It's a lot of hard work and you have to be okay with spending a lot of cash for tools and materials, and expect your customer to pay you back quickly. This first reason often surprises people looking for careers in the lawn care and landscaping industry. You've always heard in the past that these types of jobs don't pay much. But this can be a viable career with good earning potential.
Perhaps the most difficult part of landscaping, at least in terms of physical work, is lifting heavy objects. In fact, I enjoyed doing the work ourselves and would probably do it all over again. I love being outdoors and keeping busy, so work was just right for me. It was also a great exercise.
The savings, on the other hand, didn't add up much of anything, especially when you factor in an hourly rate for our own work. In that sense, do-it-yourself landscaping wasn't worth it at all. To get the most out of your gardening training, make sure you use the right form of lifting and rest as needed to avoid injury. Depending on your budget and schedule (not to mention your definition of a fun weekend), it may be worth outsourcing some or all of your yard projects.
That said, if you have aspirations to go far with the profession or even start your own landscaping business, a degree or diploma in landscaping or horticulture wouldn't hurt. Landscaping is no different and several factors contribute to the level of difficulty of the profession. Offer qualifications related to landscaping, and several of them are accredited by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Regular gardening for 40 hours a week (or even part-time) can cause significant wear and tear on the body.
But the fact is, there are a lot of great lawn and landscape companies with a positive work environment where their team members really enjoy going to work. While there is a misconception that careers in the lawn care and landscaping industry are ultimately just “dead-end jobs,” that's not the case. But in areas where heavy snowfall is common, snow removal is an important part of the professional landscaping business. I specialize in native and edible plants and work as an assistant designer at a landscape design firm in the Bay Area one day a week.
The truth is that lawn care or landscaping jobs can be great careers, assuming you find the right company to work with. While this is ideal for anyone looking for an intense workout, it also makes digging one of the toughest gardening tasks. Together they answer landscaping, lawn care and gardening questions of all kinds, from hard work, first-hand knowledge and experience.
