Ruskin Gardens - Thoughts About Choosing A Gardener

Maintenance > Maintenance Manual > Thoughts About Choosing A Gardener

Before setting out to find a gardener, a few questions need to be answered. What level of perfection do you have in mind for your garden? How much time and money are you willing to spend? Are you willing to manage your gardener (give specific tasks each week or month)? Some gardening services are very basic: mow, edge, blow and go. (For a minimum sized lot, 60x100, there might be 6 hours spent per month @ $15-$35 per hour.) Another type of gardener has a wealth of horticultural knowledge and will maintain your garden at a much higher level: clean, mow, prune correctly, fertilize, deadhead, keep pests and diseases under control, adjust and repair the irrigation system, replenish mulch, as well as purchase and install additional plants upon request. (For a minimal sized lot, 60x100, there might be 12-20 hours per month @ $30-$60 per hour). To troubleshoot a specific problem in your garden, specialists such as a horticulturist or arborist can range from $90-$150 per hour.

You'll find gardeners providing a range of services in between those mentioned here. Think about the services you want a gardener to provide and interview a prospective candidate with your list in hand. Do not assume that “everything” is included; be honest and specific. A knowledgeable gardener is a professional, and will not be inexpensive. There is a wealth of knowledge that a fine gardener must master. Many gardeners have worked for arborists and horticulturists, constantly take classes and workshops to learn new techniques and information. It is important for a gardener to be familiar with specific plants and their maintenance needs; to understand pest and disease control (know if they have a bent to using the least toxic method available), to check irrigation heads periodically, check lighting, etc.

As part of the yearly garden maintenance program, I recommend that you have a professional arborist assess, shape and treat your trees to protect one of your property’s significant assets.

Please look at the ‘Throughout the Year’ maintenance suggestions to help you think about the level of service you want. If you are using a gardener, think about the different tasks involved in caring for your garden. Be specific about what tasks the gardener will perform. What tasks will you undertake? It is important to have clear expectations and good communication. It may help to share this booklet with your gardener. Have a month-by-month task list to be checked off. If the tasks are well defined, you will not be asking if the roses have been fed.