Fresh Cut Pros Blog

  “Why Is My Lawn Brown in June or July?” (Shorewood, Joliet, Plainfield, Minooka, Channahon) If your lawn is turning brown in June or July in the Chicago suburbs—especially Shorewood, Joliet, Plainfield, Minooka, or Channahon—you’re not alone. Let’s walk through why it happens and what you can do about it. 1. Dry Weather in the Chicago Suburbs May and early June 2024 brought below-average rainfall—about 1 to 2 inches short for most of Will County. That’s a big deal. When grass doesn’t get enough moisture, it goes dormant to survive, which causes the turf to brown. It’s not dead—but it’s definitely not lush. Tip: Make sure you’re watering at least 1” per week during summer, ideally in the early morning. 2. Early Grub Damage (Unusual But Real) We also saw earlier-than-normal grub activity this year. Grubs are beetle larvae that eat turf roots, leading to spongy, brown patches. Dry turf can make this worse—grubs either eat more or need to eat more to find moisture. Test your ...

Is It Too Late to Grow Grass Right Now in the Joliet Area? We often hear, “Can I still grow grass right now?” The answer is yes—but it requires more effort and attention, especially with the current weather conditions in the Joliet area. May 2025: One of the Driest on Record This May, the South Chicago Suburbs experienced only 1.35 inches of rain, which is 3.14 inches below the typical average of 4.49 inches . Such dry conditions mean that any new grass seed will need consistent and adequate watering to establish properly.  Watering Needs for New Grass Proper watering is crucial for seed germination and establishment: First Day: Lightly water the seeded area 2–3 times to keep the soil moist. First Week: Continue watering 2–3 times daily, ensuring the top inch of soil remains consistently moist. Weeks 2–4: Gradually reduce to once daily, then to every other day, allowing the grass to develop deeper roots. After 4 Weeks: Transition to a regular watering schedule...

Don’t Hire the One-Man Landscaping Show – Here’s Why Chicago Suburbs Deserve Better If you’ve lived in a Chicago suburb for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen this before: A guy stumbles out of his trailer wearing every piece of landscaping equipment known to man. Hedge trimmer on his back. Blower in one hand. Phone ringing off the hook. Maybe even taking customer calls while trimming a bush. And you think… “This is the guy I hired?” Let’s be honest—when your landscaper is overloaded, they’re probably not thinking about your yard. They’re thinking about how to survive the day. Here’s the Problem with That Setup: The owner is doing the work, answering the phone, and quoting jobs. There’s no team, no systems, and zero predictability. If your job gets done at all, it’s probably rushed. What Makes Fresh Cut Different? At Fresh Cut , we’ve got a real team. We’re not a one-man circus—we’re a residential lawn care company with: ✅ Full-time, uniformed crews ✅ Rou...

Why Does My Lawn Still Look Messy After Mowing? Here's What's Really Going On One of the most common calls we get this time of year goes something like this: “Hey, I don’t think you guys mowed my lawn this week.” We get it—but nine times out of ten, we were there. The real issue? Dandelions. When your lawn is full of dandelions, it can look like we skipped it even though we didn’t. Their tall, hollow stems shoot up fast, and they’re nothing like regular grass. Our mower blades spin at thousands of RPMs, and we even double-cut many lawns—going over them twice at no extra charge—just to keep things looking clean. But dandelions don’t play fair. Their stems fold and bend, kind of like trying to cut a loose rope with scissors. You can mow today, and by tomorrow afternoon they’re already back. The real solution isn’t more mowing. It’s better lawn care. A proper fertilization and weed control program will strengthen the grass so it can outcompete weeds and let us spray the dandelions...