I am trying to start a landscaping business, but don't know where to start.?

There is a difference between landscape maintenance which you are describing and landscape contracting which Tyler is describing. I do not know what the laws are in your state. You could try to Google it. Also check to see if you need to register as a business and if you need to collect sales tax. The very basic tools you will need are Mower, line trimmer, bower blower and edger. You can use the line trimmer as a edger to start but a real edger will be easier and give a much more professional job. If you mulch mow there should be little cutting to haul off. You can disperse the cutting left behind with the blower and it helps fertilize the lawn by returning nutrients. Some cities require certain bags for refuse for cuttings. Often they can be left behind for the home owner. If you want to upgrade your service you can do shrubs an tree pruning. For that you will need power hedge cutters, loppers, hedge sheers and pruners. Hand tools like a broom, rakes, shovels and the like are good to have. Good luck.

Customers are your first need; during recessions lots of people consider manual gardening as a new venture knowing nothing whatsoever about the business, or even about business. These cowboy contractors undercut you to buy the jobs, give a bad service, and leave a string of unhappy clients.

So, learn the skills properly, learn how to run a business efficiently and profitably,(night school calls) and search for clients.

What are your selling points? Why should I use you rather than old Fred down the road who has just been made redundant? How can I trust your reliability? Are you insured? How do you recover bad debts?

I'm not knocking your venture if it sounds like it, but attempting to warn you of likely pit-falls. Good-luck from one who started like you.

Well, I worked landscaping for a little while and it isn't just planting shrubs and trees. You got to know how to install sprinkler irrigation, as well as drip irrigation and other water fixtures. Also, installation of foundains and some stonework. I'm sure an extensive knowledge of ornamental plants, diseases and pest wouldn't hurt. That's all I know about it, hope I helped.

I am Skyeler Theener lives in Meridian, Idaho. I began lawn care business in 2004. You can learn more tips about mowing lawns. spring clean, fertilizing etc. at this site...