Every lawn care operator knows the feeling: It’s a week before your next round, you’re scrambling to find product, checking prices and hoping you can get what you need delivered on time. I lived in that cycle for years — chasing deals, cutting corners on weed control when prices spiked and watching turf color and quality take a hit.
That changed when I sat down with my Harrell’s rep one October and built an agronomic program for the entire year instead of buying round-by-round. The shift was simple, but it transformed my lawns, streamlined operations and improved my bottom line.
Planning beats scrambling
Every October, my Harrell’s rep and I review the past season. We talk through what worked, where we saw challenges and what needs to be tweaked for the coming year. From there, we create a plan for all eight to 10 rounds.
The goal is balance. Some rounds focus on premium, slow-release nutrition, while others prioritize weed or disease control. By planning, we can spread costs evenly and hit a fair, predictable price per 1,000 square feet over the course of the season.
This approach removes uncertainty. I know the exact cost per round, the total yearly spend and how each application fits into our budget. Taking advantage of early order discounts and volume pricing allows my rep to give me a great price.
Operational and financial advantages
With a set plan in place, my managers know months in advance what they’ll need and when they’ll need it. That makes ordering simple, reduces last-minute stress and ensures timely delivery.
Because we have limited shop space and prefer not to tie up cash in inventory, we schedule deliveries strategically. Products arrive just when we need them, stay on-site for a minimal amount of time and are applied promptly.
Planning for the year rather than per round has also saved us money. We’re no longer chasing “deals” that might not align with our agronomic goals. Instead, we invest in the right products for the right round — at a fair price.
The Polyon difference
One of the biggest improvements in our program has been incorporating Polyon controlled-release fertilizer. This time- and temperature-released product has been a game changer for us.
Before Polyon, hitting the “perfect” application window for thousands of lawns was nearly impossible. If we missed that window by even a week or two, turf color could fade.
Polyon takes the stress out of timing. Because it’s temperature-activated, we can apply it a few weeks before the ideal window, and it sits dormant until soil temperatures trigger nutrient release. That means consistent color, even when crews are managing a high volume of properties.
Planning pays off
Since making this change to annual agronomic planning, we’ve:
⦁ Improved turf color and density with consistent, balanced feeding.
⦁ Reduced weed and disease pressure through proactive, planned control.
⦁ Lowered product costs by securing annual pricing upfront.
And perhaps most importantly, my team isn’t scrambling before each round to figure out “what’s available.” Instead, they execute a proven program that works agronomically and financially.
A challenge to other LCOs
If you’re still buying product round by round, I’d challenge you to rethink your approach. Sit down with your supplier rep in the fall and create a season-long agronomic plan.
