Our approach to landscape care aims to build the health of the soil so plants can thrive.

In Harmony service technicians visit our clients’ landscapes several times a year to build the health of their trees, shrubs and lawns. Perhaps you are a client for one of our services and wonder what else we do.

We offer both natural lawn care and natural tree and shrub care. Here is a brief summary of our landscape care services and approach.

Our approach to landscape care

Our overall focus is on feeding the soil. When beneficial critters in the soil thrive, plants thrive as well. They have more fruits and flowers and are more resistant to pests and diseases.

We use natural products and aim to protect plant health as well as the health of people and pets. We are committed to the safest, most environmentally responsible approaches to all our services.

We pay attention to the seasons and weather, and we use products at the right time to be most effective for the landscape. We provide an environmentally friendly alternative to companies that spray chemicals on a calendar basis.

Natural tree and shrub care

On a typical visit our service techs:

• Monitor the landscape to see if there are any changes in plant health or any emerging problems with insects or diseases.
• Apply natural products, such as organic fertilizers, effective microorganisms, mycorrhizae fungi, kelp and microminerals, to build soil health.
• Use natural methods to treat diseases and pests, only when needed. For example, we might spray dormant oils, apply nematodes for root weevils or carefully spray limited amounts of the least toxic pesticide available.

In spring and fall we spray compost tea. In these seasons we brew compost tea every day. Compost tea dramatically increases the beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

We also apply organic mulch as an extra service in spring and fall. This improves the soil, reduces weeds and protects plant roots from weather extremes such as drought.

And we offer pruning services in summer and winter. We prune for both plant health and aesthetics, aiming for vibrant plants that are allowed to grow into their natural size and shape.

Our clients say:

• “Excellent service and quality, knowledgeable, and very environmental friendly.”
• “Due to the organic treatment alone, our landscape is much healthier. They have been fabulous in every way.”
• “My yard looks wonderful and people in my neighborhood are always commenting on how my yard seems so lush compared to others.”

Natural lawn care

Our services include:

• Fertilization with organic fertilizers, about five times per year. We use Hendrikus fertilizer products. Hendrikus is a local company that specializes in high-performance organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.
• Aeration and overseeding. Aeration helps bring air and water to lawn roots and stimulates root and shoot growth. Overseeding thickens the lawn so it can outcompete weeds. We also offer topdressing with compost as an additional service.
• Lime application to neutralize acidity and strengthen the lawn.
• Monitoring for crane flies and chafer beetles. If we see either of these pests, we will do even more to build lawn health to resist and repair damage.
• Corn gluten application to help summer-dormant lawns recover from dormancy.
• Addressing problems with moss. We may apply iron to burn the moss at clients’ request. The moss will need to be raked out after it dies or it will come back more strongly. We can also correct long-term problems that encourage moss growth, such as improving drainage, pruning to allow more sunlight to reach the lawn, or replanting wet or shady areas with plants that thrive in those environments.

Weed management

Weeds are the toughest pests to control organically. We focus on building a thick, vigorous stand of grass plants to defend against weeds.

We do not use weed-and-feed products, which are very toxic to humans and the environment. Unfortunately, there are no organic products currently on the market to kill broadleaf weeds. We recommend some tolerance of weeds. It is very difficult to grow a monoculture such as a lawn without resorting to herbicides.

Some of our clients want to be organic but can’t stand weeds in the lawn. So we offer two packages:

• A completely organic lawn care package. The lawn will likely have some weeds.
• Minimal pesticides: we spot spray weeds a few times per season.

Our clients say:

• “We have been so pleased with the results! AND it is safe for dogs!!”
• “I hired In Harmony to see if my lawn could recover. It did. They have been caring for my lawn year round ever since and it is beautiful. I love that their products are natural and organic.”

Client education and partnership

We have always believed that our clients’ landscapes are more likely to thrive when we create a partnership with them. Our natural treatments won’t be effective if our clients are not doing their part to keep their plants healthy, such as using proper watering and mowing practices.

Our service technicians always seek out the homeowner to have a conversation about their landscape questions and concerns. When techs have finished treating a landscape, they leave a note about what they treated that day and what they noticed.

We provide education sheets about natural ways to maintain lawns and landscapes, either before the visit via email or after the visit.

Contact us if you would like a consultation and estimate for natural lawn care and/or natural tree and shrub care services for your landscape.