Lawn Care Franchise Ownership Tips - Spring-Green

Spring Lawn Care Tips

Spring is the time when, after months of being confined to the interior of your home, your living space opens up to include your yard as well as amenities like patios and decks. Spring-Green Lawn Care has long been in the business of maximizing outdoor spaces, so we can share the following tips for springtime lawn care that will lay the foundation for a healthy, beautiful lawn throughout the spring and summer. 

Water your lawn according to weather.

When it comes to watering your lawn, there is no one-size-fits-all answer in terms of how much or how often you should do so during the spring season. In most regions, enough natural rainfall is produced in the spring to make watering unnecessary. However, supplemental watering should be done in the event of drought periods – especially if drought conditions are accompanied by warm temperatures. Generally, in this case, it is best to introduce about one inch of water per week.

Reintroduce your lawn to mowing. 

In most instances, all varieties of turf grass should be mowed at 2½ to 3 inches from the spring until early fall. However, if you notice that the grass has turned brown due to winter dormancy, administer a slightly shorter mowing so that the new grass blades are not forced to compete with the old blades. For grass that is healthy, set mowers on the high side initially.

Fertilizing early is imperative.

Ideally, it is best to fertilize your lawn prior to June, as doing so will improve the chances of cultivating a strong, attractive lawn in the summer. If you have not done so yet, do not panic. Focus on fertilizing your lawn as soon as possible, and make sure you use a product that is high in nitrogen, as most plants need an infusion of this nutrient to maintain good color and growth.

A Mother’s Day Salute from Spring-Green

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the joy that mothers bring to our lives – and here at Spring-Green, we want to acknowledge the mothers on our team who add tremendous value not only to the work we do, but also to our daily lives.

Gillian Hrycyk, Consumer Marketing Manager – print for Spring-Green, has been with the company since 2005. She came on board as a marketing coordinator and was promoted to her current role in 2008. Gillian was drawn to Spring-Green by the marketing initiatives and goals the company has in place to drive revenue for its franchisees.

“I love helping to create marketing programs that use amazing technology for these family owned businesses,” she says.

Gillian also enjoys the family atmosphere cultivated at Spring-Green, as well as spending quality time with her own family – her husband, Richard; eight year-old daughter, Ragan; and five year-old son, Owen. Family time includes outdoor activities and trips to Disney World.

Gillian is looking forward to spending Mother’s Day with her husband and children, along with her own mother.

We want to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to Gillian and the other equally fantastic moms on our team: Lisa Fillers, Nancy Babyar, Gwen Pothier-Ward and Mychelle Prichard, thank you for all that you do and happy Mother’s Day!

Meet Our Team: Gwen Pothier-Ward

This week, we are excited to spotlight a member of our team whose drive and dedication fueled her rise to head of our national call center operations. Gwen Pothier-Ward, Marketing Support and Call Center Supervisor, first joined Spring-Green in 2009 as a seasonal employee, but due to her work ethic, professional background and the sales success she achieved for the company, Gwen was made a permanent part of the team. In July 2011, Gwen was promoted to her Marketing Support and Call Center Supervisor role.

At one time, Gwen considered opening her own life coaching business, as people tend to seek her out for advice and guidance. Happily, however, the position with Spring-Green has proven a good fit for Gwen, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in information technology, enjoys helping people and has an enduring love for computers. “I feel that I can access the world from my computer wherever I am,” she says.

In her free time, Gwen enjoys family life with her husband, Isaiah, as well as Isaiah’s children and grandchildren. Calling herself a low key person, Gwen prefers quiet activities like reading motivational books and business development books, as well as spending time outdoors. Gwen also relishes opportunities to learn, and says that she has learned a great deal about the lawn care business during her time at Spring-Green.

A Message From Our CEO, Ted Hofer

Arbor Day is this Friday, April 26, marking the beginning of spring and the return of the planting season. The holiday itself celebrates planting and caring for trees – but on a larger scale, it recognizes the importance of taking care of the environment and giving back to nature. Here at Spring-Green, we’re aware of the importance of a beautiful (and healthy!) natural environment and the role it plays in keeping us happy and healthy.

That’s why Spring-Green is committing itself to going green, not just on Arbor Day but all year long. “The Green in Spring-Green” is our overarching program to raise awareness about environmental issues, use green practices in all of our franchises across the country and give back to the environment that has given so much to us.

In honor of Arbor Day and to help raise awareness of our tree care programs, we have formed a strategic alliance with the Arbor Day Foundation. We’ve committed to planting 10,000 trees in 2013, in addition to the 20,000 we’ve already planted. That’s a lot of trees! And if you're interested in helping us extend our tree-planting campaign, you can donate as little as $1 for a new tree on the Spring-Green page on the Arbor Day website.

Plus, for each new customer that likes our Facebook page, we’ll plant a tree in a forest that’s been damaged by natural causes like insects or disease. And if you donate directly to the Arbor Day Foundation, you can help bolster Spring-Green’s commitment to going green and help preserve our forests, one tree at a time.

And remember, Arbor Day is just the beginning – going green is a year-round commitment. Visit our website to learn more about Spring-Green’s many environmentally-friendly initiatives, and take the pledge to join us in preserving greenery around the globe!