Did We Overpay for Our Core Aeration/Overseed??

[sonlitekid]

We are newbies to hiring someone to do a core aeration and overseed. We ended up hiring a local landscaping and lawn maintenance company who charged us $1,400 in total for two men to do the core aeration and spread a small amount of dirt and mushroom manure over some low spots, and also to overseed using SEED WE PROVIDED. We have approximately 3,800 sq ft of lawn. We did not get any other quotes, but we’re not looking to open a discussion about that. We simply want to know if we overpaid, and what would have been a reasonable charge for this service. Thanks so much!!

[JeffreyLebowski]

That sounds extremely high. I rented an aerator last year and I think it cost $100 a day. I did my entire 22000 SF lawn myself.

[sonlitekid]

That sounds extremely high. I rented an aerator last year and I think it cost $100 a day. I did my entire 22000 SF lawn myself.

Thank you. He actually made this comment in a text earlier today, believe it or not:
“typically a core aeration over seed is anywhere from 1200 to 2,500 depending upon what we do”
Insane that he has had an established business here for decades. Wow.

[sonlitekid]

That sounds extremely high. I rented an aerator last year and I think it cost $100 a day. I did my entire 22000 SF lawn myself.

Yeah, he actually had this to say earlier today in a text:
“typically a core aeration over seed is anywhere from 1200 to 2,500 depending upon what we do”
What is going on??

[MorpheusPA]

Let's give a second answer on that. Yes, yes, you overpaid. Mostly because in addition to all that, a core aeration is rarely necessary and overseeding in early May is usually going to fail anyway.

There are times when it's useful. The core aeration, not the May overseeding. But yeah, you could go to HD, rent it for a weekend for $200 tops, and triple-aerate if you wanted to, which would solve the few problems aeration will solve. For seed you provided, it was downright ridiculous. You might have also needed to pay $3 for gas.

A couple things. Mushroom compost will decay off to nothing, so it won't help heighten any low spots. Soil will, so at least that will help.

The seed that went down now needs to be watered two to three times per day through sprout, which will depend on the species--five to seven days for most fescues and ryes, up to 30 days if it has bluegrass in the mix. May sprout isn't usually the problem if water's supplied. It's the fact that there's not much time until summer, which generally starts in mid to late June depending on how the weather goes. The roots don't have time to grow very deep, so the new grass will need consistent watering through the first summer.

That's going to open it up to a lot of diseases, so water it in the morning, but try to keep it to twice-weekly watering if possible...

[sonlitekid]

Let's give a second answer on that. Yes, yes, you overpaid. Mostly because in addition to all that, a core aeration is rarely necessary and overseeding in early May is usually going to fail anyway.

There are times when it's useful. The core aeration, not the May overseeding. But yeah, you could go to HD, rent it for a weekend for $200 tops, and triple-aerate if you wanted to, which would solve the few problems aeration will solve. For seed you provided, it was downright ridiculous. You might have also needed to pay $3 for gas.

A couple things. Mushroom compost will decay off to nothing, so it won't help heighten any low spots. Soil will, so at least that will help.

The seed that went down now needs to be watered two to three times per day through sprout, which will depend on the species--five to seven days for most fescues and ryes, up to 30 days if it has bluegrass in the mix. May sprout isn't usually the problem if water's supplied. It's the fact that there's not much time until summer, which generally starts in mid to late June depending on how the weather goes. The roots don't have time to grow very deep, so the new grass will need consistent watering through the first summer.

That's going to open it up to a lot of diseases, so water it in the morning, but try to keep it to twice-weekly watering if possible...

Thanks so very much. Such helpful info! I will point out that the core aeration/overseed occurred nearly 5 weeks ago (although it is KBG), so hopefully the roots will have more time than what you were thinking they would. Good advice about watering, too. Thank you.

[MorpheusPA]

Regrettably, that's still going to be the same problem; while April-planted grasses are easier than May, they're still going to require summer coddling. It's less of a problem, though, and more early-spring lawns survive than late ones.

The same instructions apply. And while you're going to be tempted to feed it early...don't. Feeding should go no earlier than May 10th as the floor date (other people will recommend grass whispering and letting it guide the feed date...I tend to be a little more calendar-based). When the spring flush of growth is long over on the lawn, then it's time to feed. For most of us, Memorial Day. If you rush it a bit, that's not a huge issue. April feeding is a big mistake most people make that costs in terms of summer damage to the lawn (and that required reseeding).

I haven't reseeded in...well, since I seeded the thing in the first place, fourteen years ago now. The bluegrass is well fed, repairs itself as needed, and is fed on the right schedule.

[sonlitekid]

Regrettably, that's still going to be the same problem; while April-planted grasses are easier than May, they're still going to require summer coddling. It's less of a problem, though, and more early-spring lawns survive than late ones.

The same instructions apply. And while you're going to be tempted to feed it early...don't. Feeding should go no earlier than May 10th as the floor date (other people will recommend grass whispering and letting it guide the feed date...I tend to be a little more calendar-based). When the spring flush of growth is long over on the lawn, then it's time to feed. For most of us, Memorial Day. If you rush it a bit, that's not a huge issue. April feeding is a big mistake most people make that costs in terms of summer damage to the lawn (and that required reseeding).

I haven't reseeded in...well, since I seeded the thing in the first place, fourteen years ago now. The bluegrass is well fed, repairs itself as needed, and is fed on the right schedule.

When you say ‘feeding’, are you meaning fertilizer? If so, what kind? Recommendations. Sorry...I’m a newbie.

[MorpheusPA]

No biggie, glad to help. Yep, fertilizing is feeding.

Without a soil test, any high-nitrogen, low everything else fertilizer is best (high first number on the bag, low second and third numbers). With little to no slow-release nitrogen, and get the cheapest possible because they're all the same. The numbers on the bag are a legal guarantee. So it'll look like 32-0-4 or 28-2-6 or whatever. That first number is way higher than the others.

Feed at bag rate around Memorial Day.

If you'd rather go with an organic, that's great! Those should be dropped earlier, around May 10th, to have time to process (although there are a few exceptions, they're rare and not worth worrying about). Milorganite, Ecoscaps, OceanGro, simple soybean meal from your local grain mill (that's what I usually do when we're not in the middle of a pandemic), they're all great. Off the shelf, you can simply follow the bag instructions. You'll use a LOT more mass per thousand square feet because you're adding carbon-based feeding, but it also assists with building the soil. It won't give you an instant green or fast growth, either--it's more a sustained feed.

With grains, we target pounds per thousand square feet and learn where that is on our individual spreaders...and look up protein values and use that to calculate NPK values if we care about that. I find it mildly useful. This is more for lawn addicts...but even my mother has now moved over to using these because soybean is cheaper per unit than Milorganite or any other off-the-shelf except a synthetic.

Optimal feeding dates for synthetics (stuff with numbers like 28-2-6 and little white balls in the bag):
May 25, September 1, October 1, when the last cut is done for the year but the lawn is still green (give or take a little).

Optimal feeding dates for organics (grains, Milorganite, things that say "organic" on the bag like Ecoscraps)
May 10, September 1, October 1. Use a good synthetic when the last cut is done for the year--it's too cold for organics!

When you've absorbed that, ask about best-practices for watering...and then go read the Triangle Approach for weeds under the FAQs.

[merrimack]

Did your landscaper use magic mushrooms? Psychoactive compost is considerably more expensive than standard compost and that could explain the price difference.

More seriously, anyone who does work like landscape construction is very busy these days. Labor and building materials like lumber are considerably more expensive due to the pandemic. In many areas, you will need to pay a premium to get anyone to show up if you do not have an existing relationship. Contractors are having trouble finding employees and that means higher hourly rates.

As other posters have mentioned, the best way to save money is to do it yourself. But how much is your time worth to you? This year I finally gave in and paid an accountant $350 to do my taxes. Some people would say I overpaid or that I should do it myself. I paid $350 to avoid a Saturday afternoon of frustration and went fishing with my son instead. Nothing that anyone else says will make me feel like I made a mistake.

[andy10917]

Labor and building materials like lumber are considerably more expensive due to the pandemic.

$68 a sheet for plywood at HD last week. I'm expecting the Lumber Dept to have mortgage applications soon.

[Jackson]

Yes, you got ripped off.

$0 is a fair price because I wouldn't have done any of that. I would have skipped core aeration and shampood my yard for $5, I wouldn't overseed in the spring just apply fertilizer, and I would have gotten sand or dirt to level out the yard and done it myself. You're talking about $50 worth of supplies and 45 minutes of work

[northeastlawn]

Over seeding in the fall is better, but there are times to seed in the spring…..

1. If the area is around trees, trees don’t have leaves in the spring and can help grass get a head start if the area is shadier in the fall. Especially on north exposures where the sun changes and can be behind the house in the fall.

2. If the section is by a roadway and gets damaged ever winter, a spring overseed helps a lot.

3. If you plant PR that germinates quickly

4. If you don’t have a CG problem, and skipping the pre-m isn’t a big deal

Your still going to baby the new grass, but there are reason to go for the “Hail Mary” in the spring.

In the north east our season is so short, if we limit seeding to August, you would have only one chance a year to do any seeding, and for people like me with poa-a issues, I would never be able to seed.

[nclawnguy]

Yeah, I would say you overpaid. How much compost did they spread? Did they invoice you number of yards of material. Back years ago when I used to aerate, I would pay a guy $60 to just aerate my 1/4 acre yard, double pass. I would seed myself. Haven't aerated in years, but can't imagine cost is that much higher.

[andy10917]

Haven't aerated in years

Amen! Quoting a PHD from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, (I have it memorized), it's the #1 way to spread Poa Trivialis:

After its introduction to a golf course, rough bluegrass usually spreads by vegetative propagules during aeration. Only those who’ve had a close encounter take notes, and everyone else thinks you should be medicated.

My aerator (perfectly working) was purposely ejected from the barn a decade ago and sits permanently in the rain and snow. It also has to endure me spitting on it when I walk by.

PS: medication does not work on Triv, or the lawn owner. Consuming Scotch until you are blind works, but only until you are no longer blind.