FAQ
Click on your question in the boxes below to jump to the answer. We also have how to videos for using the customer portal and signing up for services using Calendly. If you do not see your question here, please feel free to email the office at info@jtlawnmn.com.
How do I sign up for services?
To get quotes or estimates for lawn care and/or landscaping services, simply call or email the office. You can also request an estimate through the form on our website. Some of our services are hourly while others are priced based on lawn size. Once you have decided which services you would like to sign up for, just let the office know and they will put you on the Go Ahead list. Remember that we need a go ahead from you every year. We never assume that somebody wants our services, so it's best to call or email the office in February or March to sign up for the services you want that year.
How do I sign up for the customer portal?
If you have not yet registered for the portal, email the office to get your temporary username and password. Once you have logged in for the first time, you will be prompted to set up your account and change your login information. If you forget your username, email the office and they can send it to you. The office email is info@jtlawnmn.com. For a brief how-to video on accessing and using the portal, click here.
How do I sign up for paperless billing?
Simply email the office at info@jtlawnmn.com and request paperless billing. Clarify which email address you want to use for billing, and the office will update your account for you.
Do you have an app?
Yes we do! If you search for Manage Service, you should find an app with a little blue truck on a black background for the icon (see picture below). When you log in for the first time, you must do so from a web browser. After that, your login information for the customer portal will work on the app too.
What kind of fertilizer and/or weed control do you use?
We use a granular fertilizer that dissolves and breaks down directly into the soil. This helps bring nutrients directly to the grass roots. The weed control spray is safe to walk on as soon as it is dry. This usually takes an hour or less. Please wait to water until at least the night of the application, and wait 24 hours before mowing. For more information on our weed and feed applications, click here.
Do you do one-time mowing?
We do not do one-time mows. We do recurring mowing for both residential and commercial properties, usually on a weekly or biweekly basis. However, some customers opt for a monthly schedule. Keep in mind that if the mower arrives at your property and sees that the lawn is short enough where it does not require mowing that week, they will skip your property at no charge to you.
Do your mowers bag or mulch?
Our mowers mulch.
Can I call or text the number that sends automated texts?
Our automated texting system is computer-generated. It is not a functional phone, and therefore it cannot make or receive phone calls. The texts themselves go to our computer and are not frequently monitored. For the fastest response to an inquiry, call the office at (701) 200-0456 or email info@jtlawnmn.com. The office number goes to a landline, so it does not accept text messages.
Am I required to prepay for services?
We do not require prepayment. Our billing is on a monthly cycle, and we will invoice you via mail or email depending on your preference. That being said, we often have prepay discounts early in the year, so keep an eye out for those. Please keep in mind that prepayments are not refundable.
How wide does the gate to my yard have to be to allow the equipment inside?
Depending on the service you need, the gate width required may vary. The widest ride-on machine our crew uses is the mower which requires a gate width of 53 inches or longer. The smallest machine is the fertilizer/weed control sprayer which requires a gate width of 36 inches or wider. Remember that gates should open all the way and have no obstructions on either end. For aeration/aeration + overseed, a gate width of 40 inches or wider is required.
For any service where the gate is too narrow for our ride-on machinery, we do have push-behind machines that will do the same service. However, this may result in an increase in pricing to adjust for the added time the work will take.
Why does the quantity column (Qty) on the invoice say 2 when I only had one service done?
For any hourly service, the quantity refers to the number of man hours that were taken to complete a job. If two crew members work on a job for one hour, that equates to two billable hours. If only one person were doing the job, it would take them twice as long to complete, so the amount of hours would end up the same.
What is the minimum charge for your services?
For our lawn care services that are priced based on lawn size, the minimum charge is the quoted price agreed upon by the customer. This excludes taxes and fees. For hourly services, we always charge a minimum of one hour and then charge in quarter-hour increments from there. For hourly services that use parts or materials, the prices of those parts and materials are included separately on the invoice.
What cities do you service?
We operate out of Moorhead, but we service a number of cities in and around the F/M area. See below for a complete list.
North Dakota:
-
Barnesville
-
Casselton
-
Fargo
-
Harwood
-
Horace
-
Mapleton
-
Oxbow
-
Wahpeton
-
West Fargo
Minnesota:
-
Breckenridge
-
Dilworth
-
Detroit Lakes (sprinkler service and fertilizer/weed control only)
-
Glyndon
-
Hawley
-
Moorhead
-
Sabin
Will you call me to let me know when my service has been scheduled?
Depending on the service, you may receive an automated email or text notification in advance of your appointment so that you can prepare as necessary. For services that can be completed without the aid or presence of the homeowner, we do not have a practice of making scheduling calls or sending scheduling notices ahead of time. However, we are able to mark services "Call Ahead" which will indicate to the crew member that they should call the homeowner (or contact person for a commercial property) when they are on their way to the service address. If you would like a courtesy call when the crew member is on their way, please let the office know so they can put it in the system.
Notification Ahead of Time:
-
Sprinkler Start up/Blow out/Service - Automated text message
-
Aeration/Aeration + Overseed - Automated text message
-
Fertilizer + Weed Control Application - Automated Email message
How do you decide when to schedule your services?
We have map zones that group nearby addresses together, and we use these zones to schedule and dispatch services in an orderly manner. As a result of this, if you sign up for a service after it has already gotten underway, you may have to wait for the crew to cycle back to their second round through the map zones.
Each crew leader does their own scheduling, and is not necessarily aware of what customers have which services. Therefore, if you have a special request or need to sign up for/cancel service, please contact the office directly.
Why do you need my email address?
It is important to have your email so that we have a backup form of communication in case a call or text does not go through. We also send out important information to customers through email, as well as notifications of completed services, and reminders about upcoming deadlines. Please keep in mind that all emails are created and sent by the office staff, therefore you will not receive "spam" emails in your inbox.
Do you do residential snow removal?
We only do commercial snow removal.
What are your office hours?
Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00AM to 5:00PM. We are not open on weekends or certain holidays. If you call the office and do not get an answer, feel free to leave a voicemail and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Do you do group or referral discounts?
We very much appreciate referrals and group orders, but we do not offer discounts for them.
Do you discounts for veterans?
Not at this time.
What is the best way to pay for services?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. You can also mail a check to the office. For landscaping payments, we prefer check payment. A credit card payment for landscaping may involve an additional 3% fee for processing.
The best way to pay is to put a credit card on file in the client portal. This card will be autocharged ten days after each invoice is distributed so that customers have time to view their invoices before charges are made.
Will you automatically sign me up for the same services every year?
We schedule services on a yearly basis, which means we do need your official "go ahead" at the beginning of every year to ensure that you are signed up for services that year. The reason we do not automatically sign customers up for services is we never want to assume that somebody wants us to go to their home, and we also want to give customers the chance to add or modify services for the new season.
I got my weed control application several days ago, but I still have weeds in my yard. Did something go wrong?
There are a couple possibilities for why you might still see weeds in your yard after your application. One possibility is the weeds you're seeing are dead, but have not shriveled away. This means they have to be pulled. There are some resilient weeds that refuse to die until after two applications, but this is rare.
It is also possible that you are seeing weeds that are not affected by our spray. One such weed is crabgrass. Once crabgrass has appeared, it is very difficult to kill, and the pre-emergent that comes with our spring application will not be as effective. We do have a crabgrass post-emergent available. You can contact the office to get a quote. Another common problem is quack grass. This is grass that looks like an ugly patch of weeds, but our spray does not affect it because it is still a grass. Any spray that kills your quack grass will also kill your lawn. The best solution for quack grass is to dig it out and reseed (for small patches) or use a weed killer if there are larger patches. Keep in mind that weed killers spread out from the original area of application, so leave a few inches untreated between the weeded area and your lawn.
Is the fertilizer + weed control application safe for kids and pets?
The weed control application is safe to walk on and mow once it has dried completely. This usually doesn't take longer than an hour. While you should still monitor pets and young children to make sure they don't ingest any of the treated lawn, it is safe for them to be outside and on the lawn.
