First, in the interest of being completely honest, I'm a firm believer of the "IF-IT-AIN'T-BROKE-DON'T-FIX-IT" school of thought. With that said, it is also my job as the GardenLine Information Specialist, to help everyone not only have the greenest landscape on the block, but to do it cost-effectively. I recently did a series of “stretch-your-dollar-stories” with Patricia Lopez at Channel 13 here in Houston, and it reminded me how much money I truly can save you if you take on the “do-it-yourself” mentality needed. The real reason this is so important at this time of the year, is that there are three things that need to be done over the next couple of weeks, that in some people's books may seem to cost a bit more money than one is willing to spend at this time of the year. Those three things were covered in detail just recently on these weekly email tips.

The recent television stories on Channel 13's News and Channel 11's Great Day Houston reminded me that we had made this argument in great detail just last year. Suffice it to say, if you listen to GardenLine and you aren't following my schedule (synthetically or organically) then we need to talk. Again, from the IF-IT-AIN'T-BROKE-DON'T-FIX-IT school, if you're happy with your fertilization company's results and you're flush with money in this tough economic climate, by all means keep paying them all that extra money. Okay, I admit that may sound a little harsh. But if I can save you upwards of 500-700 dollars a year (if you'll do-it-yourself) wouldn't you call paying a big multi-national fertilization company 500-700 dollars more per year than it would take to do-it-yourself, something akin to tossing your money away? And yes, there are a few mom-and-pop lawn fertilization companies that do good work in Houston and don't over-charge. Unfortunately, they are few and far between.

But it's no secret that the big industrial/national fertilization company's job is to get deeper and deeper into your pocket, by ultimately paying you more and more visits. They first pitch you a basic schedule and then every subsequent appearance on your property they are hitting you up for additional services. Their goal is to be out on your property once a month and optimizing what they call in the business "the up-charge."

The average monthly price for service year-round is just over 80 dollars. Some people pay more per month, some people pay as little as 50 dollars per month. And again, their job is to be there every month some how, some way. It starts out innocently enough at just under 50 bucks a month, but somehow you're now paying close to 80 per month. I wasn't a math major at A&M, but that comes out to 960 a year. It's more for larger lawns and little bit less for postage stamp lawns.

If I show you through that same math that you can save nearly 500 dollars a year in fertilization costs, won't you at least "try" my schedule for one full year? All I ask is that you give me what averages one application per month of a product on the schedule. For those with bigger lawns, the savings grows to more than 1000 per year. And I don't care where you are financially in this economic downturn, 1000 bucks a year is serious money.

Obviously, there are some people who claim they simply don't have the time to get out there and do the fertilization schedule. C'mon! You can't get out there for one hour once-a-month? In fact, it's not even once-a-month; it's only 9 months out of the year. Even then, if you have a lawn mowing service and don't have any desire to touch the products, if you'll buy the product I know you can talk them into the application. The full fertilization schedules (organically or synthetically) are back at the GardenLine webpage, but here are the average costs for a fairly regular-sized yard.

January	Post Emergent Weed Control	15
February	Pre-Emergent  Herbicide	35
March	Pre-Emergent  Herbicide	20
April	Regular Fertilization	25
May	Pre Emergent Herbicide	35
June	Summer Fertilization	25
August	Brownpatch Control	50
October	Fall Fertilization	25
November	Pre Emergent Herbicide	35
		265 per year (22 per month)
Total

Even if the lawn fertilization company only comes out on those same nine months, at an average 80 dollars per month, that comes out to 720 dollars. But remember, they're ultimate goal is to be out there every month. And if they are out there every month at an average of 80 dollars a month, there's the 960 dollars a year referred to earlier or nearly 700 dollars a year in savings. Some people only pay 50 dollars a month, and that still would be over 300 dollars a year you could be saving by doing-it-yourself.

I realize I'm preaching to the proverbial choir, via these email tips, in that most of my subscribers already follow my schedule. So, if you already are a convert, then print this email tip out and take it to your neighbor who is still using a national lawn fertilization company. And be helpful too in offering a trip to the closest nursery or garden center or hardware store that you know carries the products on my schedule.

Finally, by doing all this yourself, not only do you save significant money, you will also take more pride in your landscape and are likely to do a better job. Plus, the more you do it, the easier it gets.

Natures Way Resources. Only organic stuff lady micro life...

Speaking of printing out email tips, for the GardenLine Faithful, this week's appearance is at Enchanted Gardens in Richmond.

If you'll print out this week's tip sheet and bring it between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to Enchanted Gardens, we once again have a bevy of organic products to give away courtesy of Lady Bug Natural, Micro Life and Nature's Way Resources, who just so happens to be sponsoring the event. Also, Enchanted Gardens has my book, Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon for those looking for signed copies to have on hand with the holidays just around the corner. I know it's only October, but it's not too early to be thinking about Christmas gifts. And a signed copy of my book makes a great gift idea for this upcoming holiday season.

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