CSU Lawncheck
About Lawncheck
Helping solve your most challenging lawn issues
Lawncheck is an on-site, fee-based lawn consultation service from CSU Extension. The service includes recommendations for improving your lawn and solving insect, disease, and other lawn problems. Lawncheck is currently offered in the following Colorado counties:
- Adams
- Arapahoe
- Broomfield
- Denver
- Jefferson
- Douglas
- Larimer
- Weld
Request a site visit by filling out the form or contact your local Extension office. Mileage costs may apply.
Why CSU Lawncheck?
Lawn problems are the number-one concern brought to many CSU Extension offices.
CSU Expertise
The CSU Turf Program in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture provides the expert foundation for CSU Lawncheck through the support of students, post-graduates, and continuing education.
Unbiased Advice
As an educational organization that doesn’t sell products, CSU Extension is widely looked to for unbiased, reliable, science-based advice. CSU Lawncheck is designed to be supportive of lawncare companies and their customers by working together to grow healthy lawns.
Site Visits Lead to Better Diagnosis
Diagnosing lawn problems can sometimes be accomplished by bringing a small lawn sample to your local CSU Extension office. However, lawn diagnosis will always be more accurate when the total situation – including irrigation coverage – can be examined in-person during a site visit.
What to expect
After requesting a Lawcheck site visit by submitting a contact form, you should receive an immediate confirmation message. Next, a regional CSU Extension representative will get in touch with you via phone or email, usually within 3-7 business days. If you have not heard back from someone after ten business days, please contact your local CSU Extension office rather than filling out another form.
Please note that some areas and counties experience a higher volume of requests than others.
Thank you for your patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
The lawn issues we assess most frequently include:
- Thinning or dying lawns
- Failing newly seeded or sodded lawns
- Older problem lawns
- Weedy lawns
- Lawns with brown spots
The CSU Lawncheck program looks for the root causes of problems and provides recommendations.
Once you have provided your specific location, a CSU Lawncheck staff member in or near your county can determine the price of a site visit. Mileage charges may apply. Additional charges apply for any laboratory analysis, although lab analysis often isn’t required.
Site visits are only made where the owner and manager of the turf can meet CSU Lawncheck staff to sign for lawful entry to the property and provide information about the lawn’s history and care. The irrigation system may need to be operated to determine how water is being applied. If the owner is not the lawn manager, both parties should be present to insure that all information is available to determine the problem. If dogs or other animals are on the property, they must be kenneled/secured.
Early work involving farmers and ranchers has expanded to affect the lives of Coloradoans through educational programs in community forestry, nurseries, greenhouses, gardens, landscapes, and more.
University turf specialists, plant pathologists, entomologists, weed scientists, and plant clinicians provide backup and continuing education for CSU Lawncheck county staff.
CSU Extension Lawncheck staff have no vested interest in particular products, equipment, or methods. As educators and consultants, they offer advice unburdened by the need to “make the sale.” This allows customers to verify information on lawn problems and care knowing it comes from a source they can trust. The University’s Lawncheck staff work in partnership with customers AND lawn care professionals to achieve the goal of growing a healthy lawn.
Lawn problems are best diagnosed as they develop and display active symptoms. Problems that are weeks and months old, unless they recur, are difficult to diagnose. Contact CSU Lawncheck staff to examine your lawn problem while it is new to obtain the best diagnosis. Delaying may prevent finding the real cause of the problem.
Soil and plant testing can be done by Colorado State University labs. In certain limited situations, tests may may help determine problem causes and solutions. For most lawn problems, the additional charges for lab tests are unwarranted and results contribute little or nothing to solving plant problems. Let CSU Lawncheck staff be your guide in determining if such tests are likely to be helpful in your situation.
CSU Extension staff based in select Colorado counties offer lawn site visits. They are trained in lawns and participate in continuing education to stay current and maintain skills.
CSU Lawncheck is currently available from Colorado State University Extension offices in the following counties:
- Adams: (303) 637-8100
- Arapahoe: (303) 730-1920
- Broomfield: (303) 464-5558
- Denver/Jefferson: (303) 271-6620
- Douglas: (720) 733-6930
- Larimer: (970) 498-6000
- Weld: (970) 400-2073
Learn more about the CSU Turfgrass Program.