Gardens in my mind never need water
Castles in the air never have a wet basement
Well made buildings are fractal -- equally intelligent design at every level of detail.
Bright sparks remind others that they too can dance
What I am looking for is looking for me too!
Abraham Palma wrote: I think the freelance fee is around 350€/month, but other costs I have no idea.
How Permies works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
My projects on Skye: The tree field, Growing and landracing, perennial polycultures, "Don't dream it - be it! "
Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Best luck: satisfaction
Greatest curse, greed
Best luck: satisfaction
Greatest curse, greed
Best luck: satisfaction
Greatest curse, greed
I think you are quite competent in your plant care, in recognizing what is needed and trying to fulfill those needs.
Best luck: satisfaction
Greatest curse, greed
What tools you need partly depends on your transportation. Are you traveling by bicycle or truck? Will your clients need to provide a ladder or can you bring your own?
I've been gardening for about 25 years and am paid well to do so. To start out, don't charge full price and buy your tools as you need them. Study and research on your own. It's easy to be a mark above the crowd if you just be a good person, be there when you say and call if you can't, fix your mistakes without an argument and pay attention to details. Advertise on free or nearly so, platforms and then let word of mouth grow your business. My growth was slow and steady but solid.
In Kansas, people are just beginning to appreciate regenerative gardening. Price points play a huge role, such as using native tree chip mulch. It's cheaper for the client and I know I'm building better soil. Digging French bed edges rather than using that plastic edging, saves them money, helps hold water and mulch in place and needs very little touching up if there is solid lawn growth on the outside. Throw the soil that you dig up into the beds to slightly mound the grow bed to keep plant roots from rotting in late winter when it's often cold and damp. It looks good too. We refuse to use glyphosate and use 20% vinegar mix or hand remove weeds. It doesn't save them noticeable money but it's important.
'What we do now echoes in eternity.' Marcus Aurelius
How Permies Works Dr. Redhawk's Epic Soil Series
Charolett Knapic wrote:Digging French bed edges rather than using that plastic edging, saves them money, helps hold water and mulch in place and needs very little touching up if there is solid lawn growth on the outside. Throw the soil that you dig up into the beds to slightly mound the grow bed to keep plant roots from rotting in late winter when it's often cold and damp. It looks good too.
champagne taste on a beer budget leads a gurl to be curious & resourceful. Celebrate what we are capable of when we put all prejudices about limitations aside.
Samuel Billings wrote:Hi Abraham!
I just typed out a giant reply to this thread at 3am because I couldn’t sleep.
So this is the abridged version #2 of what was once a much longer reply:
I’ve been in the field for 20 years or so in one form or another and I came here because I am toying with the idea of my own gardening company.
From the best possible place: I don’t think you are ready.
Confidence and knowledge in sales is the entire business. You can only get there when you really know your stuff on the horticulture side. High-end clientele can smell bs a mile away. And yes, you need at least fairly high-end clientele. Unless you want to do high-volume (which is much worse imho), you won’t be able to make a living.
You would do well to work for someone else for a few years and lower your expectation of what permaculture is. A truck backs up the same way on a permaculture landscape as it does on a conventional one. You can still be ethical and regenerative while learning from people and working places that may be slightly less so, at least until you’ve built up your skills and your wallet enough. It takes money to start a business, don’t let anyone to you otherwise. Very few people can bootstrap themselves into a living. Especially if you don’t have a lot of prior knowledge or extreme luck. Ever do a big warranty project because you messed up while someone was paying you? I have. It can put you straight into a big hole.
Also, in response to some of the things others said in this thread: putting random organic matter onto the soil is not a good way to go. And composting other people’s waste is terrible advice! That is its own business in and of itself and requires space and equipment.
Please know that I fully support the idea if you do try to do it: I’m not a naysayer. I have just started my own business before and failed because I wasn’t ready and wouldn’t want someone else to do that, too. Especially if your family doesn’t agree! Did I read that part right? That’s a hard stop, too.
Anyway, happy to discuss more if you like. You can also tell me to screw and I won’t be offended.
…I guess version 2 reply wasn’t so short either.
Forget this weirdo. You guys wanna see something really neat? I just have to take off my shoe .... (hint: it's a tiny ad)
Heat your home with the twigs that naturally fall of the trees in your yard
http://woodheat.net
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