Are you tired of brown spots in your lawn? or is your grass receeding rather than spreading? In most cases, improper irrigation lies at the root of the problem. I always get asked about proper watering and how homeowners can be sure they're watering enough - especially in Summer. We broke it down in the simplest way possible, but please realize we are dealing with lots of variables.

There are three simple characteristics of an irrigation timer's settings for: Frequency, Duration, and Start Time. If these three items are being properly attained, then the resulting turfgrass will be thick, strong, green, and vigorous, and will help repel lawn-damaging insects, weeds, and disease more easily.

The University of Florida states: “A properly irrigated grass plant is better able to withstand pressure from weeds and insects. Weed problems in a lawn indicate that the turf has been weakened by improper management practice. Proper management practices can eliminate most weed problems.”

Proper irrigation system maintenance in addition to a standardized Turf Treatment Program will provide optimal results for a lush and healthy Gainesville lawn.

[Frequency] - How Often Should I Run My Irrigation System? 

For an already healthy lawn, 2-3 times per week*. During the summer months, a healthy St. Augustine lawn can only go 2 to 5 days between irrigation events, based on the heat and humidity. Weakened turf needs to be irrigated more often due to the lack of deep roots.
*Always follow Local and State laws in regards to watering restrictions. As of January 2013, Gainesville residents can use automatic sprinklers 2x/ week, unless there have been new sod or plants installed. Hand-watering hot spots or weak lawns may be necessary. Hand-watering is NOT prohibited, so long as it is after 6pm or before 8am.

[Duration] - How Long Should I Water For? 

Spray Zones at 25 minutes, Rotor Zones at 45 minutes.
The exact answer to this question is “½ to ¾ inch of water per irrigation event” (UF IFAS, 1999), but depth is much harder to determine than duration.
In an irrigation system with optimal pressure coverage, the sprinkler run times listed above should provide the correct depth of watering. Please realize though that there are several different environmental factors that can change this. For example, if a part of your lawn is in deep shade, consistently struggles with fungus, or is a low-lying area that holds water, reduce the suggested times. Also, if an area of your lawn is in full sun, has sandy soil, or has newer sod, increasing these times may be neccessary.

If you are following the above Frequency and Duration and still have “hot spots,” you may need to have your Sprinkler System checked by a professional. It is important to adjust your sprinkler system seasonally, because lawn watering requirements vary throughout the year.

[Start Time] - When Should I Water My Lawn? 

The best time is in the early morning hours (4:00am to 6:00am), prior to the dew.

Watering in the evening may be detrimental if it leaves the lawn wet for hours on end, which may accelerate lawn fungus issues. Watering during the day wastes water due to excessive evaporation from the sun. 

You can literally save thousands of gallons of water on your Gainesville lawn with the proper setting of your Gainesville sprinkler system controller. But you can't just set it and forget it. You need to change the watering schedules as plants become established, with the changing seasons, and when it rains (unless you have a working rain sensor). Here's an easy guide to make setting your irrigation controller easier than programming your DVR.

 

Basic Irrigation Timer Terminology

• Stations is another word for Zones on your irrigation system. A Professional Gainesville Irrigation installer will put plants with similar water needs on the same station or zone. This allows for more efficient watering since all the sprinklers on a single valve will run for the same amount of time. Multiple stations or zones allow you to customize watering amounts for different types of plants by allowing for different run times for different valves. (You may want more water on a sunny area of your lawn, and less in the shaded area)

• The Start Time is the time at which a specific valve will open to irrigate a station or zone. This is best set early in the morning. (We set ours for around 4 or 5am)

• The Run Time or Duration is the time, in minutes, a specific zone will stay running. (The recommended amount is typically anywhere from 15-60 minutes, depending on the sun / shade of that zone, type of plants/grass, etc.)

• Off or Stop will stop programs from running until you switch back to ‘Run’. Your programs will be saved. This is great during rainy periods. (as long as you remember to turn it back on!)

• The Manual Start button allows you to run a single zone for the amount of time you select. This is helpful when you want to tune-up your irrigation system or when you only want to run one zone that needs some extra water.

• A Program is where you store all of your settings. For simplicity, we will not go into separate programs at this time.

 

Programming Your Gainesville Sprinkler Controller

Due to there being a varying array of different timer brands and types from Rainbird to Hunter to Irritrol and others, we recommend you to use YouTube for the best programming help.

 

Programming Tips

• Different plants have different watering needs.

• Group stations or valves that require similar watering frequencies on the same program (such as A, B, or C)

• Enter only one start time for each program even when there are multiple stations or valves

• Enter different start times on different programs (A, B, C) to avoid overlap of water times.

• Use multiple start times if excessive runoff is a problem

 

Remember…

The controller controls the Gainesville irrigation system, but YOU control the controller.

 

Links to Gainesville Irrigation Controller Manufacturers

• Rainbird 800-724-6247, www.rainbird.com

• Hunter 800-733-2823, www.hunterindustries.com

• Irritrol Systems 800-634-8873, www.irritrolsystems.com

• Orbit 800-488-6156, www.orbitirrigation.com
   

Here's a few YouTube videos of the most popular irrigation controllers to make changing your Gainesville Irrigation Controller settings easier.

If none of these videos are similar to your controller, please visit www.YouTube.com and type in the brand and model of your irrigation controller for videos related to your controller.

St. Augustine lawns are a wide-bladed, warm-weather, grass that does well in Gainesville, Florida. It grows quickly in summer and slows down during winter, needing less water. Too little water can damage your lawn, but too much can also lead to lawn health problems because St. Augustine has shallow roots and is vulnerable to fungal attacks.

Look out for the following four signs you're overwatering your Gainesville lawn:

1. Depressions: If you walk on your lawn and the grass leaves don’t spring back, this is often a symptom of overwatering. Your footprints will leave matted depressions. This can also be a sign of dry lawns too, but you probably know if your lawn is too dry.
2. Curled Leaves: When the leaves show signs of curling, it’s usually because they have had too much water. This is a lawn care mistake that many people make. Don’t water again until the leaves have straightened out. However, do not make the mistake of thinking folding leaves mean overwatering. Leaves folding in the middle are a sign of needing irrigation, where as curling longways signifies too much water. 
3. Fungus / Disease: Overwatered St. Augustine grass is at risk of being attacked by a fungus called ‘brown patch.' When the lawn starts showing signs, brown circles appear in multiple patches, like the photo above. There typically is yellowing on the outer ring of the circle, as well. This is under the immediate need of lawn spraying of fungicide and reducing sprinkler settings to remedy the problem. 
4. Change in Color: Overwatered St. Augustine often changes in color. The blades take on a grayish-blue hue, instead of a deep green.

What about St. Augustine grass and weeds? Several weeds can affect over-irrigated grass, causing the need for Gainesville lawn weed control - including dollarweed, clover, chickweed, henbit, crabgrass, and goosegrass. These weeds not only rob the grass of nutrients, but they can completely take over areas of a lawn. If your St. Augustine grass is being invaded by weeds, consult with a professional lawn fertilization company and ask for an estimate to have the problem resolved.

If you need professional lawn care in Gainesville, Fla, contact us at The Master's Lawn Care. If you have a vision for your lawn, we can turn it into a reality. Give us a call today!

As our local water continues to increase in price and become more scarce, water from your irrigation system landing on the side walk instead of the lawn and landscape cannot be tolerated. Water from Gainesville sprinklers is often lost long before the water hits the ground. There are a variety of ways water is wasted with spray head irrigation – wind, evaporation, run off, misting and overspray all play a role. Pop-up sprinkler heads have never been a very efficient way to water.

During the last 25 years there have been literally millions of spray heads installed across the nation. Replacing all the spray heads for a different type of irrigation is an expensive and daunting task. Fortunately with technological advances in nozzles, the efficiency of a pop-up sprinkler can be improved. High efficiency nozzles such as Hunter MPRs help combat wasted water with spray heads several ways and typically improve the efficiency of your system by 10% – 20%.

LARGER DROPLETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

High efficiency irrigation nozzles deliver heavier streams and bigger droplets. The extra weight helps prevent those droplets from being carried away by wind. According to most manufacturers, the high efficiency nozzles allow a much more significant amount (some as much as 35% in certain conditions) of water to land on the targeted landscape area.

LESS RUN-OFF SAVES MONEY

High efficiency nozzles apply water to your landscape at a much slower pace than traditional spray nozzles, too. This allows the water more time to soak into the soil without wasting water with runoff. Because the water is being applied at a slower rate and they are designed to operate at lower presser, they can be an excellent solution if you experience low water pressure.

SLOWER SPRINKLER RATES SAVE WATER

It can seem counter-intuitive to use these nozzles, though. Because the amount of water applied is at a slower rate in most cases you will have to increase the amount of time you water. You will have to recalculate your run times so the run times reflect the amount of water being applied. Our Gainesville Irrigation Service Technicians are always glad to help with any part of the upgrade process should you choose. Installing high efficiency nozzles requires some time. To make the switch in an existing Irrigation system you will have to turn your system on and mark all the sprinkler heads. Then, turn your system off, unthread the old nozzles and thread the new nozzle. (Remember a new filter) Turn the system on again and make the necessary alignment adjustments. Turn the system off and move to the next irrigation zone. The adjustment portion is very important and the most time consuming portion of the nozzle replacement. Overall I have been very impressed with the performance of high efficiency nozzles. I have also had success with better water coverage working with an existing low pressure system. You will find the cost of the nozzles and installation will be worth the expense because to the water savings will cover the cost over the next few years.

In addition to the cost savings, you can sleep better at night night knowing your Gainesville lawn is receiving the water it needs in a responsible and eco-friendly way. Call the Gainesville Sprinkler Service professionals at (352) 378-5296 to schedule an Irrigation Service call, or click the link to fill out an online form. We would love to help in any way possible.

If you are considering installing a Gainesville sprinkler system, the following answers to frequently asked questions can help get you started towards owning the most convenient and efficient way to water your lawn and landscape.Receive answers to all of your irrigation questions from the experienced staff at The Master's Lawn Care in Gainesville, Florida. Our team understands that you might have a lot of different questions regarding the installation and maintenance of a Gainesville Irrigation system. Take a look at the list of frequently asked questions below to see if your answer is covered or contact us today with any additional questions you might have.

Will an automatic sprinkler system use more water than I'm currently using?
No; in fact it will conserve water. You won't have to worry about wasting water when you forget to turn off the hose, or runoff from over watering. Also, with a rain sensor, your system will know when it has rained and will shut itself off when watering is not needed.

Will an automatic sprinkler system water as well as I can by hand?
It will do a much better job. Your professionally designed 100% TRUE coverage system will deliver the right amount of water to individual lawn and garden areas—for example, less water in heavily shaded areas.

Will installing a system with fewer heads than you recommend reduce my water bill?
Absolutely not, in fact the opposite is true. There are a few things our Gainesville, Fl irrigation specialist can do to help keep your water bill down. First of all, we make sure you are not watering your neighbor's yard, your driveway, the road, or your house. Secondly, we make sure your system has enough sprinkler heads to cover the lawn evenly. If we skimp on heads, you will have some areas that are under watered. In your efforts to put enough water on those poorly covered areas, you will over water the areas having proper coverage, paying for this extra water each time you run your system.

There is no cheaper sprinkler system, in the long run, than a system that covers the entire lawn with balanced, even and proper 100% true coverage. Do the job right in the first place, or you will pay later in the form of a poor looking lawn, repairs, and excessive water bills.

Will our future landscaping plans have any effect on our sprinkler system design?
The answer to this question depends upon what your plans are. If you have plans for a shrub hedge along a property line it would have a great impact, since it may end up blocking spray from planned rotor heads. On the other hand, substitution of shrubs for lawn in most areas in front of or around the sides and/or back on the home only result in us having to specify shrub risers rather than lawn popup heads in those specific areas. If you think you may have future shrub plans, let us know when we do our estimate for you.

What about the timer? Is it easy to operate?
All of the electronic timers we install are user friendly. You will be fully instructed on how to use it, and will find that after a few tries you will be an expert at it. It also has a battery back up so you don't have to reset your timer if you experience a power outage. Also, by using the most popular brand on the market, there are many video tutorials on YouTube if you were to forget how to reset it, lose your manual, or not want a technician to assist. 

When is the best time to water my lawn?
The ideal time for your sprinkler system to complete the watering cycle is shortly before sunrise. Your lawn and other vegetation begins the process of transpiration (drawing water from soil) when the sun hits it in the morning. By noon, most vegetation is either inactive or discharging water through evaporation. People that water in the afternoon are not watering in a cost effective manner. Evening watering results in having the lawn staying saturated all night long. This can contribute to various fungal and disease conditions, as well as a need for Gainesville Lawn Spraying.

How often should I check my irrigation system for performance?

It’s a good idea to check it 2-3 times per year to make sure that everything is functioning correctly and water is being applied as needed to the plant material and lawn areas. We do offer this service of inspection if you choose. 

What should I look for during my system performance check?

Turn on each zone and observe the operation to make sure the spray from each sprinkler is going where it’s needed, and not where it is unwanted. Make sure all rotary sprinklers are rotating in their intended arc. Look for any wet or dry spots and see if there is an obvious reason why that is occurring. Also, be aware that sometimes the controller may need to be adjusted if temperatures are extremely hot or cold, and to stay within Gainesville's Irrigation Guidelines. Below is a checklist.

• Verify the proper operation of each zone valve by activating it from the sprinkler timer.
• Walk through each station on the controller, checking for proper operation of the zone. Check for property operating pressure (low pressure indicates a line break or missing head), proper rotation and adjustment of sprinkler heads, and adequate coverage. Check and clean filters on poorly performing sprinklers. Adjust heads to grade as necessary.
• Check for heads being blocked by new growth from shrubs, low hanging tree limbs, or new plantings that aren't getting sufficient coverage.
• Reprogram the controller for automatic watering. Replace the controller back-up battery if necessary.
• Inspect the rain sensor, to make sure it will shut system down as saturation occurs (most rain sensors have a test button to use)
• Finish and clean any in-line filters for drip irrigation zones.
• It is recommended that our qualified irrigation technician perform this type of service in order not to void our warranty if your system was installed by our team.

Know Your Watering Day(s) by the table below:

Time of Year Residential: Odd-Numbered/
No Address Residential: Even-Numbered Address Non-Residential: All Addresses Daylight Saving Time
(3/8/15 - 11/1/15) Wednesday &
Saturday Thursday &
Sunday Tuesday &
Friday Eastern Standard Time
(11/1/15 - 3/13/16) Saturday Sunday Tuesday
 

 

We hope this has answered your questions about your current or upcoming irrigation system. We look forward to serving you in any way possible. Call our office at (352) 378-LAWN or fill out our online irrigation service form.

 

One of my constant talking points is that a Gainesville lawn needs 3 main ingredients to thrive: water,  food, and sun.  If it has all three, grass will grow on concrete (not forever, but if it didn’t, we wouldn’t need edgers).  If you’re missing one of those three things the lawn won’t get any better regardless of what you do.  Today, I want to discuss the importance of water, or more importantly how you can tell if your lawn problem is water-related.

If your lawn developed brown spots last spring in the sunny areas, I’d venture to guess that your problem is water-related.  Most of the lawn issues we see in May and June are from the dry spells we experience.  These brown spots during droughts are generally caused by one of two things if you have a Gainesville Irrigation system:  Improper irrigation coverage or incorrect watering times. 

Imagine filling a gallon bucket with water and setting it out in your yard. When you check your bucket a week later, you’re going to find it still has water, but you’ve lost an inch or so from evaporation.  That’s what happens to your lawn and landscape plants if the evaporation isn’t replaced by rain and/or irrigation water. If you had the bucket of water in full sun, it would experience more evaporation than one in deep shade. Also, a bucket put out in summer would lose more to evaporation than one in winter. 

All of that is just to explain that drought stress is most prevalent in the sunny areas of your lawn and in the driest times of the year.  

 

How can you be sure it's drought stress? Good news! St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns are very easy to diagnose drought stress in. Both leaves have a midvein that acts as a “spine” for each individual blade of grass, allowing it to open and close as needed.  Healthy, well-watered grass blades will appear almost completely flat and totally open. When grass begins to dry out, the blade will close in half upon itself, to reduce its exposure to the sun and thus reduce its need for water. This will also give the grass a “hazy” look, as the backs of the blades are not as deep a green as the enclosed fronts.

 

In addition to making sure you get enough water on your lawn, it is just as important to not get too much as well. Ever heard the old saying about there being "Too much of a good thing?" This is the case with water too, especially in the shady areas of your lawn. Not allowing your Gainesville lawn to dry out (whether it's St. Augustine or Zoysia) will cause it to get what's commonly called 'brown patch fungus' and it will damage your lawn if not handled appropriately.

Four Quick Tips to Avoid Over or Under Watering Your Lawn:

1. Run your irrigation early in the morning. I set mine to start at 4AM. 
2. Run your Rotor or Rotator Zones for about 45 minutes. Shrub/Ornamental zones can be set to 25 (deeper root systems).
3. Run your irrigation system in accordance with local county or city restrictions, but optimal settings are 3 times per week.  
4. Have your system serviced by a locally licensed irrigation professional seasonally to ensure proper coverage, reduce water waste, and keep it in working order. 

If you have questions or concerns about your lawn, call (352) 378-5296, email me at info@themasterslawncare.com or fill out our contact form for more information.

Resources (click the links below):

• How to Program Your Irrigation Timer Settings
• University of Florida 'Watering Your Lawn' Information
• 1st Basic Need of a Lawn: Sun
• 3rd Basic Need of a Lawn: Food
• Video Blog: Side by Side lawn comparison 
• TMLC Lawn Care Program: Six Visits explained 

For most of Gainesville Regional Utilities' residential customers, 'tis the season to be stingy. Their wastewater rates for 2014 will be determined by their usage beginning with the billing cycle that starts this month.

Called the "winter max," the rates most residential customers pay are determined by how much water is used for the January and February bills. And depending on when their meters are read, whether at the beginning of the month or the end, the dial my already be in motion.

Basically, the wastewater rate — since most residents don't have wastewater meters — is determined by taking the average daily water consumption for those two months, multiplying that by 30.4 and rounding to the nearest 1,000 gallons.

GRU charges $5.29 for every thousand gallons used, in addition to a $6.50 customer charge.

The average consumer uses 5,000 gallons of water a month, down from 6,000 two or three years ago, said Kim Jamerson, a spokeswoman for the city-owned utility.

"Winter months are used to set this winter max ... because the amount of irrigation is typically lower," Jamerson said.

That way, the rates are more comparable to actual usage inside the home and not counting water that isn't being run through the wastewater system. However, if your Gainesville Irrigation system is not set to run less than it did in summer and fall, you won't see any savings. 

It appears that most Gainesville residents have received the message that reducing consumption benefits their pocketbooks — not to mention the environment, although there has been some albeit minimal blowback.

Regardless, he said, the district has received a lot of support from residents since officially limiting Gainesville irrigation systems to running two times a week in the warmer, wetter months and once a week in the dry season.

"We're getting a lot of compliance with it," Still said. "A lot of people understand the issues."

If you need help resetting your irrigation timer to use less water during the winter, feel free to call us for all of your Gainesville Sprinkler System needs. 

 

How to program your Gainesville irrigation controller

You can save a lot of water in your Gainesville landscape, and save your plants from drought stress or overwatering, with the proper and timely adjusting of your Gainesville sprinkler system controller. The key is to not "set it and forget it". You need to change the watering schedules as plants become established, with the changing seasons, and when it rains (unless you have a Smart Wifi Hydrawise Controller or functioning weather sensor). Here's an easy guide to make setting your irrigation controller easier than setting your coffee maker. If you don't already know how much water your plants need, our Landscape Watering Guide will help walk you through the steps.

Basic Controller Features

• Stations control the valves that release the water to the Zones in your yard and landscape. Put plants with similar water needs on the same station or zone. This allows for more efficient watering since all emitters and/or sprinklers on a single valve will run for the same amount of time. Multiple stations or zones allow you to customize watering amounts for different types of water needs (full sun vs. shade, turf vs. Plants), by allowing for different run times for different areas.
• The Start Time is the time at which the first valve will open to irrigate that particular area of the yard, and then continue on through the rest of the program.
• The Run Time is the time, in minutes, a specific valve will stay open and therefore water a zone. This is a major key to increasing/devreasing water to specific areas of your yard that are struggling. Off or Stop will stop programs from running until you toggle back to ‘Run’. Your programs will be saved. This is great during rainy periods (as long as you remember to turn it back on!).
• The Manual button allows you to run a single valve or entire system for the amount of time it is set for. This is helpful when you want to tune-up your irrigation system and check for leaks, misaligned sprinkler heads, or clogged drip emitters or run an extra time during the week.
• A Program is where you store all of your settings. It consists of a set of stations set to specific start times and run times. Here, multiple programs A, B, & C allow you to run different valves on different days with different run times. Make sure each program runs stations with similar plant water needs to maximize irrigation efficiency. We recommend only using additional programs once you have a complete understanding of the irrigation controller, as this is where controllers can be confusing.
•  

Programming Your Gainesville Sprinkler Controller

For easy programming, first slide the "Set Program" (1) toggle to the middle, and then start in the upper left corner of your controller and move clockwise through the settings. Start with program A (2). Set the dial to current time and use the +/– buttons to locate the current time of day. Turn the dial one click to the left and use the +/- buttons to locate the day of the week. You only have to do this once (3). Turn the dial to the “valve run times” to select a station and use the +/– buttons to enter the amount of watering time for that valve, which sends water to a particular zone in your yard or garden (4). Turn the dial to start times and use the +/– buttons to select time you'd like your irrigation to begin. You can have three different start times per day, but typically you only need one (5). Now turn the dial to “schedule” the days you want your irrigation to run or the numbers of days to skip in between watering. Use the +/- buttons to enter this information (6). Now repeat steps 3, 4 & 5 for each station/valve you are controlling, and program A is complete. Use programs B & C for other zones that require difference frequencies of watering, such as turf, Xeriscape, vegetable gardens, etc.

1.  

Programming Tips

Different plants have different watering needs. Use multiple start times if excessive runoff is a problem Remember… The controller controls the Gainesville irrigation system, but YOU control the controller.

•  
• Links to Gainesville Irrigation Controller Manufacturers

• 
  800-724-6247, www.rainbird.com
• Hunter
  800-733-2823, www.hunterindustries.com
• Irritrol Systems
  800-634-8873, www.irritrolsystems.com
• Orbit
  800-488-6156, www.orbitirrigation.com

Here's a YouTube Video to make changing your Gainesville Irrigation Controller settings easier. 

 

 

•  

Be Smart.

Get More By Using Less Water with your Gainesville Sprinkler System.

In recognition of Smart Irrigation Month coming up in July, read up on our Gainesville Irrigation and lawn tips, and make sure you are saving every dollar you can while helping conserve water.

From water savings calculators, to weather sensors, MP Rotators and more, Hunter has the solutions you need to conserve water and keep your Gainesville landscape healthy. .

This June and July, go to hunterindustries.com/smartirrigation to learn more about how Hunter is working with The Master's lawn Care to save water and be more environmentally concious as a Hunter Prefferred Gainesville Irrigation Contractor.

 

How much does a landscape or lawn service in Gainesville, Florida cost?  ...or... How much should I budget for lawn and landscape work in Gainesville, FL?

This is always one of the first questions a homeowner has when starting the research process for a Landscape company. The problem with answering this question, though, is the fact that a lawn service or project has so many variations and options that it can be very tough for one to truly know what the price to fully enjoy their yard will be. Notwithstanding, I'll do my best here to give you some realistic cost ranges as to what most people will spend. (And remember, these prices are AVERAGE, and can vary drastically depending on the size of your property, the thoroughness of the company, the quality of the material, etc)

Gainesville Irrigation System Costs

First things come first, and before you can expect to have a vibrant landscape in North Florida, you must make sure you have water irrigate it. Most homes built after the 90's in our area came with irrigation systems, but there are still many in our area that haven't had one installed yet. To irrigate efficiently and effectively, a professionally-installed irrigation system that meets code, comes equipped with a backflow preventer, and utilizes a rain sensor is a must-have.

Price Range for Design/Installation: - $3,500-5,000

Price Range for a Service Call - $100-250 (depending on the type of repairs needed)

Price Range for a Bi-Annual or Quaterly System Inspections - $75-250 per service

Gainesville Sod Installation

Occasionally we'll have a client that just wants to have a new lawn installed. Although there are many more things that create curb appeal than just green grass, there are people who just need new grass to give them a lawn they want their kids and pets playing in. Here are some rough price estimates, with variables of size of lawn, access for equipment, and amount of preparation work needed. 

The estimated costs include:

• the removal of the existing weeds and dirt to make sure the existing problems and pests are removed from the lawn
• the removal of approx 1" of existing soil to make sure new sod is installed level with the current lawn
• application of an organic soil ammendmanet (milorganite) that helps kick-start the biological cycle in the soil to create nutrients and healthy soil under the new sod
• Sod costs and delivery fees
• Installation labor
• Irrigation Check-up to verify coverage of new lawn
• Dump Fees for old materials removed from the lawn

1,000 - 1,500 Sq. Ft. of Sod - $2.25-2.75 per square foot

1,500 - 3,000 Sq Ft. of Sod - $2.25-2.50 per square foot

3,000 and up Sg. Ft. of Sod - $2.00-2.50 per square foot

Smaller Gainesville Landscape Designs:

This typically includes: a professional landscape design sketch concept, removal/disposal of existing unwanted plant material, approximately 30-50 plants, mulch, and the installation of all of the above. This is typically for a very small postage stamp-sized lawn, or just the front or back of a normal sized yard. 

Price Range: $2,500-$6,000. (This, like everything else mentioned in this article, is contingent on a wide variety of factors)

Larger Gainesville Landscape Installation Prices:

This would include everything in the basic install noted above, but about twice as many materials and size of the design. Also, it may include a hardscape patio or firepit as an additional feature in the backyard.  This is typical for a full landscape re-design (front and back) of a normal to a large-sized yard. 

Price Range: $10,000-$25,000

Gainesville Landscape Lighting Pricing:

Our landscape lighting systems are first-class quality from the design to the fixtures. The 2 main problems with outdoor lighting in Florida are the fixtures allowing moisture into the electronics and burning out or the system not being maintained properly to keep adjusting for growing the maturing landscape. We solve these two issues with quality fixtures that have a lifetime warranty and with on-going service to adjust and aim the landscape lights with the landscape as it grows. We recommend choosing our premium LED system over the cheaper lighting systems because of the savings on electricity, bulb replacement, and their lifetime warranty. It may cost a little more up front over a home depot system, but will save you money for years down the road in headaches and frustration. We also offer Wi-Fi transormers that are controlled by your smartphone or tablet as well. 

Price Range: $200-300 per lighting fixture (including the transformer, fixture, LED bulb, and installation) with a minimum of 10 light fixtures. 

Gainesville Patio Pavers, Walkways, and Firepit Pricing

Patios, Paver Walkways, and Custom firepits extend your living space outdoors at a fraction of the cost. They give you the freedom to entertain guests and spend quality time together somewhere other than around the television. These can be done on a relatively low budget using crushed concrete or gravel as a surface, or they can be done intricately with pavers and travertine.

Price range: $11-17 per sq. ft., plus any retaining walls or firepit additions.

Gainesville Landscape Maintenance Service Pricing

Landscape maintenance services can vary wildly on pricing - depending upon a myriad of factors. Size of lawn, the frequency of service (weekly, biweekly, monthly), annual schedule (how many scheduled visits per year), service inclusions (mowing only, shrub trimming, weed removal in mulch beds), and whether that company is insured properly for your protection. The pricing scale can range all the way from your neighbor's teenager just cutting the grass to a professional lawn service providing a thorough and detailed service that leaves your landscape immaculate and follows up with scheduled lawn pest treatments and fertilization to keep your lawn looking the best in the neighborhood. The Master's lawn maintenance service includes our lawn health program with it to protect your lawn from unwanted pests. 

Price Range: $195-$350 per month

Gainesville Lawn Health and Fertilization Pricing

Lawn spraying programs are offered most often by chemical companies like ChemLawn (now rebranded as TruGreen) and other Pest Control companies. These companies are great at keeping pests out of your lawn using chemicals - but we have found they typically are not very knowledgeable about lawn health. The Master's handles everything in the Gainesville lawn - the design, preparation, installation, irrigation, mowing, aeration, fertilization, and pest control. We leave the termites and house pests to the experts in their field, and we stick to what we're experts about - and that's lawns. Our program includes weed control, pest prevention, disease treatment, fertilization, and soil amendments - all in one organic-based program to improve the health of your lawn. 

Price range - $42-95 per month

Although all of these numbers and prices are very general, I do hope this article helps you to have a better feel for pricing on Gainesville lawn and landscape projects and what to expect when you start going through the process. If we can be of help in this process, please call us at (352) 378-5296 and we look forward to working with you.