What's the difference between lawn care, lawn maintenance, and landscaping?

Last Updated on: 2nd May 2024, 02:52 pm

landscape versus lawn care versus landscaping

Knowing the difference can help you have a healthy lawn.

If you are searching for lawn mowing services in Ahoskie, Aulander, Murfreesboro, or Windsor, North Carolina, you might encounter different terms in the names of local businesses. Your lawn depends on regular mowing and other care, and understanding the distinctions can ensure you hire the best person to meet your lawn maintenance needs.

For instance, some companies may promote themselves as “lawn care” services, focusing on the health and vitality of your grass through soil testing, fertilization, and pest management. Others might label themselves as “lawn maintenance” providers, offering regular mowing, edging, and seasonal cleanup tasks to maintain the neat appearance of your lawn. You might also find businesses specializing in “landscaping,” capable of transforming your yard with new plantings, hardscaping, and custom garden designs. Knowing what each type of service entails helps you make an informed decision that aligns with your specific lawn and garden goals.

What Tayloe’s Lawn Care Services, LLC Can Offer

Tayloe’s Lawn Care Services, LLC offers a full spectrum of lawn maintenance and care services, including lawn maintenance and some light landscaping tasks. We can help you with the following services:

Cutting grass
Fertilizing
Diagnosing bare spots
Spring, summer, and fall treatments
Soft landscaping services
Pruning shrubs and ornamental trees
Aeration
Weed control services
Thatch removal
Treating pests
Garden bed cleanouts and maintenance
Leaf mulching
Mulch spreading

Many homeowners have asked us to explain the differences…so here we are.

What Are Lawn Care Services?

Regular, ongoing chores are key to your lawn’s health. “Lawn care” refers to performing the tasks that keep your grass happy and healthy. Most homeowners hire us to do these tasks two to three times a year.

Grass Seed Spreading and Aeration

Some clients also ask us to repair brown spots or add grass seed in the appropriate season. This timing depends on whether you need warm-season grasses or cool-season varieties. A typical routine includes spring and fall aeration and planting grass seed.

Dealing With Lawn Pests

Grubs, ants, aphids, and other insects can eat away at the lawn, leaving bare spots and ground prone to disease. It’s a tough deal when you have a beautiful lawn but have been chased out by tiny invaders.

I am fully licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to diagnose these issues and help you reclaim your yard.

Applying Fertilizer to Grasses and Plants

Lawn care service professionals also mean knowing the signs that it’s time to fertilize your yard. Yes, you could do this yourself. But do you know the right formulation for the right season? We do pH soil testing to gather the correct data to make wise choices for your grass.

Your grass has very different needs from one season to another. For instance, pre-winter fertilizing in the fall preps your grass for wintertime dormancy. On the other hand, we fertilize in the spring to wake up your warm-season grasses and strengthen them before summer.

Irrigation and Watering Services

Another key part of lawn care is irrigation or watering the grass. It’s important to do this job with an eye on the correct water levels for different plants. Tayloe’s Lawn Care does not install irrigation systems. However, we can share watering tips to help your lawn and garden have a healthy growth environment.

What Are Lawn Maintenance Services?

While lawn care service addresses the overall health of grasses and lawns, lawn maintenance refers to the ongoing tasks that keep your yard looking great.

Lawn Mowing and Trimming

Most clients ask us to come pre-scheduled to mow the grass – usually weekly or bi-weekly, from spring through fall. Our team uses a mulching mower, which turns grass clippings into a natural fertilizer that releases nutrients into the soil to maintain a healthy lawn.

Lawn care professionals also understand the different grass types. That knowledge informs us on how high we should mow the property to give you a nice, green yard.

Edging Walkways, Patios, and Garden Beds

Many like having a sharp, clean edges defining the decks and living areas. Maintaining these every two to three weeks is part of good lawn maintenance.

Leaf Control (Fall Through Spring)

As the trees shed their canopies in the fall, another task encompassed by lawn maintenance services is leaf control. While many like to rake, bag, and remove the leaves from the property, we take a different approach. We use our powerful, commercial mulching blades to shred leaves into tiny debris particles – excellent winter mulch around shrubs and trees.

Weed Control Services

Mowing your weeds does not kill them. They often pop back up stronger than ever. Here in North Carolina, we do winter weed control for cool-season varieties of weeds and those that can take over warm-season grasses.

Shape up Shrubs and Hedges

Another key part of good lawn maintenance is giving hedges or shrubs a nice, clean shape. The time you spend on this service means more than a prettier view; it also makes them healthier and more resilient to threats.

We can also help you decide whether to leave the post-service clippings as mulch for the soil or remove them. Both options have pros (soil nutrition) and cons (appearance).

Post-Storm Cleanup

Occasional homeowners call us for help during storm season. Keeping your lawn clear of downed limbs, debris, or damaged trees makes your grass beautiful. But perhaps most importantly, post-storm maintenance can also help keep your lawn free of dangers.

What Is Landscaping?

Landscaping covers a broader spectrum of designing, creating, and maintaining a pleasing outdoor space. This can include planting flowers, sod, shrubs, trees, and grass and installing features like ponds, paths, and retaining walls.

Landscaping can involve dramatic changes to the outdoor layout to enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the space.

Tayloe’s Lawn Care does not do hardscaping. However, we offer limited softscaping services, including cleaning or planting flowers or herb gardens.

Hardscaping Versus Softscaping

Hardscaping refers to the non-living elements of landscaping. It includes the construction or installation of patios, fences, and walkways. As the name suggests, hardscaping uses hard materials like stone, wood, and concrete to enhance functionality and aesthetics.

Softscaping, on the other hand, involves the living components of a landscape, including plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers. It focuses on good design, adding color, texture, and life to the garden.

Connect With Tayloe’s Lawn Care for Your Landscape Maintenance Needs

Whether you’re seeking to enhance the health of your grass, maintain the pristine condition of your lawn, or beautify your yard with lush plantings, understanding the services offered by local businesses is key. Each type of service has its benefits and can be tailored to fit the unique needs of your outdoor space.

If you’re in Ahoskie, Aulander, Murfreesboro, or Windsor, North Carolina, and need professional assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Tayloe’s Lawn Care. We offer free consultations to discuss your needs and help you achieve your desired yard.

Consider hiring us for all your lawn care, lawn maintenance, and softscaping needs. We’re here to help make your lawn look its best – and give you a break from the hard work. Call us today at 252.287.3376 for your estimate.

Author Profile

Randy Tayloe

Randy Tayloe is the COO of Tayloe's Lawn Care Service, LLC. He is a certified custom applicator, recognized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Pesticide Division. A native of Bertie County, NC, and graduate of Bertie High School, he wants to beautify his home county - one yard at a time.