Lawns need constant attention no matter what size they are or where they’re located. From basic lawn maintenance tasks to specialized treatments like seeding, every lawn care task has a different cost.
On average, the lawn care services cost between $110 and $475, with a nationwide average of $290. This price range varies depending on various factors, mainly including the project size, type of service, terrain, condition of your lawn, whether you hire a lawn care service, and landscape features.
Below, we’ll break down the costs by service.
Average Lawn Care Cost in Salinas, CA
| National Average Cost | $290 |
| Typical Price Range | $110 – $475 |
| Extreme Low-End Cost | $40 |
| Extreme High-End Cost | $4,600 |
The average cost range for lawn care in Salinas, $110 to $475, covers common lawn care services for any yard between ⅛ to ¼ acres. This includes mowing, aeration, dethatching, and fertilization – services that every lawn needs once or multiple times a year to stay healthy.
Lawn care is a vast term that covers a myriad of services. For Salina’s fertile soil, you might not need to do a lot. That is if you plant the right grass type for Salinas and keep up with regular maintenance.
At the lowest, you may expect to pay just $40 for simple tasks like lawn mowing or leaf removal, whereas the cost may go as high as $4,600 for something complex like sod installation.
Cost Estimator by Service Type
Your total lawn care cost will vary based on the type of service you get. Your wallet won’t get sad for basic services like mowing. However, labor-intensive or complex lawn care services will cost a lot.
Here’s a quick rundown of the average costs of lawn care services in Salinas, CA.
| Lawn Care Service | Average Cost |
| Mowing | $40 – $170 |
| Aeration | $70 – $330 |
| Fertilization | $70 – $390 |
| Dethatching | $120 – $255 |
| Leaf removal | $180 – $470 |
| Mulching | $25 – $80 per cubic yard $40 – $100 per hour |
| New grass/seeding | $540 – $1,760 |
| Trimming | Tree: $275 – $1,025 Shrub/bush: $4.25 – $12.5 per bush/shrub |
| Yard cleanup | $150 – $730 |
| Weed removal | $50 – $190 |
| Sprinkler system | Installation: $2,070 – 4,290 Repair: $74 – $245 |
Mowing
Mowing is a pretty manageable lawn maintenance task, but not all of us have the time or energy to sweat pushing a mower around. So instead of toiling in your yard on the weekend, it’s better to hire a lawn care professional for regular mowing sessions.
Lawn mowing can cost anywhere from $40 to $170 per visit for professional services. This range may stretch depending on the lawn size; the larger your lawn is, the more expensive this service will be.
A few other factors that may influence the total cost:
- Your grass type
- Lawn shape
- Accessibility
- Current condition of your lawn
Aeration
Lawns in Salinas may fall prey to soil compaction. When the soil is too congested, the grass loses access to the optimal resources it needs to flourish.
Lawn aeration involves poking small holes in the lawn so the soil can “breathe”. Creating hundreds of these holes allows water, sunlight, and air to reach and nourish your lawn. Access to these vital nutrients helps the lawn get greener, stronger, and overall healthier.
Expect to pay somewhere between $70 and $330 for lawn aeration. The overall cost depends on the size of your lawn and the aeration treatment you pick.
Fertilization
Is your lawn losing its luster with every passing day? If yes, chances are your grass needs to get all the nutrients it needs to stay strong and green. It’s probably time for fertilization, and for that, you need a professional lawn care expert’s help.
The professional will conduct a soil test and figure out the specific nutrient your soil lacks. On average, lawn fertilization will cost you around $70 to $380, depending on the size of your yard and the type of fertilizer used.
Dethatching
Dethatching is a process that removes the unwanted layer of thatch – dead grass, leaves, and other organic matter that builds up over time. Thatch, if left unattended, blocks water, oxygen, and fertilizer from reaching the roots and can also become a breeding ground for diseases and pests.
You’ll be paying somewhere around $120 to $255 for lawn dethatching, depending on cost factors like project size and how much dethatching is required.
Leaf Removal
You cannot limit the amount of leaves falling from trees in or around your yard, but you sure can clean the fallen leaves. It’s also necessary for your lawn’s health because fallen leaves can pile up and block sunlight and water from reaching the grass. Plus, piled-up leaves trap moisture and will harbor various lawn diseases and pests too.
You need to clean up these leaves regularly, especially in the fall. This will cost somewhere between $180 and $470 having it done by a lawn care company.
Mulching
Mulch is a layer of any material applied to the surface of the soil to help it retain moisture better, improve soil fertility, and enhance the visual appeal of the lawn. It can also help prevent soil erosion during rainy seasons.
Your total cost for mulching will depend on the materials used, labor, delivery method, and the size of your garden or flower beds. Typically, mulching costs around $25 to $80 per cubic yard or $$40 to $100 per hour.
New Grass/Seeding
Photo Credit: VSPYCC / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Lawns will need new grass here and there. Seeding is the most affordable and effective option for homeowners in Salinas looking to freshen up their yards on a budget.
Seeding and reseeding generally cost $540 to $1,760, where the total cost will vary according to the type of seed you choose, the size of your lawn, and the seeding method.
Trimming
Trees look fantastic in a landscape, but they make a lot of mess. Part of your routine lawn maintenance should be trimming trees, bushes, and hedges so their overgrown parts don’t ruin the aesthetics.
The average cost of tree trimming is around $275 to $1,025 per tree, depending on the size of the tree. Bush trimming generally ranges from $4.25 to $12.5 per shrub and hedge trimming costs around $48 to $79 per hour.
Yard Cleanup
Yards get dirty, and cleanup is a tedious job. It’s better and easier to hand this task over to a professional and spend your time doing better things, like going out with family or relaxing.
The total cost of yard cleanup depends on factors such as frequency of clean-ups, the size of your lawn, types of services needed, and the season (fall cleanups cost more than spring cleanups because of extra leaves). On average, you may expect to pay $150 to $730 for yard cleanups.
Weed Removal
Most weed species are invasive, and Salina’s lawns are just as susceptible to them as any other part of California. Weeds can damage the look and health of your grass, making it compete for essential nutrients, water, and sunlight.
There are several methods for weed removal; you can opt for chemical treatments or hire a skilled lawn care pro for manual removal. This costs around $55 to $190 per treatment, depending on the control method and the lawn’s size. If you hire a gardener to hand-pull the weeds, they charge somewhere between $30 and $60 per hour.
Sprinkler System
If you’re a busy bee, a sprinkler system can be a lifesaver for you. Lawn sprinklers ensure your lawn stays hydrated and healthy without requiring constant attention from the homeowner.
The cost of installing a new sprinkler system typically ranges from $2,070 to $4,290. If you already have a sprinkler system installed, it will need occasional repairs to maintain optimal functionality. Repairs would cost around $74 to $245 on average.
Other Factors That Influence Cost
The type of lawn care service you need may be the biggest factor in determining the overall cost of lawn care in Salinas, but there are other influencing factors too.
The prices we’ve mentioned for each lawn care service are all averages, your lawn care bill may go higher or lower than the national average due to these factors. Let’s take a look:
Size of the Lawn
The size of your yard essentially tells you how much material, labor, and resources are needed. The national average may significantly go higher or lower for lawns larger or smaller than an average-sized lawn. The rule is simple: the bigger the lawn, the higher the cost to maintain it.
Average lawns are somewhere between ¼ and ⅕ of an acre. Here’s what your monthly lawn care bill would look like:
| Lawn Size | Average Monthly Cost |
| ⅛ Acre | $100 – $200 |
| ¼ Acre | $200 – $400 |
| ½ Acre | $400 – $800 |
| 1 Acre | $800 -1,600 |
| 2 Acre | $1,600 – $3,200 |
Labor Costs
Labor costs can range from $35 to $70 per hour depending on the type of lawn care service you’re getting. Some lawn care pros also set their work rates around the kind of service they offer, so don’t forget to ask and confirm with the pro if they charge per hour or service.
Grass Type
Grasses grow differently in different parts of California. Salina’s temperate climate allows both warm- and cool-season grasses to grow. However, only drought-tolerant grasses thrive in the dry environment here.
But how does grass type impact the cost of your lawn care? Different mowing and fertilization needs of each grass type can vary the cost from the national average. For instance, Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass that flourish in Salina lawns require weekly mowing, whereas tall fescues need a bimonthly schedule.
So you must know what grass type you have in your lawn, and its mowing and feeding schedules when estimating the total monthly care costs. Read about the most common grass types in California to learn about their maintenance requirements.
Current Condition of Your Lawn
What your lawn looks like will significantly impact the cost of lawn care services needed to restore it. If your lawn is in poor condition, the pro will need to do a lot of pre-maintenance before actually getting to lawn care, and you’ll end up paying extra for that.
You can lower the costs of lawn care by keeping your lawn healthy with regular care and maintenance and avoid the need for costly repairs.
For example, if your lawn is not getting regular aeration, dethatching, and mowing, you’ll have to deal with costly pest and disease control before you can get to regular lawn care.
Landscape Accessibility
Lawn care pros need to work harder if your lawn has a lot of obstacles, for example, large tree roots or old tree stumps, that are making the job difficult. This will, of course, translate into higher labor rates.
Related Services
Some additional services that homeowners in Salinas often opt for with lawn care:
Grass Removal
If some part of your lawn needs grass removal, for rock gardens or artificial grass, for example, it will cost around $760 to $3,328.
Artificial Grass Installation
Some homeowners don’t like the hassle of maintaining a lawn with natural grass and choose to go the artificial route. Artificial turf keeps its green color and density without any mowing, fertilizing, aerating, or dethatching needs. So a win-win! Professional artificial grass installation costs $15 to $19 per square foot.
Pest Control
As mentioned before, Salinas’ lawns are not safe from pests and lawn diseases. Pesky pests can wreak havoc on your lawn, especially during the hot and humid summers. Keep them under control with a good pest control program.
Pro vs. DIY Cost
Lawn care can be easy or super complicated depending on the time availability and skillset of the homeowner. So if you enjoy working in the dirt and are handy, a lot of lawn care is easy to DIY for you. All you will have to do is purchase some basic equipment, which could be a costly one-time purchase, and save up a good sum monthly.
For DIY, you will have to have:
| Lawn Care Equipment | Average Cost |
| Lawn mower | $80 – $10,570 |
| Leaf blower | $50 – $600 |
| Dethatching machine | $140 |
| Leaf rake | $30 |
| Wheelbarrow | $70 |
| String trimmer | $45 – $320 |
| Weed control | $15 – $40 per quart |
| Hedge clippers | $40 – $150 |
| Fertilizer spreader | $10 – $280 |
| Aerator rental | $50 – $100 |
So if you’re up for weekly mowing and mulching, DIY can save you approximately $100 to $700 monthly in professional costs. However, if you’re going the DIY route you will need enough space to store your lawn equipment.
If you need the space made, garden sheds cost anywhere from $1,767 to $9,567 when built by a professional. So don’t forget to factor that in when estimating the cost of DIY lawn care.
NOTE: Make sure you check California’s Green Lawn Care Law regarding the sale of new gas-powered lawn care equipment. If you have additional questions, you can learn more about the law from our FAQ about California’s lawn care law.
How Can You Save Money on Lawn Care in Salinas?
A few ways to save on lawn care in California:
Opt for Lawn Care Package Plans
A lot of lawn care companies and pros offer additional services as a part of their recurring service packages. Their plans usually include mowing, aeration, and fertilization, all the basics, at a relatively lower cost compared to paying for each service.
So instead of paying for each of these services separately, you can subscribe to one of these recurring service plans and buy lawn care in bulk. This will help you save both time and money.
Keep Up with Regular Lawn Care
Regular lawn care will keep your lawn in shape and lower the chances of costly treatments. Many lawn care providers offer recurring services where you can choose weekly, biweekly, or monthly plans according to your lawn’s needs.
One-time visits are expensive compared to a single visit from lawn care pros who will take care of multiple tasks. So look for such plans and keep up with lawn maintenance.
Check Lawn Care Provider’s Experience
A service provider’s experience and expertise in the field can change your total lawn care bill. If you hire a pro who is new in the industry, you will pay a low hourly rate but risk the quality of the service.
Contrarily, hiring a pro with years of experience will be expensive, but you will be getting better results, guaranteed. So it’s best to look for experienced professionals, especially for specialized treatments, to save your lawn and your pocket some trouble down the road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lawn care seasonal?
Not really, but you do need to be more regular with lawn care during the peak growing season, which starts early in the spring and typically lasts till late fall. Here’s a guide to the lawn care schedule for Salinas.
Why should I hire a lawn care service? Is it worth it?
Yes. if you don’t generally have a lot of time on your hands to devote to lawn care, hiring a professional lawn care service is absolutely worth the money. The pros take care of your lawn’s nutritional needs and ensure it looks sharp and happy with regular care and timely treatments.
Will frequent mowing thicken the grass?
It can since frequent mowing encourages healthy growth in lawns. It makes the grass more resilient against weeds and creates a dense lawn.
Hand Over Your Lawn Care to a Pro Today
A happy, healthy lawn a wholesome sight to walk into every morning. But the refreshing greens come at a price – be it your time and sweat or a pro’s fee. Lawn care can cost as low as $40 to as much as $4,600.
With regular maintenance and a bit of planning, you can reduce these costs and enjoy the lawn of your dreams. The easiest way to know and plan your lawn care regimen is to get a quote for the best lawn care in Salinas and budget accordingly.
Note: LawnStarter may get a referral fee for matching you with contractors in your area.
Main Image Credit: Ken Lund / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
