I'm really interested in hearing from self-employed gardeners about what your workdays and weeks look like. I bet there's a lot of variety in how you manage your business and clients! How do your routines change throughout the seasons?
4 Answers
I’m super curious too! I dream of leaving my office job to become a gardener one day. Just soaking up all the gardening tips and stories I can find while I prepare to take the plunge.
My week usually includes a mix of tasks too. On Monday, I work on a private housing estate, but it’s a shorter day. On Tuesday, I focus on a private client doing lawn maintenance and tidying up.
Midweek, I typically go to an old country house where I do some weeding, trimming, and even some landscaping work.
Later in the week, I’m often at another large property, where I may pressure wash or clear cuttings for bonfires; I'm known for my efficient use of a tractor here. It can be unpredictable, and I even get some time to work in my own garden on weekends, which is always fun!
I've been self-employed for a year now, and it's been an awesome decision! My typical week can vary a lot depending on my clients. For example, just last week:
- **Monday:** I managed 4 monthly clients with different garden sizes and tasks. It was everything from weeding to pruning.
- **Tuesday:** I dedicated the whole day to a weekly client, discussing new planting schemes and buying plants at the garden center.
- **Wednesday:** I worked on irrigation installations for a long-term client.
- **Thursday:** Finished pruning apple trees and added some weed fabric (not a fan of that stuff!).
- **Friday:** Wrapped up some edging, moved and split plants, and did general maintenance like weeding and mulching.
Winter is when the labor gets intense, with projects like trench digging and mulching. Hope this gives you a good idea!
I was surprised to hear that you buy plants from a garden center!