Lakewood Ranch is a master planned community, and the landscaping standards are part of the plan. Your association will notice a brown patch, an overgrown hedge or a dead palm long before you do, and the letter will come to you, not to your lawn service. That makes the company you hire responsible for more than mowing. Here is what to look for.
Mowing does not need a license, but fertilizer and pest control do
Anyone can mow a lawn in Florida. But if a company applies fertilizer commercially, every applicator must hold a Limited Certification for Urban Landscape Commercial Fertilizer Application from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which requires Green Industries Best Management Practices training. Applying any pesticide, herbicide or lawn insect treatment for hire requires a separate pest control license under Florida’s Chapter 482.
This matters because many “full service” lawn companies are mowing crews that also spread a bag of fertilizer and spray weeds without any certification. Ask directly: who applies your fertilizer and pest treatments, and what license do they hold? If the answer is vague, the treatment work is being done illegally, and the chinch bug damage that follows is your problem.
Know the local fertilizer and watering rules
Both Manatee and Sarasota County restrict nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer during the summer rainy season to protect the bay and the local waterways. Irrigation is limited to assigned days based on your address, and many Lakewood Ranch neighborhoods irrigate with reclaimed water, which has its own rules and its own nutrient content that affects how much fertilizer the lawn actually needs.
A company that works here every day knows the blackout dates, knows your watering days and knows whether your lot is on reclaimed or potable water. A company that does not will either break the rules on your behalf or fertilize a lawn that does not need it.
Understand the grass you have
Most Lakewood Ranch lawns are St. Augustine, usually the Floratam variety, with some Zoysia in newer villages. St. Augustine wants to be mowed high, between three and four inches. Crews that scalp it short to stretch the interval between visits are slowly killing it. Ask what height they mow at and whether they sharpen blades regularly. Torn grass blades brown at the tips and invite disease.
The pests that matter here are chinch bugs in summer, sod webworms in late summer, and large patch fungus in the cooler months. A good company identifies these on sight and treats the actual problem instead of applying a blanket product on a calendar.
Irrigation is half the job
Nearly every lot has an in-ground irrigation system, and irrigation problems cause most of the brown spots the HOA writes letters about. Ask whether the company:
- Walks the zones periodically and reports broken heads, misaligned spray patterns and leaks.
- Adjusts the controller seasonally, since a summer schedule will drown a lawn in January.
- Can repair the system themselves or will coordinate with an irrigation specialist.
- Understands rain sensors, which Florida requires on automatic systems.
A landscaping company that never looks at your irrigation is treating symptoms.
Trees and palms
Palm trimming is a specialty, and bad palm trimming is everywhere. Over-pruning, known as hurricane cutting, removes healthy green fronds and weakens the tree. Hat-racking hardwood trees is prohibited by many Florida local codes. For anything beyond light pruning, look for a company that employs or partners with an ISA Certified Arborist. Ask whether they climb or use a lift, whether they are insured for tree work specifically, and whether debris removal is included.
HOA and architectural review
Changing plant material, adding beds, replacing sod or installing landscape lighting in most Lakewood Ranch villages requires approval from your association’s architectural review committee. An experienced local company knows the approved plant lists, the setback rules and the submission process, and can prepare the plan for you. A company that proposes a design without mentioning approval is going to leave you with a violation letter.
Insurance and the crew
Ask for a certificate of general liability insurance and confirm workers’ compensation coverage. Lawn equipment throws rocks through windows and sliders, and crews get hurt. Then ask about the crew itself: will the same team service your property, how big is the crew, and who do you call when something is wrong? Companies with route consistency and a real office number are the ones that answer when a sprinkler head is geysering on a Sunday.
Pricing and scope
Get the monthly price in writing with a scope attached. Typical full service includes mowing, edging, line trimming, blowing, and hedge trimming on a schedule, with fertilization and pest control either bundled or priced separately. Mulch, annual plantings, palm trimming and irrigation repairs are usually extra. Clarify what happens during the slow growth months of winter, when some companies drop to every other week but keep billing the same amount.
Reading the reviews
Our landscaping and lawn listings put Google, Yelp, Angi and BBB ratings side by side. For lawn companies, look for:
- Reviews that mention the lawn’s condition after a full year, not just the first month.
- Complaints about damage to sprinkler heads, lanai screens or siding.
- Billing disputes, particularly for services not rendered.
- Whether the company responded when problems were reported.
Check the lowest rated list too. Some of the biggest crews in the area are on it.
The short version
Hire a company that is insured, holds the right state certifications for fertilizer and pest control, mows St. Augustine at the right height, watches your irrigation, knows the county fertilizer and watering rules, and understands your HOA. Then walk the yard with them once a quarter. It is the cheapest violation prevention there is.
Start with the top rated home pros in Lakewood Ranch and the full landscaping directory.
Published September 26, 2026. Lakewood Ranch Local is an independent directory and does not accept payment for rankings. Verify licenses and ratings at the linked sources before hiring.
