Most businesses have gone back to the drawing board to re-evaluate some aspect of their operation during the pandemic, and that includes reviewing the budget to find cost-saving opportunities. It’s a wise thing to do. But in the pursuit of finding ways to save money, you can damage your brand if you cut out maintenance that is necessary to preserve your property value and prevent damage.
In the end, you could wind up paying more to fix problems and get your property back into shape. Plus, there’s a risk of losing tenants or customers in the meantime.
As you review your budget for the upcoming landscape season, we realize you might need to make some changes. A firm that values relationships like we do at Neave Management will work with you to map out a commercial lawn care service that suits your needs. When we sit down with clients to customize a landscape maintenance program, aside from regular mowing, here are some of the must-do property maintenance services we recommend.
Property Assessment—Set Priorities
Good news—a thorough property assessment and lawn analysis is free and it’s important so an experienced professional can examine the turf, soil conditions and plant health on your New Jersey, New York or Connecticut commercial property. This analysis provides a road map for determining which services you really need to keep your property looking its best.
Turf Care—Focus on Plant Health
Even if you’re on a tight budget, you go to the doctor if you are seriously ill. You take prescribed medications if you are advised by a physician. You try to eat well and get enough sleep, and you know when you fall short in these areas, your health can suffer. Similarly, if you cut out turf care like fertilization and weed control, the health of your lawn will decline.
As a professional landscape maintenance firm, we strongly urge our clients to stay consistent with lawn care.
By providing turf with the nutrients it needs to thrive, you can avoid damage that can be costly to repair. Consider the amount of greenspace on your property. Ask us for an estimate to tear out the grass and sod or reseed that area. Compare that cost to the price of maintaining your lawn and we think you’ll agree that a comprehensive turf health program is a good value.
Lawn Aeration—Make the Most of Turf Nutrients
Compacted soil and thatch buildup from lawn clippings act like a barrier that prevents nutrients, water and oxygen from reaching turf roots. You can apply fertilizer and water your property’s turf, but you will not get the results you expect because the good stuff you’re paying for just sits on the surface.
Lawn aeration removes plugs of soil from your commercial site. This way, oxygen circulates better and the turf care program you’ve invested in will yield benefits.
Lawn aeration should be performed in spring or fall. We know it can be tempting to view this as an “extra” and cut the service if you’re trying to save money. But, we urge you not to because core aeration maximizes the efficacy of a turf health program. When paired with overseeding, you can rebuild weak areas of your lawn with vigorous new growth.
Pruning—Safety First
Of course, pruning services that maintain shrubs and trees improves the appearance of plants on your commercial property. But as you review your budget, we suggest you consider the safety aspect of pruning because you could put people on your property at risk if you decide to eliminate the service. Overgrown shrubs can block views and cause accidents in parking lots. Branches that encroach on walkways can trip up guests. Diseased, dying or dead limbs can fall and cause damage to your property, vehicles or, worse, people. Pruning is a must. Besides safety, pruning improves plant longevity—and smart budgeting is about getting the most out of what you already have.
Spend Smart—Invest in a Pro
We know you might need to make some changes to your commercial landscape maintenance budget, and there are ways to do this without sacrificing quality. If you’ve ever worked with a provider that cuts corners, you know how even a little bit of neglect can ruin your image.
Call us for a free lawn analysis and we’ll help you set some priorities. Contact us at 914-271-7996 in Westchester, 201-591-4570 in New Jersey, 845-463-0592 in Hudson Valley and 203-212-4800 in Connecticut. Or, fill out this simple form and we’ll get in touch with you.