About the Landscape Juice Network

Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.

LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry

LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.

For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.

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Introduction/Start Up

Good evening! Apologises in advance for yet another start up thread with questions no doubt answered time and time before!

I write this at 11 o'clock after finishing my last day of working for someone else! I've been a Greenkeeper for over 8 years taking me all over the world, championship, public and private courses. Done some sports turf construction/contracting, ground maintenance and helped the old man in his handy man business for a few years too. So after doing more and more side jobs after work and really since March been working sun rise to sun set I made the decision to start my own business and go for it! Word of mouth, facebook page and some leaflet drops have been great so far but every day I'm getting more and more ideas but really need some direction to priortise and get organised!

Came accross this site only on Friday night and the information and wealth of knowledge on show is mind blowing, so much to look at I don't know where to begin! So here are a few questions/pointers I'm after....

After doing all my work from the back of  a Renault Scenic I saved some money and purchased a Vauxhall Vivaro. Thought of maybe magnetic signs until I came accross a thread on here from a few months ago and more than certain I'm wanting to get the full thing wrapped. Is it worth paying the dump fee's once this is done? Competition in my area don't seem to have it done at all. Some odd text print or magnetic signs but no full wrapping? What are your usual dump fee's? All about building confidence to incoprate that into your quote when your wanting the work and somewhat anxious of a knock back.

Greenkeeping approach? Any past greenkeepers out there go down this route when covering lawn care? Do you find people care about Aeration, scarifying, fertiliser programs etc? Would it boost your profile mentioning your background? Any ideas of examples of trying to market this would be appreciated.

I'm used to do my landscaping jobs at the weekend and gardening/lawns during the evening so someone was always there for payment. Now doing my work during the day poses the thought of will anyone be there for payment? Obvious answer is to try and get a standing order off of customers but what are the alternatives to this? Don't want to be spending time and money travelling the same spots again at night to receive payment.

Winter? After spending most my career as a greenkeeper being asked "What's that? cutting the grass?" I have a new question once I tell people I'm starting my own Landscaping and Garden care business..."That's great but what do you do in the winter? Is it not seasonal?" Already coming accross more and more ideas for the winter from the site and doing some research but how did you guys go in your first winter?

I could go on and on but will go for 1 more question (Hope I haven't bored anyone too much ha ha) Competiton? Is it fierce in your areas? Did you get gutted everytime another landscaping/gardener van drove by you or does it drive you on? Surely theres enough for everyone? When the industry's revenue was 4bn last year?

Thanks in advance. The forum is fantastic, really motivating reading and seeing so much passion and knowledge. Will be upgrading this week!

Chris

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