Surviving the winter gardening - Top 10 Tips

Dealing with the winters in the gardening trade. Apologies about the bad sound at the start...it does improve

[westcountrygardenpro]

Apologies for the dodgy sound for the first few mins...it does get better!

[JR-yqpg]

I've been a gardener for 18 years, made up my mind to try and avoid winter, it's a killer. Work abit longer in the summer to pay for it and just don't work it unless it's good earnings like tree work. Triangle of hope that gets me through is 1, stay dry. 2, stay warm. 3, stay fed. Hot food, good water proofs, and shelter! Try and have a fire every so often! Great video

[redeeminggardens]

Super helpful info again as i watch for the 2nd year running...Missing your vids mate, trust you're doing well and would love to see more vids !

[johnwignall]

I used to hate the Winter months, but as you get older you appreciate the reduced workload. After 2 months of raking mountains of leaves I need a break, it is a joy! Winter is when you can book in the landscaping work, particularly new planting on the sites you maintain, and suggest getting rid of high maintenance shrubs, to make the future maintenance easier, win, win!

[joemccole]

Going into my first winter, this video is very helpful. Ive never worked solely on my own before. At times the peace is lovely, but can be lonely. This You tube and Facebook groups help. Almost like work mates! Thanks for posting.

[davidhamilton]

Love your vids mate you hit the nail on the head every time👍 i share your vids on our fb page, UK Garden maintenance community.🎅

[gaurapms]

Agree with everything you say 100%
I find as the summer autumn progresses I suggest things that I have seen that need doing and the customers tend to take that on board and keep you working through the winter period I am still at the moment working 5.5 day weeks right upto Xmas and into new year mainly due to me mainly me pointing out jobs the customers either hadn't noticed or didn't know needed doing, good video again.

[brettshorticulture]

Excellent video Simon. Couldn't agree more with what you discuss in this video. Winter can be a real sod for us gardeners but what you've mentioned is gold mate 👍 Very useful tips indeed ☺ Hope you're keeping well bud.

[Kirbycuttings]

Great and valid points.... totally understand where your coming from. Ever thought of taken a labour on and make your money through the season? This is what we do, cramming so much work in and take the winter off as a holiday. Anything does come thru it’s a bonus 👍.

[mowtownni]

What you project is what you get back, be that uniform, livered van, quality leaflets, good website. Extra services are important to make ends meet, your right about John Ryan, having met him he very much is the professional and I think that comes across with the customers and inspires confidence. Great video once again, love these work talks! If your not already get on Lawn care legends on Facebook, great bunch of guys.

[Thismanslifeafter]

Fantastic video mate, your points are very articulate and bang on the nose.
Thank you for the kind words, I focus on those 3 services as an exterior service that makes it easier to use one supplier than 3, so it takes a lot of effort to market that professionally and be different than the cheap boi's but with the right approach can be very profitable.

Great video again mate 👍🏼👍🏼

[mattfish]

As people have already said, I don't think we are recognised as a skilled trade because of the perception that all we do is cut grass and pull out weeds and anyone can do that, right??
As you well know that's not the case. Mowing a lawn correctly and knowing when not to go too short as there are 3 week's of baking sun imminent isn't interesting to your average person so they just scalp it. Like you mentioned in your video, when and how to prune or when to uproot and replant seems to be less valued by a lot of the general public as changing an egr valve or glossing a windowsill.
I started in January after a change of career and have picked up quite a few people who do value what I have learnt over the years a hobbyist but I've had more people quibble about prices than I have saying "great, when can you start?"
Keep up the good work pal and keep the videos coming👍

[boris]

Sorry if I’ve missed it in your videos mate, but how do you work it when you miss a day due to snow or illness and clients are paying you standing order - do you then owe them a day? I’ve found this gets complicated if you fall behind - you end up working weekends and evenings which buggers up life outside of work...
like your videos very much btw

[williamwalsh]

How do you plan holiday when its just you doing the work ?

[jimshanks]

Yes working for yourself is not always a BED OF ROSES, pardon the pun. Winter time is the most challenging, both physically and mentally. This year I have had a great increase of power washing work which helps immensely as we in N.Ireland have a lot of wet days. All the best for 2018. Regards Jim from J.S.G.S🚛🌳🍁🍂

[sionyevans]

No...larger gardens for the proper Gardener...but yeah you got to know your pricing..I'm struggling to do what's needed in time given..just not there enough..but job satisfaction..monthly direct debits or standing order off bigger gardens and cash/ cheque for everything else..bloody hard going though.workings the easy bit..great videos matey..

[williamwalsh]

Hi pal, i am thinking of going self employed, i work for a company now and do my own job in my own time to the point were i have a lot of work for myself but not enough if i was to go self employed now, also how do you work your holiday if your self employed and its just you on your own and no one to do the work when your on holiday?

[LHLgardenservices]

spot on matey.. we put an ad in a shop window once and got a few clients from it. HOWEVER... you could sence the lack of respect towards you as a professional gardener compared to those who got our services elsewhere. You feel they think you are working just for a pint. 🤣🤣🤣🍺🍺🍺🍺

[thegeordiefellwalker]

your arrangement of setting up payment over 12 month is also very professional on your behalf. even though your not actually earning more it sort of give a false sense of security of constant income. if that makes sense. most of my clients also facing small price rise next season. (my motto don't become a busy fool lol ) atb .

[rpmimprovementoutdoorservi]

Excellent points. Had a touch of the dull drums today as a matter of fact.