Owning a lawn care franchise takes a state pesticide applicator license, a spray truck and $57,500 to $163,902 in Item 7 startup costs across four lawn care FDDs, timed so the first treatment lands before spring crabgrass germination.
Key takeaways
- The federal certification rule, 40 CFR Part 171, covers restricted use pesticides only: commercial applicators must be at least 18 (§ 171.103(a)(1)) and recertify within five years (§ 171.107(a)). Illinois requires a license for anyone applying general-use pesticides for hire, per the University of Illinois Extension licensing checklist.
- Item 7 totals: NaturaLawn of America $57,500 to $122,650 (2024 filing, plus a $75,000 to $125,000 line of credit), Weed Man $81,150 to $109,400, SpringGreen $118,898 to $135,176 and Lawn Doctor $135,820 to $163,902, per the Lawn Doctor FDD and the other three filings.
- The truck moves the total most: the SpringGreen FDD estimates a production vehicle at $53,998 and leaves it outside Item 7 (note 3), while Weed Man and Lawn Doctor each count one month of a lease, $1,000 to $1,500 and $1,800 to $2,500.
- First-tier royalties are 7% of Net Sales at Weed Man, 9% at NaturaLawn of America and 10% at Lawn Doctor and SpringGreen; SpringGreen steps down to 9% above $250,000 and 8% above $500,000 of annual Gross Sales (Item 6 of the Weed Man FDD and the others).
- Illinois Extension times the first crabgrass preventer around April 1 in central Illinois (March 5, 2026 guidance), so the license, truck and training need to be finished by late March.
What are the steps to owning a lawn care franchise?
Ten steps take a buyer from the first disclosure document to the first application, and 4 of them run on calendars the franchisor does not control: state exams, business licensing, crew registration and soil temperature. The order below follows the 2026 FDDs for Weed Man, Lawn Doctor and SpringGreen, the 2024 NaturaLawn of America FDD, and the Illinois and Pennsylvania pesticide programs.
- Get and compare the FDDs. Each cover page says you must receive the document at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay; set Items 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19 and 20 side by side.
- Reserve a territory. Weed Man holds a territory for 30 days on a $12,000 minimum deposit; NaturaLawn of America charges a $2,950 reservation fee that is credited only if you sign at least 6 weeks before its next training class (Item 5).
- Name the certified applicator. Illinois lets the owner or a manager, supervisor, foreman or other qualified employee hold the Commercial Applicator license; Pennsylvania requires the business to employ a certified applicator in each category it sells (7 Pa. Code § 128.32).
- Pass the exams. In Illinois that means the General Standards exam plus the Turfgrass category exam, 70% on each, closed-book, with a 3-hour limit per attempt.
- License the business. Pennsylvania’s pesticide application business license runs to December 31 each year (§ 128.31); the Illinois Department of Agriculture mails its license application within 6 weeks of passing and wants proof of insurance with it.
- Sign and pay the initial fees. SpringGreen takes $30,000 of its $45,000 fee at signing and $15,000 before training; Weed Man takes its full $30,000 or $50,000 fee at signing.
- Complete franchisor training. Lawn Doctor runs a 5-day program with about 37 classroom hours; NaturaLawn of America runs 1 week at its home office plus 2 weeks at a company location, once a year.
- Set up the truck, sprayer and insurance. Weed Man specifies a 360-gallon spray tank on a truck rated at 10,000 lbs, and general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate with a herbicide and pesticide applicator endorsement (Items 7 and 8).
- Train and register the crew. A Pennsylvania technician needs at least 30 calendar days of training before registration, must be 16 or older, and the registration expires each February 28 (§ 128.52).
- Market before the season. Lawn Doctor requires pre-opening marketing within 15 days after training; crabgrass preventer goes down around April 1 in central Illinois.
Item 11 gives different gaps between signing and opening: 30 to 60 days at Lawn Doctor, 1 to 2 months at SpringGreen, and usually 2 to 3 months after training at NaturaLawn of America, which trains new owners once a year. Weed Man’s Item 11 says you may start operating as soon as initial training is complete.
Who on your team needs a pesticide applicator license?
At least one person in the business needs a state commercial applicator certification before any weed or insect product goes down for hire, and in Illinois that person does not have to be the owner. The federal rule at 40 CFR Part 171 sets minimums for restricted use pesticides only; Illinois and Pennsylvania extend licensing to general-use lawn products and, in Pennsylvania, to the business itself.
What does 40 CFR Part 171 require, and what do states add?
EPA’s certification rule names an “ornamental and turf pest control” category at § 171.101(c) for applicators who use or supervise restricted use pesticides on turf. A commercial applicator must be at least 18, pass a written, proctored exam with government photo ID (§ 171.103), and recertify before the certificate expires five years after issuance (§ 171.107(a)). States may set a shorter period, and the two state programs below go further.
| Requirement | Federal: 40 CFR Part 171 | Illinois (Extension checklist, July 16, 2026) | Pennsylvania: 7 Pa. Code Chapter 128 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who must be certified | Applicators using or supervising restricted use pesticides; turf falls in § 171.101(c) | Anyone applying general-use or restricted-use pesticides for hire; at least 1 licensed Commercial Applicator per company | Business must employ a certified applicator in each category it sells, such as 07 Lawn and Turf (§ 128.32, § 128.42) |
| Applicator exam | Written, proctored, photo ID (§ 171.103(a)(2)) | General Standards (100 questions) plus a 50-question category exam such as Turfgrass, 70% each, 3-hour limit | Certification in the applicator category, such as 07 Lawn and Turf (§ 128.42) |
| Crew under supervision | Noncertified applicators: at least 18 and instructed on equipment within the last 12 months (§ 171.201(c)) | Commercial Operator: General Standards exam only, works under direct supervision | Registered technician: 30 calendar days of training, annual training, age 16 or older, registration expires February 28 (§ 128.51, § 128.52) |
| Business license | Not addressed | License fee plus proof of financial responsibility (insurance) with the application | Business license, period ends December 31; license number in figures at least 3 inches high on both sides of each application vehicle (§ 128.31) |
| Fertilizer only | Outside the rule (pesticides only) | No license needed for fertilizer alone | Not covered in §§ 128.31 to 128.52 |
| Recertification | Within 5 years of issuance, or sooner if the state sets it (§ 171.107(a)) | Not stated in the checklist; barrier mosquito operators retrain every 3 years | Technicians retrain annually (§ 128.51(d)) |
The franchisors put this on the buyer in Item 1. Weed Man and NaturaLawn of America both state that most states require a Pesticide Business License and at least one licensed Pesticide Control Operator in the business, NaturaLawn of America adds re-certification training every 1 to 5 years in most states, and Lawn Doctor says you must comply with federal and state licensing requirements for pesticide applicators, including FIFRA.
Do you need a license to apply fertilizer only?
In Illinois, no: the Extension checklist updated July 16, 2026 says a license is not required to apply fertilizer alone, while anyone applying general-use pesticides for hire must be licensed. Item 1 of each of the four FDDs points the buyer to state pesticide licensing, and Weed Man’s adds mosquito and perimeter pest control, so a fertilizer-only plan does not match these service models.
What truck and spray rig does each lawn care system specify?
The vehicle is the largest swing in lawn care startup cash, and the four FDDs book it differently. Weed Man and Lawn Doctor put one month of a lease in Item 7, NaturaLawn of America budgets $0 to $3,000 for 6 months, and SpringGreen leaves a $53,998 production vehicle outside its total because owners typically finance it with $0 down over 5 years (Item 7, note 3).
| System | Vehicle line in Item 7 | Application equipment | What the total includes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn Doctor | Service Vehicle $1,800 to $2,500 | Turf Tamer Stand-On Applicator lease $335.40 a month for 84 months, or $22,350 lump sum; Power Seeder $339.20 a month for 72 months, or $19,750 | First month of a typical 72-month vehicle lease; months 2 and 3 sit in Additional Funds | Lawn Doctor FDD, Items 6 and 7 |
| NaturaLawn of America | Vehicle $0 to $3,000 | Lawn care equipment purchases $1,500 to $4,000 | Purchase or lease cost for 6 months | NaturaLawn FDD (2024), Item 7 |
| SpringGreen | Production Vehicles, Equipment and Fixtures $5,601 | Equipment lease $496 to $688 a month, or about $28,007 to buy outright | 20% lease down payment only; vehicle estimated at $53,998 outside the total | SpringGreen FDD, Items 6 and 7 |
| Weed Man | Truck & Spray Package Lease $1,000 to $1,500 a month | 360-gallon spray tank; spray package alone $12,000 to $14,000 for prior lawn care owners with a conforming truck; mister sprayer $1,000 to $1,500 | One month of the lease | Weed Man FDD, Item 7, notes 4 and 5 |
Weed Man’s low total proves the one-month treatment: $30,000 + $4,600 + $2,000 + $7,700 + $1,000 + $6,250 + $3,000 + $1,600 + $25,000 = $81,150. Its Additional Funds line of $25,000 to $30,000 covers 3 months including payroll and lease payments but no owner draw (Item 7, note 8).
Is a lawn care spray truck a federal commercial motor vehicle?
Federal motor carrier rules start at a weight line: 49 CFR 390.5 defines a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce as one with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more. Weed Man’s specified truck is rated at 10,000 lbs, 1 pound below that line. The same definition covers vehicles carrying hazardous materials in placarded quantities, and states set their own intrastate rules, so ask your state transportation agency which rules apply to a loaded spray truck before you lease.
What do four lawn care FDDs put in Item 7?
Item 7 totals in the four filings run from $57,500 at NaturaLawn of America to $163,902 at Lawn Doctor. The initial franchise fee explains much of the gap: $29,500 at NaturaLawn of America, $30,000 to $50,000 at Weed Man, $45,000 at SpringGreen, and $114,950 to $118,000 at Lawn Doctor, whose fee bundles a $61,600 training, supply and support fee covering year one marketing.
| System (franchisor) | FDD issued | Item 7 low | Item 7 high | Initial fee (Item 5) | Paid to franchisor (cover page) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn Doctor (Lawn Doctor, Inc.) | April 28, 2026 | $135,820 | $163,902 | $114,950 to $118,000 | $114,950 to $118,000 | CARDS 36279-202604-02 |
| NaturaLawn of America (NaturaLawn of America, Inc.) | March 28, 2024 | $57,500 | $122,650 | $29,500 standard; as low as $9,500 for existing operators | $29,500, plus up to $15,000 | CARDS 30728-202403-07 |
| SpringGreen (Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp.) | March 30, 2026 | $118,898 | $135,176 | $45,000; $27,000 Industry Associate | $101,037 to $106,638 | CARDS 35708-202603-09 |
| Weed Man (Turf Holdings Inc.) | March 31, 2026 | $81,150 | $109,400 | $30,000 (1 Unit Territory) or $50,000 (2) | $34,600 to $54,600 | CARDS 36217-202604-11 |
Item 7 runs from $57,500 (NaturaLawn of America, 2024) to $163,902 (Lawn Doctor). Source: Item 7 of each FDD in Minnesota CARDS, accessed November 3, 2026.
Two totals need a footnote. NaturaLawn of America’s range adds “plus access to a $75,000 – $125,000 line of credit” and excludes real estate, and its March 2024 filing is the latest Clean FDD for the brand on Minnesota’s CARDS database as of November 2026. Lawn Doctor’s high end includes up to $7,800 of HOLIDAY LIGHTING HEROES inventory and equipment, which its low end assumes you skip at opening.
The working-capital lines also measure different things: $25,000 to $30,000 for 3 months at Weed Man, $12,720 to $22,552 for 3 months at Lawn Doctor, $6,060 to $8,468 for 3 months at SpringGreen, and $1,500 to $4,500 for 6 months or more at NaturaLawn of America. For how these ranges compare with other sectors, see our franchise initial investment report.
What goes out the door at signing, and what at training?
Cash leaves in stages that follow the season. SpringGreen collects $30,000 at signing and the other $15,000 of its fee before training, then a $37,000 marketing campaign and up to $16,500 of property data at training. Weed Man’s full fee is due at signing and is discounted 10% if paid in full by July 31. The table rebuilds each franchisor’s “paid to us” figure from Items 5 and 7.
| Payment | SpringGreen (new territory) | Weed Man (2 Unit Territories) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise fee at signing | $30,000 | $50,000 | Item 5 |
| Fee balance before training | $15,000 (can be financed over 5 years) | $0 | Item 5 |
| Training fee | $0 | $4,600 | Items 5 and 11 |
| Initial marketing campaign | $37,000 | $0 | Item 5 |
| Property data: 30,000 SFDUs at $0.55 | $16,500 | $0 | Item 5 |
| Opening supply package | $2,537 | $0 | Item 5 |
| Equipment lease down payment (20%) | $5,601 | $0 | Item 5 |
| Total paid to franchisor | $106,638 | $54,600 | Cover page high figures |
Timing changes the Weed Man number: 10% off the $50,000 fee is $5,000 if paid in full by July 31, 7% ($3,500) by September 30 and 5% ($2,500) by November 30, all from Item 5. SpringGreen’s property data figure assumes the required minimum of 50% of a 60,000-SFDU territory measured before the first season.
Which costs sit outside the four totals?
- SpringGreen’s production vehicle, estimated at $53,998, and about $28,007 more if you buy the lawn equipment instead of leasing it (Item 7, note 3).
- NaturaLawn of America’s required access to a $75,000 to $125,000 line of credit (Item 7 total line).
- Lawn Doctor’s annual marketing commitment from the first full calendar year: the greater of $30,000 or 10% of Net Revenues (Item 6).
- Space: Weed Man’s typical office and warehouse is 1,350 to 1,500 square feet and NaturaLawn of America expects 1,500 to 2,500, while Lawn Doctor allows a home start with about 12 by 20 feet of storage (Item 7 notes).
- Insurance after month 3: Weed Man expects annual premiums of $4,000 to $8,000, usually paid monthly from about March (Item 7, note 9). For required limits across franchises, see our franchise insurance requirements report.
Which Item 6 fees continue once the trucks are rolling?
Royalties take 7% to 10% of sales in these four systems, and each adds a marketing obligation that can weigh as much. Lawn Doctor’s annual marketing commitment is the greater of $30,000 or 10% of Net Revenues, SpringGreen requires local spending of the greater of $18,500 or 5% of prior-year Gross Sales, and Weed Man’s minimum royalty is $7,389.18 per Unit Territory for 2026.
| System | Royalty | Brand or advertising fund | Local marketing minimum | Technology | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn Doctor | 10% of Net Revenues, weekly; 15% extra on work outside the Territory | Up to 5%, credited against your local spending | Greater of $30,000 or 10% of Net Revenues a year | $150 a month, $250 after $1,000,000 cumulative Net Revenues, cap $500 | Item 6 |
| NaturaLawn of America | 9% of Gross Sales; 7% on renewal at $500,000 or more; 15% outside the territory | 1% | Item 7 budgets $40,000 to $60,000 a year for marketing | Real Green Service Assistant 5, $125 a month for the first user | 2024 Items 6 and 7 |
| SpringGreen | 10% up to $250,000, 9% to $500,000, 8% above, per calendar year | 2% | Greater of $18,500 or 5% of prior-year Gross Sales per Territory | $260 a month | Items 6 and 11 |
| Weed Man | 7% of Net Sales; minimum $7,389.18 per Unit Territory for 2026 | 1.2% (capped at 3% after 2033) | Approved materials only; no dollar floor in Item 11 | Technical Services fee of 0.25% to 1.25% of Net Sales from January 1, 2027 | Item 6 |
Royalty plus fund runs from 8.2% of Net Sales at Weed Man to as much as 15% at Lawn Doctor, where the fund is credited against local spending. Source: Item 6 of each FDD, accessed November 3, 2026.
Weed Man’s new technology fee is the change to price in: the 2026 FDD says the 0.25% to 1.25% range holds through 2031 and may rise after December 31, 2031. For royalty rates across 259 filings, see our franchise royalty rates report.
When should you sign so the first treatment beats crabgrass?
Work backward from soil temperature. Penn State Extension says crabgrass germinates once the top inch of soil holds 55 to 58°F for several days and that preemergence products go down 10 to 14 days earlier; Illinois Extension puts that near April 1 in central Illinois. With 1 to 3 months from signing to opening in the four FDDs, a signing between August and November can leave room for exams and training.
| When (cool-season lawns, central Illinois) | Business or field milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 31 / Sep 30 / Nov 30 | Weed Man fee discount 10% / 7% / 5% if the fee is paid in full | Weed Man FDD, Item 5 |
| 14 calendar days before signing | Receive the FDD | Cover page of each FDD |
| Winter: exams (70% each) and training | Illinois General Standards and Turfgrass exams; license application mailed within 6 weeks; franchisor training | Illinois Extension checklist; Item 11 |
| Dec 31 | PA business license period ends | § 128.31(b) |
| Feb 28 | PA technician registrations expire | § 128.52(c) |
| Opening: 30 to 60 days (Lawn Doctor), 1 to 2 months (SpringGreen) after signing | Truck delivered, pre-opening marketing under way | Item 11 |
| About Apr 1 | First crabgrass preventer; products last 4 to 6 weeks; a week or two earlier in southern Illinois, later in northern Illinois | Illinois Extension, March 5, 2026 |
| Mid-May | Second preventer, first fertilizer | Illinois Extension, March 5, 2026 |
| Aug 15 to Sep 15 | Seeding window for cool-season lawns; a single yearly fertilizer fits late summer to early fall | Illinois Extension, March 5, 2026 |
| September | Lawn Doctor expects HOLIDAY LIGHTING HEROES work to begin as the holiday season approaches | Lawn Doctor FDD, Item 11 |
Two programs soften a late start. SpringGreen’s Flex Start lets you open any time in the signing year, defers the full-time obligation to January 1 of the next year, and waives royalty and fund payments until the earlier of 180 days after opening or that January 1 (Item 1). Lawn Doctor offers an optional $5,000 Centrally Managed Media Boost if you open after the optimal season starting point (Item 6).
Are these lawn care systems adding or losing units?
Lawn Doctor grew from 653 to 672 franchised outlets in 2025 and added 3 company-owned units, while Weed Man’s US franchise agreements held at 121 and SpringGreen’s franchised territories held at 126. Each filing counts a different unit (outlets, agreements, territories), so compare the trend inside one brand rather than the counts across brands.
| System | Unit counted in Item 20 | Start of latest year | End of latest year | Item 19 included? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn Doctor | Franchised outlets | 653 (2025) | 672, plus 3 company-owned | Yes: internal unaudited historical data | Item 20, Table 1 |
| NaturaLawn of America | Franchised outlets | 84 (2023) | 89, plus 10 company-owned | Yes: gross profit margin, revenue and customer averages for 2023 | 2024 Item 20, Table 1 |
| SpringGreen | Franchise territories | 126 (2025) | 126, run by 72 franchised businesses; 30 affiliate territories | Yes: tables from franchisee-submitted historical financial information | Item 20, Table 1 |
| Weed Man | Franchise agreements | 121 (2025) | 121, covering 153 physical locations and 795 territories | Yes: 2025 US system sales performance | Item 20, Table 1 |
We do not reproduce Item 19 figures; all four filings include an Item 19, and you can read it in each brand’s current FDD at the CARDS links above. Weed Man’s Item 20 says its drop from 255 agreements at the end of 2023 to 117 at the start of 2024 reflects agreements merged at franchisees’ election on January 1, 2024, not a loss of contracts. For how to read Items 19 and 20, see our guide to the franchise disclosure document.
Which entry route fits your starting point?
Your starting point changes the cheapest route more than the brand does. Existing application businesses get fee cuts at NaturaLawn of America and SpringGreen, career changers who need income into the first season can use SpringGreen’s Flex Start, and owners who would rather not sit the category exam can name an employee as the Commercial Applicator in Illinois.
| If | Then check | Source |
|---|---|---|
| You already sell fertilization and weed control with $25,000 or more in annual application revenue | NaturaLawn of America’s license fee discount of $2,500 to $20,000, and SpringGreen’s $27,000 Industry Associate fee with a 5%, 4% and 3% first-season royalty | NaturaLawn Item 5; SpringGreen Items 5 and 6 |
| You need to keep a job until the season | SpringGreen Flex Start: full-time effort deferred to January 1 of the following year | SpringGreen Item 1 |
| You do not want to hold the applicator license yourself | Name a Commercial Applicator employee (Illinois) or employ a certified applicator per category (Pennsylvania) | Illinois Extension; § 128.32 |
| You plan to buy rather than lease the truck | Add SpringGreen’s $53,998 vehicle estimate and $28,007 equipment purchase to Item 7 | SpringGreen Item 7, note 3 |
| You are signing after September 30 | Weed Man’s discount falls to 5% until November 30; Lawn Doctor’s $5,000 Media Boost is optional for openings after the optimal season start | Weed Man Item 5; Lawn Doctor Item 6 |
| Lawn Doctor finds your area unsuited to seeding | Its fee drops to $114,950 without the Turf Tamer Power Seeder | Lawn Doctor Item 5 |
| You are a U.S. military veteran | Lawn Doctor cuts its $50,000 license fee by 10%; SpringGreen applies up to $5,000 of its fee to start-up expenses | Lawn Doctor Item 5; SpringGreen Item 5 |
Converting an existing lawn business has its own trade-offs, covered with 2026 filings in our conversion franchising report. Territory size also differs by measure: Weed Man targets up to 150,000 people, NaturaLawn of America 40,000 single-family households, SpringGreen up to 60,000 SFDUs and Lawn Doctor at least 10,000 single family residences; our franchise territory rights report compares those protections.
This page is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice. Ask a franchise attorney to compare Item 12 and Item 17 terms, and ask your state agriculture department which of its license categories cover lawn treatments; a franchise consultant can request all 4 FDDs at once and walk you through Items 5 to 7.
How we compiled this
We read 4 Franchise Disclosure Documents filed on the Minnesota Department of Commerce CARDS database (Weed Man, Lawn Doctor and SpringGreen from 2026; NaturaLawn of America from 2024), 40 CFR Part 171 and 49 CFR 390.5 on eCFR, 7 Pa. Code Chapter 128, and University of Illinois and Penn State Extension guidance, all accessed in November 2026. We did not survey franchisees or use franchise-portal figures, and we excluded every Item 19 number under our editorial policy. For lawn care in the wider home service sector, see our home service franchise statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lawn care franchise cost?
In the four FDDs we read, Item 7 runs from $57,500 to $122,650 at NaturaLawn of America (2024), $81,150 to $109,400 at Weed Man, $118,898 to $135,176 at SpringGreen and $135,820 to $163,902 at Lawn Doctor. NaturaLawn of America also requires access to a $75,000 to $125,000 line of credit, and SpringGreen’s $53,998 truck sits outside its total.
Do I need a pesticide license to own a lawn care franchise?
The business needs at least one certified applicator, but the owner does not have to be that person in Illinois, where a manager or other qualified employee can hold the Commercial Applicator license. Illinois requires a license for general-use pesticides applied for hire, and Pennsylvania also licenses the business itself, with a period ending December 31 (7 Pa. Code § 128.31).
Can I run a lawn care franchise from home?
Sometimes. Lawn Doctor’s Item 7 says you may start from home if you have about 12 by 20 feet of office and storage space, and SpringGreen allows an approved personal residence. Weed Man’s typical owner uses a 1,350 to 1,500 square foot office and warehouse, and NaturaLawn of America expects 1,500 to 2,500 square feet in an industrial or commercial area.
How much do lawn care franchise owners make?
We do not publish owner income figures. All four FDDs include an Item 19 financial performance representation, which you can read in each brand’s current FDD. What you keep depends on Item 6 costs such as royalties of 7% to 10% of sales, marketing minimums like Lawn Doctor’s greater of $30,000 or 10%, and the truck lease in Item 7.
How long does it take to open a lawn care franchise?
Item 11 puts signing to opening at 30 to 60 days for Lawn Doctor and 1 to 2 months for SpringGreen; NaturaLawn of America usually opens 2 to 3 months after training, which it holds once a year. Add your state exam and license time: Illinois mails the license application within 6 weeks of passing the exams.
Is a lawn care franchise seasonal?
Yes, in cool-season markets. Illinois Extension times crabgrass preventer around April 1 in central Illinois, fertilizer from mid-May and seeding from August 15 to September 15. Weed Man’s Item 7 says insurance premiums are usually paid monthly from about March, and Lawn Doctor adds HOLIDAY LIGHTING HEROES work as the holiday season approaches, typically in September.
Sources
- Weed Man Franchise Disclosure Document, Turf Holdings Inc., issued March 31, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 19, 20 (Minnesota CARDS 36217-202604-11). Accessed November 3, 2026.
- Lawn Doctor Franchise Disclosure Document, Lawn Doctor, Inc., issued April 28, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 20 (Minnesota CARDS 36279-202604-02). Accessed November 3, 2026.
- NaturaLawn of America Franchise Disclosure Document, NaturaLawn of America, Inc., issued March 28, 2024, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 19, 20 (Minnesota CARDS 30728-202403-07). Accessed November 3, 2026.
- SpringGreen Franchise Disclosure Document, Spring-Green Lawn Care Corp., issued March 30, 2026, Items 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 19, 20 (Minnesota CARDS 35708-202603-09). Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 40 CFR Part 171, Certification of Pesticide Applicators, eCFR, §§ 171.101, 171.103, 171.107, 171.201. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 49 CFR 390.5, Definitions, eCFR. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- Lawn Care Business: Pesticide Licensing To-Do List, University of Illinois Extension PSEP, updated July 16, 2026. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- Spring lawn care: What should you really be doing?, University of Illinois Extension, March 5, 2026. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- Weed Management in Turf, Penn State Extension. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 7 Pa. Code § 128.31, § 128.32, § 128.42, § 128.51 and § 128.52, Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. Accessed November 3, 2026.