How to start a gardening business
your own business
There is freedom in being your own boss. A true statement but freedom is not free, there is a price to pay and it can be a heavy one. The first step, the one you take before even defining what your business is, is to answer the question, Are you ready to start your own business?
If you are still reading, I am going to assume you have given the question the heavy thinking and discussion it demands and have answered yes.
I launched my first business back in 1995 and managed top keep my head afloat. It was hard work and life would have been very different if my wife was less understanding and did not earn as much as she did.
I learned much during those two years.
I launched my second business in 2000 and have been self-employed ever since. Fortunately, I am still married to the same wonderful person.
If you are a gardener and enjoy spending your time with plants, trees, vegetables and so on then you may want to turn that interest into your own home business.
There are a number of ways to enter the gardening business and this hub will focus on two.
The first is a garden maintenance company. You will need some basic gardening tools, and a lawn mower, if you want to add grass cutting to your services. I am not suggesting a full fledged lawn care company, for that is a separate subject, the services this business provides are, for example, mowing the lawn, installing and tending garden beds, (watering, deadheading, harvesting and all the usual garden chores). You will also need a vehicle to transport the tools and yourself.
This is perhaps the easiest garden related business to enter and for that reason may be a highly competitive one. So give yourself an edge and one: do the work organically and promote that fact and two, do your homework.
Like everyone else, gardeners do grow older and sometimes with age they lose the agility they once had and the gardens they tended with care for many years are harder to look after. This may give you a client base to develop. Identify homes in the area where you plan to promote your service that have or had gardens; make a note as to their condition and location.
Ask friends, family and neighbours if they know of anyone who gardens and maybe looking for some assistance. Get yourself some business cards and a flyer that tells people what you do and get them into the hands of potential clients.
Now the second business is creating food gardens for people who want to have their own food right at hand but lack the time or knowledge to grow their own. Of course, this is another organic gardening endeavor.
The garden will provide the fresh vegetables and herbs the family is seeking and right from their own backyard.
The task is to determine through an interview process what vegetables they want to eliminate the ones that won’t grow in the area and to advise what will grow best.
I suggest having a list of easy to grow vegetables suited to the appropriate gardening zone and encouraging the client to select from that list. This increases the odds of success and that is important for repeat business.
Also remember you will need to weed, water, harvest and generally look after each vegetable garden you install so plan accordingly otherwise what may look like a highly successful business, based on the vast number of clients you have, may turn into an 80 hour week job and you are earning 25 cents an hour.
Again, you will need gardening tools and transportation. Do not forget water, how will the garden be watered? Is there a hose on site or other watering system? This applies to both garden businesses.
Do your planning, cost it all out and do not lose sight of the need for a profit, this is a business.
Vegetables
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