Lawn Care Service in Fairhaven, MA
New England Tree & Landscape keeps South Coast lawns healthy by catching problems before they become visible.
Lawns don't fail overnight. They decline when issues go unchecked. Inconsistent mowing, improper fertilization, and missed seasonal treatments allow weeds, disease, and soil issues to take over long before homeowners realize there's a problem.
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Our lawn care programs are built around consistent service and local conditions, so issues are identified and corrected early.
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Below, we explain how proactive lawn care works and why staying ahead of problems produces healthier turf than reacting after damage appears.
Our Lawn Care Programs
Thirty-five years and countless lawns across the South Coast. That is how long we have been solving the exact problems your property is dealing with right now. Sandy soil near the water that loses nutrients after every rain, clay soil inland that compacts and suffocates roots, crabgrass every summer, grubs cycling through, fungus as soon as humidity builds.
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Most lawn problems come down to the same things: wrong fertilizer timing, skipping aeration, letting weeds establish before treating them, or ignoring pest problems until the damage is done. Staying ahead of these problems is always cheaper and faster than reacting after the grass is already gone. That is why most of our customers are on scheduled programs.
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Our programs cover everything your grass needs throughout the year. Weekly mowing at the right height. Fertilizer is timed to each stage of the growing season. Pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control. Grub prevention and insect treatment. Disease control when the fungus shows up. Aeration and overseeding to build density.
Additionally, we prep your lawn for winter, including late-season fertilization, final mowing height to prevent snow mold, and cleanup so turf goes into the cold months strong.
Lawn Mowing & Maintenance
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We mow at the right height for the time of year. Taller in summer to shade roots and reduce heat stress. Shorter in spring and fall when cooler temperatures allow it.
Every visit includes edging along walkways and beds, trimming around obstacles, and blowing off hard surfaces.
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Most residential properties need weekly mowing from April through October. In May and June, when growth is heaviest, some properties need twice a week.
During dry stretches in July and August, we adjust the schedule based on how the grass is actually growing.
We handle mowing for homeowners across Fairhaven, New Bedford, Mattapoisett, and Dartmouth who want reliable weekly service, whether that is part of a full lawn care program or just mowing on its own.
Lawn Fertilizing
Applying the right nutrients at the right times ensures your grass stays healthy and green. Nitrogen for growth and green color, phosphorus for root development, and potassium for stress tolerance and disease resistance.
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We run a six-stage fertilization program throughout the year, each application timed for what the grass needs at that point in the season.
Missing applications or applying at the wrong times means grass doesn't get what it needs when it needs it.
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We apply granular fertilizer that releases slowly over several weeks. Quick-release fertilizers burn grass or wash away before plants use them. Slow-release feeds grass consistently without spikes that cause excessive growth or waste.
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Stage 1: Early Spring (February-March) Gets grass growing after winter using balanced slow-release fertilizer. We include crabgrass pre-emergent because timing matters. Crabgrass germinates when soil hits certain temperatures and you need preventer down before that happens.
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Stage 2: Late Spring (April-May) Keeps grass fed during heavy growth period. We add iron to boost color and density. Light weed treatment eliminates broadleaf weeds before they spread.
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Stage 3: Early Summer (June-July) Helps grass handle heat stress using fertilizer higher in potassium. Includes insect and grub control when chinch bugs and ants become active.
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Stage 4: Late Summer (August) Maintains color and strength during dry months using slow-release fertilizer. Avoids over-application because too much nitrogen burns grass when temperatures spike.
Stage 5: Early Fall (September-October) Rebuilds roots and repairs summer damage using balanced slow-release fertilizer. Cooler air and consistent moisture make this the best growing period of the year.
Stage 6: Late Fall (November) Winterizer fertilizer helps grass store nutrients during dormancy. Ensures a fast, healthy comeback once the ground thaws in spring.
We test soil for properties that struggle. Sometimes pH is off, and grass can't absorb nutrients even though we're applying them. Most Fairhaven lawns have acidic soil, with a pH below 6.0. Grass grows best around 6.5 to 7.0 pH. When pH drops too low, grass struggles to use fertilizer, no matter how much you apply.
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Pine needles typically cause acidic soil around here. Properties with pine trees or near wooded areas with pines end up with acidic soil from years of needles breaking down. Even properties without pines can have acidic soil just from natural soil conditions.
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We add lime to raise the pH in acidic lawns. This takes a few months to work and usually needs to be repeated every 2 to 3 years because soil naturally acidifies over time. Lime applications and other soil treatments happen in fall or early spring when we're not applying other treatments. Soil test tells us how much lime your lawn needs. Some properties need 50 pounds per 1000 square feet; others need far less.
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We rarely see alkaline soil with too high a pH. In those cases, we use sulfur to lower it.
Lawn Weed Control
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Those dandelions you killed last month are already coming back. That is what happens when weed control stops at a bottle of Weed-B-Gone from the hardware store.
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Real weed control has two parts: preventing weeds before they germinate and killing the ones that break through. We handle both across Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Rochester, Acushnet, Marion, New Bedford, Dartmouth, and the rest of the South Coast.
Pre-Emergent Weed Control
Pre-emergent creates a barrier in the soil that stops weed seeds from sprouting. For crabgrass, this is the most important treatment of the year. We apply it in late February or March, timed to forsythia blooming, which signals that the soil is warming into the range where crabgrass germinates. Miss that window and you spend all summer fighting crabgrass instead of preventing it.
Post-Emergent Weed Control
Post-emergent kills weeds that are already growing. Dandelions, clover, chickweed, crabgrass that got past pre-emergent, and other broadleaf weeds all need post-emergent treatment. Spring applications catch weeds while they are young and easiest to kill. Fall applications are just as important because weeds that go to seed in fall come back worse the following spring. We treat as many times as needed through the season until the lawn is clean.
Selective and Non-Selective Herbicides
We use selective herbicides that kill weeds without harming your grass. Different products target different weed types, and professional application means the right product goes down at the right rate and the right time. For lawns around Fairhaven or Mattapoisett that are mostly weeds with barely any grass left, selective treatment is not enough. That is when non-selective herbicides kill everything so we can start fresh with new seed or sod. We only recommend that after explaining all your options.
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The Bigger Picture
Thick, healthy grass is your best long-term weed defense. Weeds take over thin spots where grass is weak from poor fertilization, compaction, drought stress, or mowing too short. We control what is growing now while building turf dense enough to crowd out future problems on its own.
Lawn Aeration and Overseeding​
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If your lawn feels hard underfoot and grass looks thin, no matter how much you water and fertilize, compacted soil is probably the problem. Aeration and overseeding fix the root cause by opening up the soil and thickening the turf.
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Aeration
Aeration means pulling plugs of soil out of the lawn to break up compaction. Compacted soil prevents roots from growing deep and stops water and nutrients from reaching where they need to go. We use core aerators that pull actual plugs, not spike aerators that just punch holes and make compaction worse. Heavy clay soils across Fairhaven, New Bedford, Dartmouth, and Mattapoisett compact from foot traffic, mowing, and normal use. Properties with heavy use need aeration every year. Lighter use lawns can go every other year, but skipping it too long, and the soil gets so hard that watering and fertilizing barely make a difference.
We aerate primarily in the fall because that is when cool-season grass grows most aggressively and recovers fast. Spring aeration works, but fall gives better results.
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Overseeding
After aerating, we spread grass seed over the existing lawn to fill in thin areas and build density. Seed falls into the aeration holes where it has direct soil contact for germination. We match seed to your conditions: tall fescue for sun, fine fescue for shade, perennial rye mixed in where quick germination helps. We may topdress with compost after seeding to improve germination and build soil quality over time.
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Slice Seeding
For lawns that are too thin for broadcast overseeding to be effective, slice seeding cuts grooves directly into the soil and drops seed into them. This gives far better seed-to-soil contact than spreading seed on top. We use slice seeding when lawns need serious renovation but do not need complete replacement.
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Dethatching
Thatch is the layer of dead grass and organic matter between the green grass and the soil surface. A quarter inch is normal and actually protects roots. When thatch builds past half an inch, it blocks water and nutrients from reaching soil. We remove excess thatch with power rakes, then haul it away. Most lawns only need dethatching once every few years unless you have grass types that produce heavy thatch.
Lawn Pest Control
Lawn pests cause damage below the surface before you ever see it. By the time grass turns brown, peels up, or gets torn apart by animals digging at night, the damage is already done. Grubs, chinch bugs, ants, and Canada geese all cause serious problems across Fairhaven, Acushnet, Rochester, Mattapoisett, Marion, New Bedford, and Dartmouth, and prevention works far better than reacting after the damage shows up.
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Grubs
Grubs are the biggest lawn pest problem on the South Coast. They are C-shaped beetle larvae that live in soil and eat grass roots until the turf peels up like carpet. Japanese beetles, June beetles, and chafers all produce them.
Preventive insecticide applied in June or July stops grubs before they hatch and is more effective and less expensive than curative treatment after they have already destroyed roots. Six or more grubs per square foot means treatment is needed. Skunks and raccoons digging up your lawn at night confirm they are there.
Chinch Bugs
Chinch bugs suck sap from grass blades and create dead patches in full sun areas during hot, dry summer weather. The damage looks like drought stress, but does not respond to watering. Treatment in June catches the first generation before they reproduce, with follow-up in August if populations persist.
Ants
Ants build mounds that create uneven surfaces and bare spots across the lawn. Treatment targets mounds directly with products that colony members carry back to the queen. Broadcast treatments handle properties with numerous colonies.
Canadian Geese
Geese destroy turf through heavy grazing and leave nearly a pound of waste per bird per day. Droppings contaminate grass, create health hazards, and make lawns unusable.
Properties near water in Fairhaven and Mattapoisett see the worst pressure from resident geese that no longer migrate. These birds feed on manicured lawns and nest near ponds year-round.
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We apply Flight Control, an EPA-approved repellent that makes grass unpalatable through a harmless UV coating that geese can see and mild digestive irritation that conditions them to avoid treated areas.
Applications in early spring, before nesting season, work best because geese become territorial once established and are harder to move. Reapplication after mowing or heavy rain maintains protection through the season.
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Treatment is legal and humane. Geese are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so harming them is not allowed. Flight Control keeps them off your property without hurting the birds.
Lawn Disease Treatment
Lawn disease treatment addresses fungal problems that create dead or dying patches.
The most common diseases around Fairhaven are brown patch, dollar spot, and red thread. All caused by fungus that thrives in certain conditions - usually heat, humidity, and poor air circulation.
Brown patch shows up in summer during hot, humid weather. Creates circular dead areas that start small and expand outward. Grass dies from fungus infecting leaf blades and crowns. Heavy nitrogen fertilizer and overwatering make it worse.
Dollar spot creates small silver-dollar-sized dead spots across the lawn. Shows up when nights are cool and days are warm with heavy dew. Low nitrogen fertility makes lawns more susceptible.
Red thread makes grass look pinkish-tan and thin. You can see pink or red threads sticking out of grass blades. Shows up in cool, wet weather on underfed lawns.
We treat diseases with fungicides when necessary, but focus more on prevention.
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Proper fertilizing keeps grass healthy and resistant. Not overwatering prevents conditions that fungus needs. Aerating improves air circulation. Mowing at the correct height helps grass handle stress.
Some properties get diseases every year because conditions favor them. Low spots that stay wet, heavy shade with poor air flow, and tight clay soil.
We can treat diseases, but if you don't fix the conditions causing them, they'll keep coming back
Hire New England Tree and Landscape for Lawn Care
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We have been keeping lawns healthy across Fairhaven, Acushnet, Rochester, New Bedford, Mattapoisett, Dartmouth, and the South Coast for 35 years. Mowing, fertilization, weed control, pest control, aeration, overseeding, disease treatment, and seasonal prep.
We handle all of it, and we do it on a schedule, so problems get prevented instead of paid for after the fact.
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You can hire us for a complete lawn care program or for individual services. Either way, we will walk your property, tell you exactly what it needs, and give you a free estimate.
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Call 508-763-8000 or email request@newenglandtreeandlandscape.com. 35 years in business, local crew, family-owned. We are the caring professionals serving the South Coast of MA.
FAQ's
How frequently should lawns be fertilized in Massachusetts
Lawns in Massachusetts should be fertilized 6 times per year, spaced around the natural growth cycles of cool-season grass. That usually means early spring, late spring, early summer, late summer, early fall, and a final late-fall winterizer. Fewer applications lead to weak turf, and more than that usually does more harm than good.
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Is hiring a professional lawn care service worth it?
A professional lawn care service knows when to fertilize, how much to apply, and what problems to treat before they get out of hand. Most homeowners either miss the timing, use the wrong products, or overdo it and damage the lawn. A pro saves you time, prevents expensive mistakes, and keeps the lawn consistent instead of good one month and rough the next.
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What lawn care services are important during the fall season?
Fall lawn care should include aeration and overseeding, fall fertilization, leaf cleanup, and weed control. This is the best time to thicken the lawn and fix summer damage before winter sets in.
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What's the difference between lawn care services and landscaping services
Lawn care focuses on the grass itself like mowing, fertilizing, overseeding, and weed control. Landscaping covers everything else like plants, trees, beds, drainage, patios, walkways, and the non-grass parts of your yard.