Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a cool-season lawn be mowed?
Weekly through the main growing season, then every other week as growth slows in early spring and late fall. Cool-season lawns in the Chicago suburbs (Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and rye) grow fastest in spring and early fall, so we schedule visits around what the lawn is doing rather than a fixed calendar.
What height should grass be cut in summer?
Taller than most people expect, usually about 3 to 3½ inches for cool-season lawns in July and August. The extra height shades the soil, slows moisture loss, and keeps crabgrass from taking hold. Cutting short in summer heat is one of the quickest ways to brown a healthy lawn.
What does a fall cleanup actually include?
Leaf removal from the lawn and beds, a final cut, bed edging, and a thorough clearing of walks, drives, and patios before winter. Heavy, wet leaves left on the grass through the winter can smother it. Timing depends on the trees around your home, and we return for a second visit when a late leaf drop calls for one.
When should I book fall cleanup and leaf service?
In early fall, before the leaves start to drop in earnest. Oaks and some maples hold their leaves late, so a single mid-October visit is rarely enough on a wooded lot. Booking ahead secures a place on the schedule well before the first freeze.
Do you only plow snow, or do you salt walks and drives too?
Both, when conditions call for it. Clearing the snow is only part of the job, and a measured application of ice melt keeps the drive from refreezing into a slick surface. Rock salt loses most of its effectiveness around 15°F, so in deep cold we switch to a product made for lower temperatures rather than simply applying more.
Why does turf thin under trees?
Usually a combination of shade, competition from tree roots, and a mowing height that is too low. Cool-season grass needs several hours of sun, and mature maples and oaks take most of it by midsummer. We mow higher in shaded areas, keep leaves from matting, and will tell you when a bed or groundcover would serve the space better than grass.
What's the difference between aeration and dethatching?
Aeration removes small cores of soil so air, water, and roots can move freely again, which is ideal for compacted clay or heavily used lawns. Dethatching removes the layer of dead stems that builds up between the grass and the soil. Most suburban lawns need aeration more often than dethatching, and we recommend whichever your lawn actually needs.
When is the right season to install a patio or walk?
Late spring through fall, while the ground can be graded and compacted properly. In a climate of freezes and thaws, the base matters more than the pavers on top. We avoid building on saturated clay or frozen ground, since a short wait is far better than a patio that heaves in its first winter.
How much mulch should go around trees and against the house?
About two to three inches, kept back from tree bark and siding. Mulch piled against a trunk traps moisture and invites insects and rot, and mulch against the foundation holds water where you don't want it. A freshly mulched bed should look neat and settled, never buried.
How do I get a quote from MG Landscape?
Use the quote form on this site, or call (630) 320-9888. Share the address, the work you have in mind, and any access notes such as gates, pets, or association rules. We'll follow up with timing and a clear scope before anything is scheduled.
Questions By Village
Village of Hinsdale
How do you care for lawns under older shade trees?
We raise the mowing height, keep leaves off the lawn, and recommend aeration and overseeding where the grass has thinned. The goal is a lawn that looks its best from the street, with realistic expectations for what grows beneath mature oaks and maples.
Can brick and stone work feel original to the house?
That is always our aim. Careful repair and matching come before replacement, so walks, patios, and steps look as though they belong to the architecture.
When should fall and winter service be arranged?
Early autumn is best. Leaf cleanups and winter routes both fill as the season turns, and planning ahead allows us to give your property the attention it deserves.
Village of Burr Ridge
Do you care for properties with a gate or a long drive?
Yes. Gate codes, turning room, and where snow may rest are part of our first conversation, so every visit runs smoothly from the start of the season.
Can lawn, trees, and drainage be handled together?
Yes. Ongoing maintenance and a tree or drainage project follow different schedules, but they are handled by the same team caring for the same property. A wet corner is better solved than worked around all summer.
When do winter routes fill in Burr Ridge?
In the fall. A long drive is a meaningful part of each storm visit, and arranging it early is how we keep the standard you expect.
Village of Oak Brook
The village is Oak Brook. Why does the site also say Oakbrook?
Because neighbors search for it both ways. This page is for the Village of Oak Brook, and the care is the same under either spelling.
Will power washing be gentle on pavers or brick?
Yes. Pressure and nozzle are matched to the surface, so grime lifts away without etching the brick or disturbing the joint sand.
How often should a formal lawn be cut?
Weekly through the main growing months, which is the rhythm most formal fronts prefer. A consistent edge is what the street notices most.
Village of Clarendon Hills
Visit The Clarendon Hills Page
Our lot is on the smaller side. Is that a good fit?
Very much so. Precision is the craft at this scale: a hedge given room to breathe, a lawn that dries properly, and a walk that sits true.
Do you replace brick walks, or restore them?
We restore them whenever the walk can be saved. Resetting the pavers, matching a few units, and correcting the base usually suit the house better than a full replacement.
Can shrubs be kept off the house without shearing them into boxes?
Yes, and that is our preference. We thin and reduce so each plant keeps its natural shape while the siding, windows, and walks stay clear.
Village of Westmont
What does a typical maintenance visit include?
Mowing at a height suited to the season, edging along walks and drives, trimming around obstacles, and blowing the walks and drive clean before we leave.
Can mulching or a seasonal cleanup be added to a mowing plan?
Yes. They are scheduled as separate visits, so the weekly cut stays focused and the project work receives the time it needs.
How is snow service arranged?
Seasonal routes are set before winter. Once your address is on the route, visits follow each storm as planned.
Village of La Grange
Will the work respect an older house?
That is the point of it. We care for turf, beds, and masonry so they suit the house and the street, as though the landscape has always belonged there.
Do you care for the parkway?
Yes. The parkway is part of how the block looks. It receives the same cut and edge as the front lawn, and clippings are blown off the sidewalk.
Who should we call about standing water near the foundation?
Start with us. A side yard that holds water is a drainage matter, and it is far better resolved than worked around.
City of Countryside
Is Country Side the same as Countryside?
Yes. The City of Countryside was incorporated in 1960. We write it Country Side here because many neighbors do, and our service area is the city itself.
Is a regular maintenance schedule realistic here?
Yes. Countryside sits along our western route, and a standing maintenance day is a natural fit.
What if we only want a fall cleanup?
We are happy to do a seasonal cleanup on its own. If the lawn would also benefit from a plan, we'll mention it once we have seen the property.
City of Darien
The lawn is thin under our trees. Can mowing help?
The right mowing height keeps it from thinning further. Filling it back in takes aeration, overseeding, and an honest look at light and water, and we'll tell you what the yard can realistically support.
Our downspouts empty into a corner that never dries. Is that landscaping?
It is drainage work, and we handle it. Moving the water is far more useful than reseeding the same spot every spring.
When is aeration and overseeding worth scheduling?
When shade and foot traffic have thinned the lawn and the soil is ready for seed, usually in early fall. If drainage is the underlying problem, we address that first.
Village of Lombard
Do you prune lilacs and ornamental shrubs, or only hedges?
Both, and they call for different cuts. Lilacs and most flowering shrubs need the right wood removed at the right time, just after they bloom, while a hedge needs a shape. We treat each one accordingly.
Can you install plants and then maintain them?
Yes. Installation includes bed preparation and planting, and the maintenance plan keeps the mower off the new edge and the bed mulched.
Do you work at Lilacia Park?
No. We care for residential properties in Lombard. The park is simply one of the reasons the village takes such pride in its plantings.
Village of Woodridge
We are in a homeowners association. Can you follow its guidelines?
Yes. Share the guidelines at our first visit, such as lawn height, what may sit on the drive, and where snow can rest, and we'll maintain the property to that standard.
Is the fertilizer suitable around children and pets?
We use a pet-safe program and tell you exactly when the lawn is ready for use again. If you would rather skip fertilizer, the mowing plan stands on its own.
What if an irrigation head sits in the lawn?
We watch for them and trim carefully around any we can see. If your system is lightly marked, show us at the first visit and we'll keep it in the property notes.
Village of Downers Grove
Do you cover the whole village?
Yes. Residential properties throughout Downers Grove are within our service area, and we plan each visit around the property itself, whether a shaded lot near downtown or a wide, sunny yard.
Should older brick be power washed?
Sometimes, at low pressure, to lift what has settled. If the mortar is worn, washing is the wrong first step, and repair should come before any cleaning.
Can fall cleanup and snow service be arranged together?
They should be. It is the same property, the same access, and the same expectations, and arranging both before the leaves are gone keeps winter simple.
Village of Western Springs
Visit The Western Springs Page
The parkway is part of the look of the street. Do you maintain it?
Yes. The parkway receives the same cut and edge as the front lawn, and clippings are blown off the sidewalk before we leave.
A limb over the roof is worrying us. Is that a tree job?
Yes. Tree work is part of what we do, from pruning to removal when a limb is a genuine concern. If any part of the job calls for specialized equipment, we'll tell you and help arrange the next step.
How do you keep the work consistent from week to week?
The same route and the same property notes. Gate codes, irrigation heads, and bed lines stay on file, so every visit picks up where the last one left off.