TruGreen Lawn Care Review

TruGreen lawn treatment sign in grass of the front yard of a home in Dallas with the TruGreen logo at the top and text overlay at the bottom

Thinking of hiring TruGreen for fertilization and other lawn treatments? Our in-depth review will help you decide whether hiring TruGreen is the right choice.

We know how time-consuming researching a company can be, so we did the work for you. This review details TruGreen’s treatment plans, how to order services, customer reviews, and company highlights (and lowlights). Though LawnStarter has an affiliate relationship with TruGreen, this lawn care review is fair and unbiased.

TruGreen at a Glance

TruGreen is the nation’s largest lawn care company and has been tending to lawns since 1973. Customers include homeowners and businesses.

TruGreen Lawn Treatments

 

  • State availability: All states, except Alaska and Hawaii
  • BBB Rating: A+
  • Phone Number for customer service: 1-844-768-0421
  • Phone number for new service: 1-844-567-9909
  • Headquarters: Memphis

Lawn Care Services

TruGreen’s crews fertilize, aerate, and control weeds, mosquitoes, fire ants, grubs, chinch bugs, and other outdoor pests. 

Lawn care services TruGreen offers:

✓ Fertilization
✓ Weed control
✓ Aeration

✓ Overseeding
✓ Soil amendments
✓ Grub and chinch bug prevention and control

Lawn care services TruGreen does not offer:

✗ Lawn mowing
✗ Mulching

✗ Sod installation
✗ Planting grass seed for a new lawn

Get Quotes and Order Services by Phone, Online, or App

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like requesting a quote over the phone, you can get an online quote on TruGreen’s website. TruGreen also has a mobile app for scheduling and billing.

Pros and Cons of TruGreen

As with any company, there are pros and cons. 

Pros

TruGreen guarantees your satisfaction. If you’re unhappy with the results, a TruGreen crew will return to your yard and remedy the problem at no additional cost. 

TruGreen offers various outdoor services, including multiple lawn care plans and a la carte services. 

Free online quote: Plug in your address and receive an online quote in seconds. 

Eco-friendly fertilizer is available with the TruNatural plan.

Nationwide availability: TruGreen services are available in 48 states. 

Customizable plans: TruGreen develops a customized treatment plan to keep your lawn healthy year-round. 

Cons

Customers usually receive a different TruGreen team member at each service visit. This may deter customers who prefer to build relationships with their service providers. 

Quality of service is inconsistent between TruGreen branch offices. 

TruGreen routes callers to a general call center. Contacting your local TruGreen branch office can be difficult, especially if you have questions pertaining to local service. 

Service disputes: Some customers report that TruGreen claimed to service their yards, but their outdoor security cameras show no evidence that TruGreen team members performed the service.

No lawn mowing service is provided. You’ll need to hire a different company – we suggest you hire a local LawnStater pro, of course – for mowing, trimming, edging, and leaf removal. 

TruGreen Treatment Plans

TruGreen offers four lawn care plans with year-round service. Lawn care plans offered may vary by region or city. When we requested lawn care quotes for multiple addresses, TruGreen recommended the following plans at checkout. 

We’ve ordered the lawn care plans from least expensive to most expensive.

  • TruMaintenance Lawn Care Plan: This includes the essentials: Fertilization and weed control. 
  • TruHealth Lawn Care: This lawn treatment plan includes fertilization, weed control, and tailored lawn treatment.
  • TruComplete Lawn Care Plan: This is TruGreen’s most inclusive treatment plan, and it’s also the only plan that includes aeration. This plan’s core services include aeration (plus overseeding if needed), fertilization, and weed control.
  • TruNatural Lawn Care Plan: This eco-friendly lawn treatment plan includes 100% natural fertilizer applied to your lawn. Traditional weed control is also available upon request at no additional charge.

Note: Depending on where you live, TruComplete may cost more than TruNatural, or vice versa. TruHealth typically costs more than TruMaintenance. 

Check Details: During our research, we discovered that some treatment plan descriptions at checkout did not match the plan descriptions on TruGreen’s website. Before confirming your payment, ensure your bill is accurate and that the treatment plan’s described services are correct.

Contact TruGreen to see what treatment plans are available in your area.

Other TruGreen Services

TruGreen offers other service beyond fertilization, weed control, and aeration. These include grub and mosquito control, perimeter pest control, and shrub and tree care. These other services vary by location, and may not be available where you live.

Grub Control

Grubs are soil-dwelling beetle larvae that eat your lawn’s grass roots and cause dead patches. TruGreen applies an insect control product before the egg hatching season and monitors your lawn throughout the year. 

Mosquito Control

TruGreen’s Mosquito Control promises to eliminate mosquito populations within 24 hours by spraying a mosquito repellent where mosquitoes like to hide. The treatment will offer protection for one month, so TruGreen sends a team member to spray every 30 days during mosquito season.

Tree and Shrub Care

TruGreen provides your trees and shrubs with fertilization (to help with growth and color) and protection against insects, mites, and diseases.

Perimeter Pest Control

TruGreen’s perimeter pest control helps prevent the following pests on the outside before they can come inside your home:

  • Boxelder bugs
  • Kudzu bugs
  • Lady beetles
  • Mud daubers
  • Paper wasps
  • Scorpions
  • Sow bugs

Note: TruGreen Perimeter Pest Control does not control or prevent the following:

  • Wood-destroying organisms (including termites)
  • Bed bugs
  • Bees
  • Fleas
  • German cockroaches
  • Hornets
  • Pharaoh ants
  • Rodents
  • Ticks

Soil Amendment and Analysis Services

TruGreen will usually use either lime or sulfur as a soil amendment. Lime will help raise the soil pH (making it less acidic), and sulfur helps to lower the soil pH (making it less alkaline). Healthy soil is considered slightly acidic or neutral, between 6.0 to 7.0.

Fire Ant Control

TruGreen will treat existing fire ant mounds and apply a broadcast bait treatment over your entire yard. One treatment will offer protection for up to one year.

Chinch Bug Control

Chinch bugs suck the juice out of your lawn, causing irregular brown patches. These pests can cause significant devastation to your lawn. A TruGreen team member will assess the chinch bug damage and treat your lawn accordingly.

TruGreen Pricing

Through our research, we found that TruGreen’s pricing varies. Several factors cause this variation, such as location, your lawn size, and the starting condition of your lawn.  

  • Lawn size: A large lawn will require more fertilizers and other weed control treatments than a smaller lawn. Caring for a large yard will also require more physical labor, leading to a higher price. 
  • Health of lawn when services begin: Does your lawn need a quick touch-up or a major overhaul? If your lawn needs a major overhaul, this could lead to a higher price. 
  • Treatment plan ordered: Each treatment plan varies in price because of the different services included.   
  • Additional services you need: The more TruGreen services you sign up for, the more you can expect to pay. 
  • Property location: Prices may vary due to local conditions, such as climate, pest problems, and soil type. 

Availability and Location

TruGreen services are available in 48 states (Alaska or Hawaii are the exceptions), but services available vary by location because soil types, grass types, and lawn pests vary from region to region. 

For example, if you  live in a city where the soil is too acidic, TruGreen may recommend a lime soil amendment to raise the pH and lower the acidity.

Local pest threats also change. For example, chinch bugs and fire ants are common in the South, while mosquitoes are a more widespread threat. 

How to Order TruGreen Services Online 

Curious how much TruGreen’s services will cost you? Get a free quote and order services online by following these steps.

Step 1: Visit TruGreen and enter your address. Select “Get Started” so TruGreen can calculate your yard’s size.

Find Your Recommended Plan

Step 2: TruGreen will display services it recommends for your location, lawn size, and needs. Scroll through the options and click the boxes to add lawn treatments to your cart. 

Step 3: If you want to add additional services to your cart, select the “Other Services” tab at the top of the service menu. 

Step 4: Select the additional services you want to order and select “Proceed to Checkout.”

Step 5: Enter your name, phone number, and email address. Remember that providing your contact information gives TruGreen permission to call and email you. After filling out your information, select “Continue.”

Step 6: Pay using a credit card, debit card, or bank account.

Note: If TruGreen can’t calculate your lawn size, it will prompt you to use an aerial tool to measure your lawn using satellite imaging. Only outline treatable areas.

TruGreen Customer Reviews

With branch offices throughout the United States and Canada, you’ll find a mix of both positive and negative reviews of TruGreen. We’ve gathered several customer reviews so you can form a well-rounded opinion of TruGreen.

Positive Customer Reviews

Very Nice Associates:The associates that perform the service are very nice. I appreciate receiving the detailed summary and recommendations after each visit. The price is good. The weeds are kept to a minimum, and the grass responds well, so the number of treatments seems to be appropriate.” – Bill B. (Google review of the Austin, TX, branch)

Weed Control Works: “First visit the tech sprayed my weeds, which are turning brown after 1 day!  The tech took the time to discuss my lawn, what I was after, and impressed me by being the first person to know what my weeds are – or were. I can tell the company is well-run and really has its stuff together to automate the service call, the analysis, and web support. I am so happy I finally took the plunge with TruGreen.” – Larry H. (Google review of the Riverside, CA, branch)

Negative Customer Reviews

Better Off Buying Local: “I bought their mosquito service that doesn’t work at all and their lawn fertilizer service with mixed results. Mind you, once a tech showed up at the end of my driveway and never stepped foot on my lawn, but they billed me the $100 fee. You can’t reach them on the phone as everything is done by email. They did end up coming back. I’ve got over an acre of lawn, and it takes them about 10 minutes to apply “their” fertilizer. You’re better off buying local and avoiding TruGreen.” – Joe A. (Yelp review of the Franklin, MA, branch)

Poor Customer Service: “Terrible quality. They came back to spray weeds they missed the first time the quality was poor. The 2nd time the quality was poor, I asked to speak to a manager, but the manager was busy. They told me he would call me back, however, he never called me. I called for 2 months trying to contact the manager. Once I was able to speak to the manager, he told me it was too late in the season to do anything about our concerns.” – Tanya D. (Google review of Sioux Falls, SD, branch)

Our Verdict on TruGreen

Our assessment of TruGreen is that it’s an experienced lawn treatment company (more than 45 years of service) with highly trained team members. While the company strives to achieve customer satisfaction, we found customer satisfaction is mixed when it comes to this nationwide company.

The bottom line: TruGreen is a solid company with lawn care services intended to boost your lawn’s health – fertilization, weed control, aeration, and overseeding (if needed). However, service quality and customer experience vary greatly from branch to branch.

If you’re just looking for someone to mow your lawn and keep it well-manicured, hire a LawnStarter pro near you. When you need fertilization or other lawn treatments, TruGreen can help.

Main Photo Credit: Jeff Herman with Text and Logo Overlay

Janae Soules

Janae Soules

Janae Soules has a newly discovered love of gardening with her kids. She enjoys spending time in nature hiking, biking, or playing sports.