Really like this time of year, planting projects become a simple reality again all through to next spring, unless harsh ground conditions indicate otherwise.
Always look forward to getting the price/stock lists in. Last couple of years, we've bought in various batches of bare root whips etc to grow on, knowing we'll use them somewhere, somehow at sites. Just wish we had more ground space ;)
This also harps back to the often seen 'What do I do in Winter ? scenario. My view - if you're only just thinking about this now, you're late to the party. You have got to start talking to your clients in Spring and start setting and managing expectations and push out certain types of work to the right ( for you and client ) time of year. Like planting, repairs, restorative pruning, 'shaping' works, mulching etc. It can be a tough time of year, but so much can be achieved for all to see and benefit from in the comming year.
Howvever, It might not be too late, so get some 'cup of tea' time with your clients and put together a plan...cost it....get it approved ...and implement it.
Or you can do like some... take the Winter off... for the right reasons (ie your choice, not because of a lack of work ;)
All in my humble, honest oppinion ;)
Views: 322
Replies
If you're planting trees then here's a few good tips from James Wong.
"try sprinkling a large handful of sugar around the roots before watering in well. This practice can boost the populations of mycorrhizal fungi and according to research at the University of Reading can even directly fuel the growth of roots in newly planted bare-root trees, while simultaneously protecting them from stress."
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/01/how-to-plant-trees
I've been using sugar on my plants for the last 2-3 years. I cannot 100% say that it's the sugar that's been the magic additive but I can say that the plants I've used sugar on have done really well.
Phil, have you been dissolving the sugar first, as suggested in your "Using Sugar" post on the current stte of research, or adding granules as suggested by James Wong in the article you cite above? Is there any evidence to suggest one or other is "better", that you know of?
Hi Mike
I've, mainly, sprinkled sugar crystals but I have also dissolved sugar into a watering can. I have not recorded their individual results in any way so I don't know what works best.
I just assumes that sprinkling sugar would cause the same result eventually as the crystals dissolve and permeate the soil through to the root zone.
I'm sure that a lot is leached through though, whatever method is used.
Thanks Phil. I suspect the leaching through in solution would be more immediate and higher in proportion than the crystals, some of which may stick around (pun accidental) at least for a short while. Still, if the researchers got good results regardless then it's looking like a "must do" from now. Why go to the separate bother of dissolving when either method will work? :-)
I'd love to get some tree and hedge planting, but despite advertising I've struggled to find customers who want it done. My regular customers tend to just want the regular maintenance stuff and are reluctant to spend more - most are looking to reduce costs especially at this time of year! Any tips for finding the customers who are likely to want this kind of work?
Then start following Gary RK's advice, Austin. The amount of maintenance work required following well planned and executed preparatory work carried out in winter can actually reduce time and costs for the growing season. You benefit by being able to take on more clients during the otherwise busy periods, giving you more people to sow winter work seed ideas with. As he says, it is slow to grow. Looking back, all the work I have in hand now - not a lot, my business is still very young - is from people I started discussing "doing something about this" or "fixing that" or "using t'other" later in the year months ago.
It is all about finding the right sort of customers, sometimes new(er) builds, larger houses, small gated communities (where you may also get the communal parts to look after). Knowing the area/demographics helps.
More importantly, I'd say, is having a good banter with your clients, starting to 'sow the seeds' early in the year by discussing ideas, listening for clues. Obviously it takes receptive clients, but over a period of time look if you can take on new clients, you may be able to drop those that just want a 'mow, blow & gow' service, however it does take time.
I'll be following some of this good advice for the future. There's a stack of new builds going up around our town over the next couple of years so I'll be doing my best to make the most of the opportunities.
A lot of my old customers were not aware of bare root, how cheap it is and what was on offer - if you have a customer whinging about cutting that ugly old leyllandii hedge it may be worth striking while the iron is hot!
Also try some of the bigger bare root suppliers - quite often they will have large contracts to plants acres of 1+1 whips for English Nature, Forestry Commission, Highways, etc and need extra people, or referrals for 'small' jobs - nothing like a day in the woods!
Richard