The ground may still lay below 3 feet of snow and ice, and the frostline might be another 3 feet below, but that won't stop the lawn care professionals from visiting.
If they haven't already come to your door, you should probably expect them soon. They will come and knock upon your door and offer a free estimate for treating your lawn. If you are not home, they'll leave a brochure. Let me state now, that I do not judge these folks, they are doing their jobs and frankly doing it outside in weather below 0. However, it doesn't mean I have to accept their offers or agree with the business they are in.
Last year, we were one of a couple houses in the neighborhood that never had the yard chemically treated. And frankly it shows. We've even had neighbors comments about the clover, dandelions, and creeping charlie growing in our yard. I take their concerns as a sign we are doing something right.
In short, I assume that any product I put on my lawn which says my children and pets should stay off it, is probably not something I want on my property. The disappointing part is that we are one of few. Our dog seems particularly interested in the smell of the chemicals. She doesn't usually step up into people's yards while walking, but we've found that when she does, we will typically find one of those small warning signs.
If one these salesmen knocks upon your door, here are a few things to keep in mind before accepting their offer.Kudos to you if you already avoid the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on your lawn. They cause a number of other problems not listed above. If your neighbors ever question you about your lawn care choices, point these things out to them, by asking, they have opened a door to education. If they are making even moderate use of their lawn with their kids or pets, they may want to reconsider their lawn care lifestyle.
