Emerald Lawns

Hawthorne and his wife, Mary, quit their jobs to start the lawn company and "it's never been a struggle," Hawthorne said. In fact, they had more than $1 million in gross sales in 2011.

Perhaps this has something to do with Hawthorne's mission statement: "I treat a customer's lawn the way I treat my own."

The mantra appears to be working. Emerald Lawns has received the Super Services award from Angie's List for five years running and has been an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau for four years. The company also grew by 500 customers during the 2011 summer drought and 700 customers so far in 2012.

"I get most of my customers this time of year because of weeds," Hawthorne said. "Especially this year. This is a weed year."

With his background in pesticides, Hawthorne has what he calls a "realistic view" of what controls pests and weeds.

"I use organic as much as possible, but I'll use whatever I need to get the job done." Hawthorne said. "Pest control is also very important. Grubworms can destroy your lawn"

Hawthorne also spot-treats a lawn instead of blanketing it when possible, with child- and pet-safe options available. His services include fertilization, aerations, turf disease treatments and weed and insect control. But a service that was especially popular during last summer's drought, according to Hawthorne, was a soil surfactant he applied to the grass that helps grass absorb water more efficiently.

"This is helpful for those under drought restrictions who can only water once a week," Hawthorne said. "And I suspect it'll be just as popular this summer."

Hawthorne suggests planting Bermuda grass when possible to fight back against drought conditions and watering at least once a week for 40 minutes per area. Those short on time can also just give Emerald Lawns a call.

"This is something I've always wanted to do," Hawthorne said. "I wish I had started this company even sooner."

Lawn Tips for drought conditions

Emerald Lawns owner Luke Hawthorne suggests the following during a drought:

1) Water one inch per week on one day, at night.

2) Use a slow-release granular, or dry, fertilizer, which will only activate when it gets water.

3) Mow weekly to avoid putting too much stress on grass. Stress can actually put grass into shock, which can damage it.

Emerald Lawns, 990-2199, [email protected], www.emeraldlawnsaustin.com