a career in horticulture

Morning all
I'm fed up to the back teeth and beyond with working in a corporate bear pit, for numpty idiot managers and with work shy oiks. I've been interested in gardening for many years and I've decided that spiritual well being is more important than having a new car every couple of years.
I'd like to know more about a career in Horticulture, and I think some of you good fellows here might be able to advise me.
I'm not naiive, I know that it's a lot of hard work, in all weathers, and that the pay isn't great.
I have an innate desire to make a positive difference to people's lives. Years ago I trained as a nurse, but when all said and done nurses are always going to play second fiddle to doctors and my inherent lack of self belief is aggravated by that. (There are four highly qualified degree nurses in my family, we all think the same!)
I know of nobody whose soul is not gladdened, whose inner turmoil is not calmed by being in a garden, and it is these people to whom I want to appeal. There are so many nouveau riche who boast about having had a garden designer in; I'm not interested in that type of client. I want to help to create little oases of calm and tranquillity for those who neither have the knowhow to do it for themselves, nor the money to have someone else do it.

I have no qualifications in any kind of gardening or horticulture; I guess that's the place to start?
My three year plan goes something like this:

Year one: study at night school for the NCH (or a more appropriate qualification if necessary)
Year two: start offering my services at weekends and in the evenings at basic minimum wage, or free for those who can't afford it. Further qualifications at night school, no idea what, will defer to the superior knowledge of the good folk of GC!
Year three: part time working in the corporate lion's den, part time gardening stuff. More qualifications.
Year four: do my own thang, self employed.

What do you think? Utopia? Do-able? needs sectioning?
Any and all comments, however unpalatable I may find them, are most welcome.
Thanks chaps

 

Go for it I have though tabout this went as far as contacting our local college but this course was further,you had to build dykes lift slabs etc.Also it was expensive.

But I love my garden with passion and to have a job like that would be idea any thing with plants.

I have been in touch to volunteer with National Trust Garden.

Wear gloves for the cat poo I dont like it either but follow your heart .

 

Go for it!

It's a very healthy lifestyle and it's great to be your own boss.

I was made redundant from industry at 55 and tried a few different things before I started gardening. I've no qualifications but they aren't essential unless you want to get involved with electrical work or tree surgery. Plants don't need degrees to grow and the web is a great resource for any you don't know about.

Laying slabs is heavy work and there are a lot of cowboys out there who will undercut you so unless its just a few for one of your regulars I would leave it. Likewise fencing.

There are specialised areas you can get involved in such as pond cleaning and mainteneance and the set up costs aren't too high or the equipment too bulky to store. There is an increasing market for gardeners who know what they are doing and there are many pensioners or busy execs who love their gardens but are unable to do all the graft.

You will need a van or a trailer, preferably both, to transport tools and remove rubbish. Always include for this in your quote as commercial waste is expensive to dispose of and anything you shovel in has to be shovelled out again so allow for all your costs AND time.

Start collecting tools. A good wide mouthed shovel, solid spade, fork and edging spade, (Stainless are heavy and useless!). You will also need a hand fork and trowel and at least one good builder's wheelbarrow. Shears, hedgetrimmer, mower, secateurs, garden rake, spring tine rake, assorted scissors, sharp knives and twine. Usefull items to carry are a set of spanners and screwdrivers, sharpening stones, files, bicycle pump and puncture outfit (for the wheelbarrow!).

Clothing is also important. You need to keep warm on cold days and have plenty of room for movement so go up a couple of sizes to allow for woolley jumpers.

Don't be tempted to keep tools in a car or van overnight. No matter how tired you are make sure everthing is under cover and secured.

In your position I would forget about college for the moment. Spend the money on good quality tools and start off by doing weekend work. Cutting lawns and tidying up front front gardens is especialy productive and folk will see what you are doing and maybe get you to do their garden or recommend you to others. Put notices in local shops and supermarkets. You can also drop cards into estate agents for property maintenance and maybe even do some 'house sitting'.

Take sensible precautions with safety. When using power tools carry and use your own RCD adaptor for electric tools and always make sure someone knows where you are.

Good luck!

 

It's the best thing I ever did, Lynne! You won't regret it, although months like this last one leave you a bit out of pocket!

But don't sell yourself short - people will be happy to pay you �£10 an hour if you do a repectable job - I followed so many blokes (sorry, chaps, but they always WERE blokes) who had done nothing more than cut the grass and hedges, and keep things relatively tidy - they'd done nothing about pruning, cutting out dead wood, and all that sort of thing.

You'll find it's an advantage being female too - lots of customers are disabled or OAPs, and they tend to find a woman a safer option.

Go for it girl! And if you want to ask me anything, feel free!

 

Dendro says it all............I also say train to qualify if you wish (but it's not neccessary).........But don't go out there offering your services for free or at lowest rate. You'll never get out of it. Most gardeners charge �£10 ph. I do...and the world will be your oyster. Start by advertising in local shops. Once you got a few custs, word will get round. By all means go part time to start with, but this is the right time to begin your new venture. I bet you won't be gardening for part time for long. You'll be running out of time and i reckon within 2 months of starting up, you'll be saying no to folk, coz there's only 7 days a week. The hours and therefore money you want to earn will be up to you. Look into being self employed and how you want to do it. Get out there and go for it. IT's GIRL POWER ALL THE WAY. And as dendro says, you want to know anything ask, I speak for myself when I say, I'll give you an answer if I can. GOOD LUCK

 

Just one thing - I'm in favour of the idea of doing it part-time to start with. Not because of lack of people wanting you to work - it's just a question of building up your muscles and stamina! You don't want to strain anything, back in partcular. Take it gradually, and you'll find by the time it's summer you're well in the swing of things.

There are a few of us doing this, myself, Compostee, Garden Sponge, and the Lady Gardener (although she's not on here so often these days......) - and maybe others I've forgotten. I'm sure we'll all be glad to give you any help and advice we can. Like re NI payments.... :eek: :D

 

I have been a gardener for 18 years now and still love what I do. As for qualifications I would get some as I charge �£16.50 per hour and I am fully booked and looking to take someone on as more work is still coming in.

qualifications I have RHS year two, IOG year two, Diploma in garden design and full chain saw license etc.

It all comes down to what you put in to it and what you know, that makes a good gardener not what qualifications you have but some times it helps.

 

Thank you, really, thank you so much for your help and suggestions!
Do you reckon I can do this right now? even with my limited experience?
I have only a (admittedly) fantastic flymo, and some really decent quality tools; and my partner says I can use his landrover and trailer any time I want.

I should explain that my position was made redundant a couple of weeks ago and I'm struggling with where to go next. I've got a few months redundancy money upon which to live, a whole heap of commitment and passion, and a veritable mountain of self doubt!

I'm very scared in a weird sorta way...

 

Didn't mean to exclude you Jimbo - but I was thinking of the female contingent, a la "girl power"!

Yes, around Herts �£15 is what I was charging and getting, but �£10 is a good realistic price, and loads of OAPS were very happy to pay that, and I didn't feel bad about that rate.

If I have to travel a bit, I have a first hour of �£12, followed by �£10, and that gets me more work than I can handle. If I'm using extra machinery, I make that a charge of �£20 for the use of it on top of ny own time. E.G. using the petrol scarifier - if I dodn't have my own I'd have to hire it, and �£20 per session would be cheap.....

 

Dendrobium thats ok but your right about the OAP I charge �£12.50.

A lot of what you charge comes down to where you live, how big the garden is, bigger the garden the more work you have to do more fuel you will use etc.

I looked in to going on my own for about a year before I started up.

 

Try just offering grass cutting and weeding to start with at weekends and maybe pick up a cheap lawnmower on the way.

 

Thats how I started up Jimbo. Not long before people ask you to do their garden up the road etc. Round our way these people more often than not ask you because of lack of time, and have petrol mowers to use anyway. I always kept the Flymo handy but never used it except once when they hadn't got any spare petrol.

 

OK, so could I ask what sort of lawnmower I should invest in? I'm happy to put my redundancy money to good use!
My partner and I are keen motorcyclists and I have lots of Windstopper type clothing to keep me toasty warm!

 

I use a Briggs and Stratton, a Rover.

 

Good luck Lynne wish I had done it.i joke dand said I should put a logo on my dearly loved Modus I drive.

Even if it was only changing containers of hanging baskets to give a lovley cheery display.

Dendy no word yet about GC but hospice garden gettign induction next week but that is Vol again.