Hi, excellent forum you have here, lots of great information!
I am starting this thread as I am after some advice. I am 28 years old and I am currently planning on starting my own gardening round early next spring and I hope to build it in a full-time business, working solo. I feel that my area will enable me to do that.
However, at the moment my gardening experience is very limited and I am very keen to learn more and teach myself.
So, if you would be able to kindly recommend ANY good books for a complete novice on topics that you think would help me, please do.
I hope to offer services such as mowing, planting, hedge cutting, pruning etc, all of the basic maintenance duties really. Feel free to also suggest other services that I could perhaps offer.
Many thanks for taking the time to read my post and I look forward to your book recommendations. Any other tips or advice on starting my business would also be very much appreciated.
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I would suggest you get a job, doesn't matter what it is, in the gardening industry. It doesn't matter if it's low paying. Just get your foot in there and make connections, find a mentor, etc. That's better than doing something completely unrelated like being a security guard, even if you're just digging holes.
On your off time I'd suggest studying your craft, reading theories of garden design etc. Scott Reil, the original Helpful Gardener, wrote an article about his favorite [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/tips/03/book-2.html]Gardening Books[/url], and especially this list of [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/tips/03/book.html]great gardening books[/url] that will help you become educated about garden design theory as well as issues like working with nature and not against it, etc.
Scott is an advanced master gardener instructor, a speaker at gardening industry conferences and gardening clubs, is on the radio discussing gardening, and is the [url=https://www.expertvillage.com/expert/2136.htm]Expert Village Gardening Expert[/url]. His articles on our website are a great place to jump off and learn.
The problem with a gardening career, imho, is that everyone thinks they can do it and is jumping in thinking they can offer a service. It's not that easy, especially if you're competing with people who can do twice as much as you can at half the cost with nothing more than a machete. So best think of this as a five year initiative.
It really does take at least five years to become established at whatever it is you want to do, and that's if you're going about it the right way. Which is why I say to get a lowly job, find a mentor, good references, get those insights, while getting smart from what you read and experience with your own two hands.
Good luck to you.
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On your off time I'd suggest studying your craft, reading theories of garden design etc. Scott Reil, the original Helpful Gardener, wrote an article about his favorite [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/tips/03/book-2.html]Gardening Books[/url], and especially this list of [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/tips/03/book.html]great gardening books[/url] that will help you become educated about garden design theory as well as issues like working with nature and not against it, etc.
Scott is an advanced master gardener instructor, a speaker at gardening industry conferences and gardening clubs, is on the radio discussing gardening, and is the [url=https://www.expertvillage.com/expert/2136.htm]Expert Village Gardening Expert[/url]. His articles on our website are a great place to jump off and learn.
The problem with a gardening career, imho, is that everyone thinks they can do it and is jumping in thinking they can offer a service. It's not that easy, especially if you're competing with people who can do twice as much as you can at half the cost with nothing more than a machete. So best think of this as a five year initiative.
It really does take at least five years to become established at whatever it is you want to do, and that's if you're going about it the right way. Which is why I say to get a lowly job, find a mentor, good references, get those insights, while getting smart from what you read and experience with your own two hands.
Good luck to you.
Webmaster