Which yard work can you do yourself, and when should you hire a landscaper?
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What can a homeowner reasonably do?
Most routine lawn and garden care. Penn State Extension and the state agencies write much of their guidance for homeowners, and none of the tasks below needs a license. They do need the right timing, and in a few cases a phone call first.
How do you mow well?
Penn State says most lawns should be mowed at 2 inches or above, often enough that clippings can be left on the lawn, with sharp blades. The Department of Agriculture adds two habits: take off no more than 1 inch of blade at a mowing, and use a mulching mower to return clippings to the soil. In drought, Penn State says the lawn may not need mowing at all until rain brings growth back.
Can you handle the leaves yourself?
Easily, and Penn State would rather you did. Its Master Gardeners say a mower is the only tool needed to shred leaves into the lawn, that a layer up to about half an inch helps the turf, and that shredded leaves make a 2 to 4-inch mulch for beds. Either shredding or piling leaves into leaf mold is better, Penn State says, than removing them from the property.
Can you test your own soil?
Yes, and it is cheap. Penn State's Montgomery County Master Gardeners describe the method for a lawn: criss-cross the area, take 12 to 15 samples 3 to 4 inches deep, discard stones, sod and thatch, mix, dry without heating, and mail. Kits come from county extension offices, and results take about 7 to 10 days.
Can you seed or patch the lawn?
Small areas, yes. Penn State says late summer to early fall is usually the best time to seed, that overseeding can follow core aeration or dethatching, and that seed must make good contact with the soil. If you rent a core aerator, Penn State's warning is to make sure it has hollow tines, because solid tines or spikes are not core aeration.
Full renovation is a bigger undertaking. Penn State describes it as first correcting whatever caused the decline, such as shade, acidity, thatch or the wrong grass, and then re-establishing the lawn guided by a soil test. If the cause is unclear, that diagnosis is worth paying for.
Can you fertilize?
You can, but the law applies to you. The Department of Agriculture says the 2022 revisions to the fertilizer law brought new responsibilities to homeowners who fertilize lawns: follow the label's application limits, keep a 15-foot buffer from waterways, do not apply before heavy rain or on frozen ground, and sweep any granules off pavement. The department recommends a soil test first, so you know what the lawn needs.
Can you mulch the beds?
Yes, if you keep it thin and off the trunks. Penn State says mulch is best two to three inches deep and should not touch tree trunks. When old mulch looks tired, it suggests raking it out and adding a very thin skim of new mulch, rather than another full layer.
Can you build a small rain garden?
Penn State's how-to is written for homeowners. Walk the yard in the rain to see where water goes, test drainage by filling foot-deep holes with water, and choose another spot if they take more than 24 hours to drain. Keep the garden at least 10 feet from the foundation and away from septic systems, wells and utilities, and call 811 before you dig.
What about 811 when you dig yourself?
It applies to you. Pennsylvania One Call says a homeowner digging on their own property with powered equipment must notify the utilities, at least three business days ahead, and that you must contact 811 whatever the depth. The call is free for homeowners. Plan around business days: to dig on a weekend, call on Monday or Tuesday.
When should you hire instead?
When a rule, a permit or the scale of the job points that way.
- Spraying someone else's property. The Department of Agriculture says a commercial license is needed to apply pesticides on the property of another, and for restricted use products even on your own. A lawn program with weed, grub or crabgrass control from a company is licensed work.
- Tall or loaded walls. The state code exempts from permits only retaining walls up to 4 feet that support no surcharge. Anything taller, or holding up a driveway or slope, needs a permit, and in Philadelphia the threshold is 2 feet.
- Large regrades. Every earth disturbance must use erosion controls. Once it reaches 5,000 square feet, the state requires a written plan prepared by someone trained in erosion control.
- Work in or along a stream. The Delaware County Conservation District says many activities in streams, ponds or wetlands need a state permit, including bank protection.
- Irrigation systems. The EPA's WaterSense program suggests an irrigation professional certified by a WaterSense labeled program to design, install or audit a system.
What about spotted lanternfly?
Much of it is homeowner work. Penn State's management guide says egg masses can be scraped into rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer, that a funnel-style circle trap is a good option for home landscapes, and that sticky bands should never be used without a wildlife barrier. For insecticide treatment of large trees, Penn State notes you may choose to hire a pest management professional.
For what the hired work looks like, see what happens on the day. For the rules in full, see what Pennsylvania requires, and for timing, how often and when. Local businesses are on the landscapers directory page.
Sources
- Lawn Management through the Seasons, Penn State Extension
- Lawn Establishment, Penn State Extension
- Homeowners and Applicators, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash, Penn State Extension
- Mulch Volcanoes Are Erupting Everywhere!, Penn State Extension
- Watering Tips (WaterSense), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- How to Make a Rain Garden, Penn State Extension
- FAQs Homeowners, Pennsylvania One Call System
- Pesticide Applicators, Registered Technicians, and Certification Exams, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
- Get a Retaining Wall Permit, City of Philadelphia
- 25 Pa. Code § 102.4. Erosion and sediment control requirements., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
- Permitting (Conservation District), Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide, Penn State Extension
- Soil Testing (Montgomery County Master Gardeners), Penn State Extension