Carney Lawn Fertilizer tends lawns with personal touch

by James D. Ritchie

SBJ Contributing Writer

For Jack and J. J. Carney, business is always looking down.

The husband-and-wife team own and manage Carney Lawn Fertilizer Company, which "feeds and weeds" several hundred residential and commercial lawns in and around Springfield.

"We began in 1992 as a full maintenance service," Jack Carney said. "We did a lot of different things when we started: mowing, landscape plantings and management, shrub maintenance. But since then, we have evolved into almost entirely lawn fertilization and weed-control services."

The business grew out of the Carneys' mutual interest in making things grow. Both were master gardeners in the University of Missouri program. They grew sizeable gardens and owned enough equipment to give them a start in a commercial lawn-tending enterprise.

At the time, Jack Carney was employed by Consumers, and J. J. Carney was with IBM.

"We sort of fell into this business, through our other interests," Jack Carney said. "We had been interested in lawn work for a long time, so we both quit our jobs and started this enterprise."

From the first, the Carneys decided to offer homeowners and businesses personal, home-grown service.

"There are a lot of major players in this business, and we don't compete with them directly on their terms," he said.

"For example, telephone solicitation is popular with some in this industry, but we refuse to do it," J. J. Carney added. "We prefer to contact potential clients more on a one-to-one basis. We also gain a lot of business through our educational efforts. I teach master gardener classes, and both of us participate in field days and workshops. Most of the volunteer work we do is related to education."

The Carneys took part in a demonstration and field day April 3 at Nathaniel Greene Park in Springfield, where the couple conducted sessions on how to establish and maintain healthy lawns.

"We relate our experiences in growing and taking care of a lawn," Jack Carney said. "With any new client, we always start with a soil test. A soil analysis gives us a baseline for that particular lawn. We measure the yard, calculate the square feet and apply only the fertilizer and herbicide needed.

"Too many people seem to believe that if a little is good, more is better," he added. "Over-application is the biggest general problem we see. Applying more fertilizer or herbicide than is needed not only wastes money, it's hazardous to the environment."

Carney Lawn Fertilizer operates a dry fertilizer spreader and two van-mounted sprayers.

"When we come in to work on a lawn, we spread fertilizer, then make a second pass with a broadleaf herbicide spray," J. J. Carney said. "This takes a bit more time and effort than doing both applications at once, but it's safer on the environment."

The Carneys limit capital investments. Jack computes fertilizer needs for six months ahead, then books that amount with a bulk fertilizer supplier.

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