Last year I moved to an organic lawn care company. Despite some crabgrass in the back yard, the lawn looks pretty good. They have just sent over the 2012 pricing and prices have gone up. Can I get your take on whether these prices are ridiculous for about a 1/3 of an acre of lawn? Is it time to man-up and do it on my own?

$149 Organic Lawn 1-Corn Gluten
$74.70 Organic Lawn 2-Late Spring
$74.70 Organic Lawn 3-Summer
$74.70 Organic Lawn 4-Early Fall
$74.70 Organic Lawn 5-Winterizer
$74.70 Organic Lawn 6-Lime
$74.70 Spring Lime
$111 Nematode Grub Treatment

CGM, lime, and nematode are pretty self explanitory. Are "Organic Lawn 2-5" simply organic fertilization? Did they perform a soil test to see if you even needed lime?

We'll need to know grain and other organic fertilizer prices in your area to compare.

For me, they'd be pretty good prices. For example, 15 lbs. of soy bean meal per 1000 over 15,000 sq. ft. would be $67.50 if SBM was $15 per 50 lb. bag. But I would rather save a few bucks and do it myself. If you don't have a spreader or the "want to" it may be a GREAT deal, though.

Cottonseed meal is about the same price. Alfalfa may be a little cheaper. Just depends on the area.

Price Milorganite and Scott's Organic Choice, too.

The company uses nutrients plus
http://www.nutrientsplus.com/clarus-100-organic.php

Re: a soil test. I hadn't limed in years so with the pine trees around my house, they felt it was necessary. I suppose a soil test is in order as well.

I'm hitting the local grain / mill store tomorrow to check out their prices on Alfalfa feed and their organic fertilizers.

That may be a great option depending on how close they are to you and if you have room to store some. Maybe some neighbors might like to split a pallet and gas money?

http://www.newenglandorganics.com/products/fertilizer/earthlife-fertil izer-pellets-bags

You may want to google pine needles and acid soil. You may be surprised.

Here is a old GW link. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg050944526608.html

If you do lime make sure you understand if you need Dolomite Lime or Calcitic Lime and what they intend to apply. This can make a big difference.

A good soil test will help answer a lot of your questions.

Because compost is the depleted remains of low value organic fertilizers like manure, leaves, sticks, banana peels and other low-protein foods.
Because compost sometimes has picloram or clopyralid in them (long lasting herbicides).
Because compost costs about 10x more per 1,000 square feet than organic fertilizers.
Because compost is harder to to spread and spread evenly.
Because if you use too much compost you can smother your lawn.
Because compost is expensive to have delivered.
Because compost is hard to deliver yourself (corollary to having it delivered).
Because a lot of unfinished compost is sold to unsuspecting homeowners as finished compost.
Because a lot of people use compost incorrectly by rototilling it into the soil - thus setting back the soils productivity until the compost completely decomposes, twigs and all.

I really like compost for two specific applications -
1) If your soil is completely sterile, like a washed out sandy river bed or
2) if you have had to use a fungicide on the lawn - compost is necessary to reestablish the beneficial fungal colonies...which would then need to be fed with organic fertilizer.

Otherwise, the use of compost is a hassle for the reasons listed above. Organic fertilizers go on with only slightly more hassle than chemical fertilizers and there is no danger of smothering the lawn. Actually there is no danger of smothering the lawn with compost IF you know how little to use.