Things Your Landscaper Won't Tell You:

• I’ve peed in your yard... multiple times. Unless you’ve said “the basement/garage door is open, feel free to come in and use that bathroom in the corner there” we’ve gone number 1, and if necessity dictates, number 2 in your yard. Because depending on the company I work for I may not be allowed to make any unscheduled stops- and my truck has GPS tracking. Gotta do what you gotta “do”…
• If you’re rude to me, you get worse service. Why would I do my best for you when you don’t appreciate it?
• If I’m not insured and I get hurt on your property…. Guess who’s footing the bill. Hint: not me!
• If I’m applying any chemicals (even Round Up) in your yard someone in the company has to have a Pesticide Applicator’s License and the company has to have a Commercial Applicator’s license. Am I going to get in trouble if I’m not properly licensed? Only if you ask to see my license, which is supposed to be in my wallet, and then tell on me if I can’t produce it. This is an attempt by the Department of Agriculture to prevent people from applying chemicals improperly. The test to get licensed is pretty difficult, but you want someone who knows his stuff well enough to pass- these chemicals are no joke.
• If you aren’t home, I may eat my lunch on your lovely patio, by your lovely pool. I may even put my feet in the water. If I have a poor work ethic, I may be on the clock while I do that.
• I probably don’t know how to prune properly. There’s a lot of technique to pruning, and it usually doesn’t involve any equipment with a motor on it. Landscapers who know how to prune will have a pair of pruners in a holster on their hip, and they won’t be shearing all of your shrubs every two weeks. If you want this kind of detail work and don’t see those red handles sticking out of a leather holster, find another company. (You will pay more for this knowledge though.)
• The company I work for may be based on quantity not quality. I may have as many as 15-18 customers to visit in a day. That means I’m running behind my mower while the other dude starts blowing and we’re out of there as fast as possible and on to the next job. What about your weeds, you ask? Weeds? We didn’t see any weeds… You’re going to have to pay a little more to get a company who’ll spend the time to do the detail work needed to give you a great landscape: weeds, pruning, maintaining your flower beds, etc.
• Just because I’m a landscaper, doesn’t mean I can do landscape design. Ask to see my portfolio with references if you’re thinking about upgrading your property. If I don’t have one, look elsewhere.

Coming soon: "Things Your Landscaper Wishes You Knew"

Jessica Watters, GCLP                       Horticulture Technician, Chattahoochee Technical College