young beech-wet feet.

can someone back me up here?i advise to a customer A, B, C, etc.. customer wants everything-for whatever random reason-done Z, F, 59, eleventytwelve!pruning shrubs that are about to flower..scarifying a lawn and then weeks later autumn feeding it and moss killer..over seeding a lawn in the spring as opposed to autumn..now i have been preparing a 3x30 metre border since febuary. pulling out a conifer hedge and reconditioning the soil with approx 2 ton of very well rotted muddy horse manure..all in preparation for planting in the very very near future.it is my opinion that this is all timed quite badly and that at the latest the bed should have been prep in the autumn at the latest for spring planting.anyway...the designers of the border are a couple of self proclaimed experts from cambridge botanical gardens and have arranged for me to plant a double row of beech as a backdrop to the border.already i have been cleaned the moss of the fence backing the border with bleach-against my better judgement-having just put all this manure down and also as a consideration to the 'emotional' woman who has planting on the other side of the fence, who would well be within her rights to claim money for any of her planting that may disagree with contamination from the bleach. i have done my best to contain the situation but im under the impression that bleach is pretty much the worse thing you can feed a plant with..?anyway...am i right in saying that planting beech into an area that is constantly damp is going to make them very unhappy? about a third of this 30 metre length is just sodden and the lawn that edges it is just 90% moss. even my suggestion of aerating this part of the lawn fell on deaf ears as the priority was to do something else ill timed that would prove to be another complete waste of time.i know the ground needs some drainage installed-but not even grit and gravel make it onto the menu.when i started working for this person i was doing the day rate thing and was pretty much told what i should be doing-despite my protests-i would end up doing what i was paid to.tramping through wet manure to wash a fence in bleach, killing next doors plants to plant a hedge that is destined to fail. i know what needs to be done but im sick of trying to explain any process that might actually benefit this garden..if i mention that part of this household is an agricultural biologist you might look strangely at me when you see i havnt yet torn all my hair out.but beech doesnt like sitting in wet mud right?

when i explained to him that chlorine pretty much kills all living matter including bacteria he actually spent a little time online though still wouldnt let me run a hose on the ground to try dilute it somewhat. every time the word "hose" came out of my mouth it was followed by "no that wont get the moss off"..!!!?? so the bleach incident was actually the last straw and i had decided that that was going to be my last day. i just wanted to send him a mail explaining why his beech might fail and advise that he plant everything in the autumn when everything has settled a bit. hornbeam definitely seems the way forward here and i'll leave it in the capable hands of the cambridge botanics designers then and walk away with the dissatisfaction of leaving something behind that was probably better off than before i had touched it.

i have righted a lot of wrongs in this guys garden but it has been one of those jobs that is a forever pointless exercise in trying to manage a customers demands that conflict with everything that you have ever learned. not the first time and im sure the next one is reading this even as i type.

you think bleach is silly but i have made a couple of large veg patched for someone before, clearing the ground of grass and planted shrubs.. manuring and cultivating the soil, only to have someone come along and resolve a bindweed issue with a highly recommended expert dose of diesel. and youre going to eat food thats grown out of there. good luck with that. recommended by a farmer apparently so who i am i to argue?

say your piece-repeat approx 10 times. walk away. haha!

Replies

MWJONES March 10, 2013 at 8:14am

Take your money and walk away at the end! Look at the bright side when it all goes wrong you might be paid to put it right.
Nick Steele March 10, 2013 at 8:50am

Tell them to plant hornbeam, it looks very much like beech, and will cope with having wet feet (because, yes, you're right, beech doesn't like soggy soil).
PRO

Phil Voice March 10, 2013 at 8:54am

I'd certainly put your concerns on paper before this all ends.

You really need to make it clear that you will, at any time in the future, be held responsible for the health of the border and plants due to the practices you have been asked to follow.

At the end of the day if you are acting on instructions then any responsibility lies with those directing you.

I understand how you feel though; if it were me I would have moved on by now.
Andrew Knight March 10, 2013 at 10:58am

As Phil has just said. Time to pack up and go NOW! before things get any worse. You obviously know good gardening practices from your post but sometimes you cannot help the client no matter how hard you try. After ignoring all your good advice, yrs of experience, they deserve there fate.

I has been said on other posts we should really vet our clients as they wish to vet us.
Jen@A&J Owenwindows&gardens March 10, 2013 at 5:24pm

As Phil says, cover yourself in writing. I would then walk; this situation will only get worse.
Paul McNulty March 10, 2013 at 9:51pm

If in doubt, get it in writing.....

How many times can we repeat this before we actually do it, and I'm as guilty as anyone.

It's the only way to cover yourself if everything goes perfectly well. If it goes wrong in any way it's essential. Log every email, make notes at every site visit and then put it in writing and get it signed. Don't lift a spade in a situation you're not happy with unless you have put it in writing and the client has signed a disclaimer.

When I read that you're being pressured to apply bleach rather than proper chemicals, then having to deal with the neighbours, I think you should have said a firm "no" before now....
Lawncare-4u.co.uk March 10, 2013 at 11:19pm

Bleach ! , BLEACH...... ?
neil aldridge March 11, 2013 at 12:18am

when i explained to him that chlorine pretty much kills all living matter including bacteria he actually spent a little time online though still wouldnt let me run a hose on the ground to try dilute it somewhat. every time the word "hose" came out of my mouth it was followed by "no that wont get the moss off"..!!!?? so the bleach incident was actually the last straw and i had decided that that was going to be my last day. i just wanted to send him a mail explaining why his beech might fail and advise that he plant everything in the autumn when everything has settled a bit. hornbeam definitely seems the way forward here and i'll leave it in the capable hands of the cambridge botanics designers then and walk away with the dissatisfaction of leaving something behind that was probably better off than before i had touched it.

i have righted a lot of wrongs in this guys garden but it has been one of those jobs that is a forever pointless exercise in trying to manage a customers demands that conflict with everything that you have ever learned. not the first time and im sure the next one is reading this even as i type.

you think bleach is silly but i have made a couple of large veg patched for someone before, clearing the ground of grass and planted shrubs.. manuring and cultivating the soil, only to have someone come along and resolve a bindweed issue with a highly recommended expert dose of diesel. and youre going to eat food thats grown out of there. good luck with that. recommended by a farmer apparently so who i am i to argue?

say your piece-repeat approx 10 times. walk away. haha!
Lawncare-4u.co.uk March 15, 2013 at 12:53am

eco chem moss and algae remover - spray it on 1o mins - job done. saves labour costs and works well . or mmc pro (same ingredients) both biodegradable or eco chem is.