Are you good with plants, flowers, and lawns? Then you might like to consider starting a gardening service business. By opening this kind of trade, you can earn good money while providing your clients with services that are important to them.
Although a gardening service seems like an uncomplicated business, there are issues such as insurance, licensing, tax, start-up loans and advertising that need to be considered. But if you do your planning, cost it all out and do not lose sight of the need for a profit, you can turn your gardening skills into a lucrative business.
Michael Podlesny is a third generational home vegetable gardener and has been vegetable gardening since he was a kid. Now this father of two grows all sorts of vegetables in his Burlington, N.J. backyard.
“With the rising cost of food, people are looking for ways to save money,” says Podlesny, who operates Mike the Gardener Enterprises. “It’s been a good thing to do, and a lot of fun.”
Michael shares gardening tips on his website, AveragePersonGardening.com, and now he runs the Seeds of the Month Club. “A few years ago, my wife and I joined a movie club and we knew this would be a great idea for seeds,” says Podlesny.
Michael buys seeds in bulk from various farms throughout the country, packages them and then redistributes them through the Seeds of the Month Club to members that pay about three dollars per month. Members end up paying about 50 percent less for the seeds that they would normally buy in stores or through catalogues.
Podlesny’s goal is to make home vegetable gardening fun, easy and affordable for everybody. He wants to make sure his members can access all the information and tools they need to enjoy the most benefits from a bountiful harvest.
How to Launch a Successful Gardening Business
If you have been thinking about how to start a gardening business, there really couldn’t be a better time. Flower and vegetable gardening is more popular than ever. Retail sales of plants and gardening supplies have skyrocketed in recent years.
In addition to gardening stores, freelance professionals, like gardeners and landscapers, are in constant demand. A gardening business is not only worthwhile, but it can be profitable as well.
As you learn about how to start a gardening business, you will find that you have many options for moving forward. Retail gardening businesses must compete with big box stores, so finding a niche is a plus. For example, you may choose to offer only organic, environmentally friendly plants, fertilizers, pest control, and supplies.
You may have training and expertise in certain types of gardening, which sets you apart from the staff at larger stores. Choose to offer products or services that no one else in the area does.
Another option is to freelance as either a gardener or landscaper. Both require specific expertise and will require business and tax licenses. Additional testing and certifications may also be required. Check your local regulations.
Read the full article on MySmallBiz.com to learn the keys to starting a successful gardening business.
Related articles
- New Jersey Businessman is Helping Vegetable Gardeners Save Money on Their Seeds (prweb.com)
- Gardening Book Teaches Easier Vegetable Seed Starting (prweb.com)
- Planning for the Fall Vegetable Garden (thegreenery.ca)
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