Starting an Organic Lawn Care company...please help w/advice and ideas

[emil35]

Hello:

I have owned my own lawn care business for a number of years now, but since the local market is getting saturated, I want to move into a niche field that will set me apart. I think going organic or "green" will do just the thing, but what should I offer service wise and what about pricing? I'm currently in college and started when I was in middle school/high school to earn money to go to college, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference at all. Any input for my business restructuring? Do I still offer mowing and so forth, or is it mostly fertilization and lawn renovation? Looking for all the help and input I can get! Thanks

[cedarcroft]

what you will find here is mostly guys like you with a small business that have decided to be Organic providers rather than use synthetic chemicals. You will get more opinions than you can shake a stick at. I have been researching this end of the business for a few years and have slowly adopted some organic cultural practices into my current business model. My suggestion is that you research the area you live in. soil types, watering needs, native grasses and plants that do best in your area. Learn the basics of how organic products work (feeding the soil) as opposed to synthetic ferts (feed the plant). Learn basic cultural practices for mowing, watering, weed control etc. Once you have a good solid basic knowledge of this, then you should determine what type of products you need to provide the proper service to your customer base.
I have found that the fertilizer is the least important part of a Organic program. I may catch some heat for saying that, but I believe that watering correctly, seeding correctly and knowing the soil is of paramount importance. the products you apply to the lawn are just a booster to keep the growing environment happy.
also, know the weeds in your area and why they occur. generally weeds mean the lawn is missing something to make it grow thick and healthy. if yo know what the weeds are telling you, you can make a decision of what to do about them.

[Norm Al]

just remeber,,,,all living things run on the same chemistry!

this is one of the most simple industrys there is,,,,,dont let people make it seem like rocket science and you will do fine!