowa City. The table below breaks down cost by service: