Its tough to find workers, even tougher to find ones that would know exactly what plants can be trimmed when. Heck many owners around here don't know the best timing, they just trim in the spring and fall.

I would say the easiest way would be to create a list of shrubs for each property and tell your guys when they should be trimmed, maybe a over head view of they property.

Dropping shrub trimming if you're a full service might be a bad choice..

 

Its tough to find workers, even tougher to find ones that would know exactly what plants can be trimmed when. Heck many owners around here don't know the best timing, they just trim in the spring and fall.

I would say the easiest way would be to create a list of shrubs for each property and tell your guys when they should be trimmed, maybe a over head view of they property.

Dropping shrub trimming if you're a full service might be a bad choice..

We have "professional" companies that go through and just trim everything when they're onsite. Because they are. Doesn't matter if it's in full bloom or blooms on new or old wood, it gets trimmed.

I should say hacked, because at the same time they trim everything, most everything is turned into a meatball, mushroom or tuna can. They don't know or care what the intent of the plant is. They don't care that they don't know what the intent of the plant is.

See my "does professionalism matter" thread.

OP...I can't give an easy answer, there isn't one. Personally, I love doing it hourly but most of ours aren't.

 

Focus on shrub removal and planting rather than trimming. That’s where the money is, and it’s easier.

 

Focus on shrub removal and planting rather than trimming. That's where the money is, and it's easier.

Very true.id rather rip out and dig a hole than use a hedge shear.

 

Good money in shrub trimming most full service commercial properties want a company to trim the shrubs 2-3 times a year.

 

Here in NJ, Rutgers offers a course in this.
http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu/courses/current/al0208ca.html

 

I hate doing it (if I'm actually the one trimming). But I've trained my main two guys pretty well I think. One already had it down when he came on board. We estimate based on the shrub size but bill per man hour... But dang if it isn't close. But been doing this 20+ years. Good money. And it seems most customers sure as heck don't want to do it themselves. So it's like fish in a barrel.

 

The only reason I do shrub trimming, is to prevent them from calling another lawn service.
If I want a burger and fries, and McDonald doesn't have fries, but burger king does, I'm not going to Burger King just for the fries. I'm ordering the whole combo at BK.

 

The only reason I do shrub trimming, is to prevent them from calling another lawn service.
If I want a burger and fries, and McDonald doesn't have fries, but burger king does, I'm not going to Burger King just for the fries. I'm ordering the whole combo at BK.

Exactly why I don't understand how so many people get away with just mowing.if people don't want to mow their grass ,why would they want to do anything else?I'd love to get rid of trimming,like the post says but don't know ramifications

 

Yes, I hate trimming. And still don't think I have my pricing right. It turns out trimming usually takes longer then I expected.

 

Hire someone who is experienced in pruning... Pruning is fairly easy you just need to know when and what to prune. Youtube is the way to learn if you cant take pruning courses. We offer pruning and make good money...

 

In my opinion you tube is the worst way to learn pruning. Lots of trash advice.read books and expierement.i have an area that I use to plant plants and test them.nothing beats hands on.there are some good youtube but hard to find,at least in my experience. Garden clubs with experienced members can be beneficial

 

Must be a northern thing. In South Florida, customers expect their bushes to be trimmed. You build it in to your price.

Just yesterday I met a new potential client. Small yard. Super easy. 15 min with 3 guys. Maybe 10 min. And I already do the neighbor. But it had a 6ft hedge all along 2 sides. I openly told the customer the hedge was the hardest part, and quoted him $15 more per cut than I normally would.

You tell a customer here you don't trim hedges and you'll quickly be mowing 2 yards per day wondering why you can't grow.....

 

I think for the most part,this area is the same.blessing and a curse.

 

To honestly answer your question you need to be in contact with your local landscape association, or agriculture extension , or nalp. Send your crews to clinics, college, and recruit from the above organizations.

 

We do about two solid months of daily 8-9 hours shrub trimming 5-6 days a week. some homes take a day some three days... while we do dormant pruning ..we typically trim only once otherwise and during the hot dry time July and August..it’s a little late for some flowing shrubs but all still bloom following year.. we do hand prune, shear and also use gas trimmers of course..has been this way and worked well for 20 some years...and it’s what are customers want.. it’s mind numbing boredom.. and terrible on the back.. but it’s work..

 

I would not give it up. Once you let another landscaper on a customer;s property, youre asking to loose business. Hedge/shrub trimming isnt as specialized as say tree trimming/removal or weed & feed. Thats why you will rarely ever see just a shrub trimming company, atleast I never have. but as others suggested, get in touch with your local extention office for training. As for pricing, I did some painfull time keeping and came up with a decent formula for pricing based on shrub size. Anything under 2' tall is $8 per shrub. 2' to 5' is $10 per, 5' to 8' (my trimmer easily reaches 8') is $15, anything needing a ladder is atleast $30 per. I figured this out by keeping track of time it took too trim and clean up , then dividing that number of shrubs. I now rarely come under our hourly rate using this pricing method. Also if Im not doing the trimming I always marke the shrubs with a flag as to what gets trimmed. And number one rule if in doubt, never trim if its in bloom.

 

I've learned keeping track of times can make or break you,enjoyed your post

 

Trimming is the easy part, picking up the clippings is what sucks. Learn what is needed and pass it on to a worker and let a lower wage worker do the picking up.