Hi, My Mum uses "Green Thumb" who look after her lawn with 4
treatments per year. Does anyone have any experience of "Green Thumb"
or what the nature of their treatments are ? My Mums lawn is looking
very good, and is a rich dark green in colour, I just wondered if
other have used them ?

Thanks

"jives11" wrote in message
oups.com...

Hi, My Mum uses "Green Thumb" who look after her lawn with 4
treatments per year. Does anyone have any experience of "Green Thumb"
or what the nature of their treatments are ? My Mums lawn is looking
very good, and is a rich dark green in colour, I just wondered if
other have used them ?

Thanks


I've been using them since February and have had 3 treatmenys plus an
aeration. I'm very well satisfied. The treatments include fertilizer & weed
contron especially formulated for the time of year they are applied. My lawn
used to be full of daisies and they have completely disappeared this year
and the Spring lawn growth was quite astonishing! With the wet summer as
well tmy grass looks the best its ever been in the 9 years I've been living
here.

HTH

Clive in Kent

Clive in Kent cliverholden wrote:
"jives11" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, My Mum uses "Green Thumb" who look after her lawn with 4
treatments per year. Does anyone have any experience of "Green Thumb"
or what the nature of their treatments are ? My Mums lawn is looking
very good, and is a rich dark green in colour, I just wondered if
other have used them ?

Thanks


I've been using them since February and have had 3 treatmenys plus an
aeration. I'm very well satisfied. The treatments include fertilizer & weed
contron especially formulated for the time of year they are applied. My lawn
used to be full of daisies and they have completely disappeared this year
and the Spring lawn growth was quite astonishing! With the wet summer as
well tmy grass looks the best its ever been in the 9 years I've been living
here.

HTH

Clive in Kent


I also have been using them for a year now, the results, especially on
the back lawn (the front one has three mature limes trees bordering it)
is great. I worked out that the cost of the lawn feeds/weeds is as much
as they charge. The products they use are not available on the market,
what the difference is from the retail versions I do not know.

jives11 wrote:
Hi, My Mum uses "Green Thumb" who look after her lawn with 4
treatments per year. Does anyone have any experience of "Green Thumb"
or what the nature of their treatments are ? My Mums lawn is looking
very good, and is a rich dark green in colour, I just wondered if
other have used them ?

Thanks

Yes, and I'm very satisfied. The lawns were seriously weedy - dandelions,
clover, moss, daisies and lots of other stuff that I couldn't get rid of.
It's almost all gone now, after two treatments, and the grass is deeper in
colour and even feels softer. I've asked them to scarify the grass at the
appropriate time, to get rid of the matted debris. They don't mow - just
apply fertiliser and weedkiller - but the cost is modest, considering the
results. They make an inspection, without obligation on the potential
client's part, and provide a written report and estimate. There is no
continuing commitment: you pay after each visit.

"Green Thumb" is a franchise operation, and I suppose there may therefore
perhaps be a difference in standards across the country, but I can't speak
too highly of the branch in Box, Wiltshire.

Alan Jones

Alan Jones wrote:
jives11 wrote:
Hi, My Mum uses "Green Thumb" who look after her lawn with 4
treatments per year. Does anyone have any experience of "Green Thumb"
or what the nature of their treatments are ? My Mums lawn is looking
very good, and is a rich dark green in colour, I just wondered if
other have used them ?

Thanks

Yes, and I'm very satisfied. The lawns were seriously weedy - dandelions,
clover, moss, daisies and lots of other stuff that I couldn't get rid of.
It's almost all gone now, after two treatments, and the grass is deeper in
colour and even feels softer. I've asked them to scarify the grass at the
appropriate time, to get rid of the matted debris. They don't mow - just
apply fertiliser and weedkiller - but the cost is modest, considering the
results. They make an inspection, without obligation on the potential
client's part, and provide a written report and estimate. There is no
continuing commitment: you pay after each visit.

"Green Thumb" is a franchise operation, and I suppose there may therefore
perhaps be a difference in standards across the country, but I can't speak
too highly of the branch in Box, Wiltshire.

Alan Jones
Felt that I had to add a little here. Just had a knock on the door, to
my surprise it was Green Thumb, who only came 3 weeks ago and were not
due until mid September for the Autumn treatment. The chap explained
that as it had rained heavily when has it not this Summer?) very soon
after the last visit it was a follow up to see how the treatment had
taken. As he found weeds (not a lot) on both lawns he has retreated
them, part of the service it seems!

Its all well and good applying chemicals, but they do not cure the
underlying problems, especially where moss is concerned. You can just
as well go to the garden centre and buy Verdone etc etc

They also do not highlight that the grass needs cutting every week (if
not more). And as I cut grass for a number of OAP's, they cannot
afford more visits by me, so the lawn looks like a dogs dinner.

Also as I have to handle the grass cuttings they do not leave any
Health and Safety data sheets for the chemicals used.

Can anyone give me an indication of cost of the Green Thumb service please

hI MY LAWN IS 340M2 AND WAS £42 PER 1/4 TO WEED AND FEED. tHEY ARE BRILLIANT, TAKES AN HOUR AND CHEAPER THAN GETTING THOSE HORRIBLE SACKS OF GRANUALES FROM B&Q. I HAVE TRIED ALL SORTS OF WEED KILLERS ON THE LAWN VERDONE IS GOOD BUT DOESNT TOUCH CLOVER. GREEN THUMB KILLS THE LOT EXCEPT SPEEDWELL WHICH WILL TAKE SEVERAL APPLICATIONS.THE ROMSEY OFFICE ARE HELPFULL AND THE SALES GUY WAS HILARIOUS.

I have used this Company before, but I found they were not very professional and did not live up to their initial claims, but this was some years ago. Had I done more research at the time, I would have found out that they are more of a marketing and franchise group rather than gardeners. My advice would be to go local and look for a local gardener. This is not a recommendation, but I am very happy with Mike at Lawn Specialist.
You can find him at Lawn specialist, Turfing, Moss Spring treatment, green thumb advice or just Google lawn specialist where you will find him on the first page.

Hope this helps.

Just got to add my experience to this subject. I have used them for about 3 years and up to last year relatively OK, but not brilliant. Overspill from hoppers never cleaned up and quality of service and end product average. That was until this Spring when the front lawn was found to be full of moss and in a terrible state (images taken),in fact it looked like scrub land. I complained to my local Green Thumb franchise for Willington, Durham area. They came out, treated the lawn, put a note through the letterbox, and that was the last I have heard from them. I also emailed Green Thumb head office without success, not even the courtesy of a reply. End result was that I had to have the front lawn taken up and replaced with new turf. I now carry out the treatment myself. The results are both lawns are now looking great, and I have also saved a few quid, which goes towards the cost of the new lawn.

My advice is be careful in your decission, I have no doubt from some of the previous posts that in other areas you do get a good service and end product, but if it goes wrong, as it did in my case, they walk away leaving you to pick up the pieces.

**** GREEN THUMB****
I am a greenkeeper and I have worked and studied hard to get my qualifications. I have a LOVE for both the game of golf and GRASS. It's science and how it grows/develops intrests me greatly. I know a few ex-greenkeepers that have gone ot work for greenthumb, but not for very long !!!! The Greenthumb practice, as a few have mentioned here already, is a mass marketing 'One size Fits All' product.

THIS NEXT PART IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT - AND UK LAW !!!!

For anyone to spary chemicals on private gardens/public land they need to be qualified to a minimum of PA1 & PA6.

This is the link to what chemical one of my greenkeeper friends was using in the midlands whilst greenthumb (You can only purcahse this is you have the PA1 & PA6 certificate to produce)
Relay Turf 5L - Professional Selective Weed Killers For Weeds In Turf - Pitchcare Shop

Towards the bottom of the page is a box with VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION about the use of the chemical:-

Safe Use of Pesticides
The last paragraph is of most importance:-

Please be aware that by proceeding you are purchasing a professional pesticide product. You must ensure the end user of these products complies with the DEFRA/HSE Code for the Safe use of Pesticides:

"By law, everyone who uses pesticides professionally must have received adequate training in using pesticides safely and be skilled in the job they are carrying out."

None of hte greenthumb staff he worked with were PA1 or PA6 quailfied. He was disgusted with there handling of the chemical, washing spilt chemical into the land drains, causing possible contamination.

My main bug bear is that greenthumb send out staff to care for customers lawns with no skill/experience, and not qualified, thus they are breaking the law. The machinery (fertiliser spreaders and weedkill sprayers) were not calibrated, so the customer were not getting the optimum treatment (Which is what they were paying for).

Would anybody let someone work on theri gas boiler who wasn't Gas Safe qualfied, or let a mechanic work on their car, who had been a briklayer the week before !!!! Greenthumb work on NUMBERS..... As many gardens treated in a day, regardless of weather condtions. Why spray weedkill when it is raining. Ask any greenkeeper/groundsman if thay would spray in rain ,and they would say 'No' as the rain will just wash the weedkill away, thus not doing it's job.

Sorry for the rant, but it angers me seeing the greenthumb market hold, and how they are breaking the law and ripping people of. From memory, my friend sad that they were not even mixing enough weedkill chemical with the water, so they were applying a weakend soultion, again not doign the job the customer was paying for..... But our British way is not to complain so they get away with it ........ !!!!

**** GREEN THUMB****
I am a greenkeeper and I have worked and studied hard to get my qualifications. I have a LOVE for both the game of golf and GRASS. It's science and how it grows/develops intrests me greatly. I know a few ex-greenkeepers that have gone ot work for greenthumb, but not for very long !!!! The Greenthumb practice, as a few have mentioned here already, is a mass marketing 'One size Fits All' product.

THIS NEXT PART IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT - AND UK LAW !!!!

For anyone to spary chemicals on private gardens/public land they need to be qualified to a minimum of PA1 & PA6.

This is the link to what chemical one of my greenkeeper friends was using in the midlands whilst greenthumb (You can only purcahse this is you have the PA1 & PA6 certificate to produce)
Relay Turf 5L - Professional Selective Weed Killers For Weeds In Turf - Pitchcare Shop

Towards the bottom of the page is a box with VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION about the use of the chemical:-

Safe Use of Pesticides
The last paragraph is of most importance:-

Please be aware that by proceeding you are purchasing a professional pesticide product. You must ensure the end user of these products complies with the DEFRA/HSE Code for the Safe use of Pesticides:

"By law, everyone who uses pesticides professionally must have received adequate training in using pesticides safely and be skilled in the job they are carrying out."

None of hte greenthumb staff he worked with were PA1 or PA6 quailfied. He was disgusted with there handling of the chemical, washing spilt chemical into the land drains, causing possible contamination.

My main bug bear is that greenthumb send out staff to care for customers lawns with no skill/experience, and not qualified, thus they are breaking the law. The machinery (fertiliser spreaders and weedkill sprayers) were not calibrated, so the customer were not getting the optimum treatment (Which is what they were paying for).

Would anybody let someone work on theri gas boiler who wasn't Gas Safe qualfied, or let a mechanic work on their car, who had been a briklayer the week before !!!! Greenthumb work on NUMBERS..... As many gardens treated in a day, regardless of weather condtions. Why spray weedkill when it is raining. Ask any greenkeeper/groundsman if thay would spray in rain ,and they would say 'No' as the rain will just wash the weedkill away, thus not doing it's job.

Sorry for the rant, but it angers me seeing the greenthumb market hold, and how they are breaking the law and ripping people of. From memory, my friend sad that they were not even mixing enough weedkill chemical with the water, so they were applying a weakend soultion, again not doign the job the customer was paying for..... But our British way is not to complain so they get away with it ........ !!!!

Hi
This is just a quick note to take issue with the above comments.

GreenThumb has been treating lawns in the UK for 25 years, treating more than 430,000 customers and carrying out over 2 million lawn treatments every year.

They are the largest end user of professional domestic fertiliser in the country and have built their reputation on superb service, superior products, and great value for money.

The business is franchised with more than 200 outlets across the UK. Within those 200+ branches are approximately 600 lawn operatives. Every single lawn operative that works for GreenThumb is PA1 and PA6 licensed. A franchisee could potentially lose his business if he was caught breaking the law in this regard and we would have no problem with any customer asking to see a lawn operatives licence to treat lawns, so do not be afraid to ask.

There may be from time to time an issue with a lawn operative, but if you speak to the local branch they will do what they can to put it right. They offer a 'no quibble' service so if you do have problems, be sure to let your local branch know. GreenThumb is not perfect, but absolutely do their best to make lawns look beautiful, to offer a superb service and to makes their customers happy.

I am an ex greenthumb employee and this company couldn't care less about customer care, we were sent out to spray in force 9 gales and spray iron oxide in the frost, an evil little business, avoid!

If you are PA1 and PA6 licensed it is your choice to spray or not if you are not happy with the weather conditions, don't spray return another day that's whole point of the training for the license.

Regardless of the company you work for, regardless of the method of application (knapsack, tractor with boom, etc) you are responsible for the safe application of what ever product you are using.

P.S. How did you spray the insoluble heavy metal iron oxide(dissolved in hydrochloric acid?) in the frost, most turf management with the control of moss use soluble iron.