Who does hedge trimming?
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Rftreeman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I do, but I do full on lawn care as well as tree work....
Mikecutstrees
ArboristSite Guru
I do a little bit, but it is limited at this point. (4-5 hedge trimming jobs a year)
We do a bit, we have a trimming job coming up which is going to take us about 4 days (PITA but its work). If you have the right gear there can be good money to be made on it.
OLD CHIPMONK
ArboristSite Guru
If you're willing, you can make some x-tra money ! We can all use some !
treeman82
Addicted to ArboristSite
I'll do a few jobs a year, but not tooo many. Ornamental pruning on the other hand...
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
I do a few, when I ran a crew I liked them to round out the day. I would keep a file of my shrub clients in the truck so I could pick up a few small jobs on the way back to the shop, or if I had to wait for a 10:00 utility disconnect.
Many of them wanted the yews to look good by the 4th of July so I would do a lot of them on the the 3 weeks prior. Many of them would not like the regrowth later in the year, so I would be back for a touchup in late August or so.
Every few years I would pick-prune to open the "shell" of a shorn hedge to stimulate growth farther down the stem. A few client I was able to convince to just pick-prune since the rest of the landscape was less formal. These plants seemed to be healthier, but i kept no metrics on them.
For deciduous shrubs with long internodes, ones that look crappy when shorn regularly, I would schedule dormant season renewal pruning, remove 1/4-1/3 of the largest stems/canes.
Quite often you can see a viburnum or lilac that is heavily shorn and by asking how well it flowers you find that the owners trim it at the wrong time every year, so they never see much flowering.
Another way I've kept people on the list is by retiming the sheering, getting to the privets or cotoneaster are flowering shows your knowledge along with the skill. "Why don't we wait till the end of april so that you can enjoy the flowers, since they set their buds in the summer, if we cut them off we will not see much.
Over grown spite hedges can be cut to the ground in dormancy, just tell the client to water well in spring.
The easiest way to get the account was to do the shrubs as an addon when we were there to do tree work. "Those junipers look a bit over grown, since we are here I could reduce them for you for $XX" The you can offer to treat the chlorosis, offer to renew the red and graytwig dogwoods in the back in the winter...
Shrubs and small ornamentals are easy ways to;
Many of them wanted the yews to look good by the 4th of July so I would do a lot of them on the the 3 weeks prior. Many of them would not like the regrowth later in the year, so I would be back for a touchup in late August or so.
Every few years I would pick-prune to open the "shell" of a shorn hedge to stimulate growth farther down the stem. A few client I was able to convince to just pick-prune since the rest of the landscape was less formal. These plants seemed to be healthier, but i kept no metrics on them.
For deciduous shrubs with long internodes, ones that look crappy when shorn regularly, I would schedule dormant season renewal pruning, remove 1/4-1/3 of the largest stems/canes.
Quite often you can see a viburnum or lilac that is heavily shorn and by asking how well it flowers you find that the owners trim it at the wrong time every year, so they never see much flowering.
Another way I've kept people on the list is by retiming the sheering, getting to the privets or cotoneaster are flowering shows your knowledge along with the skill. "Why don't we wait till the end of april so that you can enjoy the flowers, since they set their buds in the summer, if we cut them off we will not see much.
Over grown spite hedges can be cut to the ground in dormancy, just tell the client to water well in spring.
The easiest way to get the account was to do the shrubs as an addon when we were there to do tree work. "Those junipers look a bit over grown, since we are here I could reduce them for you for $XX" The you can offer to treat the chlorosis, offer to renew the red and graytwig dogwoods in the back in the winter...
Shrubs and small ornamentals are easy ways to;
- beef up your per job totals, $70 on a $700 job is a 10% increase, so you can be generous to get the job and show your stuff.
- generate revolving accounts that you can be on at least once a year, most properties have more material that can be worked with, so you can add a few others on as you go, and monitor the larger trees for work as needed. The trick is to not look to pushy and money grubbing, maybe do it gratis once, and say you will bill for it the next time. Most people who like your work will say "your the expert, just treat me fairly!"
- and create exposure to neighbors so that you can get other clients in a small area. This way, even if you are running a huge truck and chipper, you can afford to have small clients on your books that you can pick up when you are near by. If you get one client that is small, but on your way home, that you break even on with every visit, it may be worth the exposure to build your reputation close to home, or in an affluent community.
From a Uk stand point, I do a lot and make good money from it, with the right kit its very easy and I can get a good price. Boring but I get a lot of regular tree work from it
I use a combination of Echo HC3142 single sider, Stihl pole HL75 and a HT75 pole saw with the HL75 head.
With this combo any width or height of hedge is easy and i can work really fast.
I use a combination of Echo HC3142 single sider, Stihl pole HL75 and a HT75 pole saw with the HL75 head.
With this combo any width or height of hedge is easy and i can work really fast.
ASD
Addicted to ArboristSite
If you want to pay us we will do this
to this
to this
Nice writeup; mind if i borrow it?
opcorn: Shrubs are an arborist's business; attached.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
Nice writeup; mind if i borrow it?
Shrubs are an arborist's business; attached.
As long as I get credit
scotclayshooter
Addicted to ArboristSite
my prefered hedgetrimmer!
A lot easier on the arms than my Kawasaki th23!
ASD
Addicted to ArboristSite
ASD
Addicted to ArboristSite
same shot 1hr. later "hedge trimmed short":greenchainsaw:
Biggest residential hedge I've worked on was $18,000 and had to be done yearly. 20' high and had to be laser level straight. Had to use the full gamut of tools: Bucket trucks, orchard ladders, extension ladders w/bars and climb up inside.
Hedges can be a significant addition to the treework if marketed for.
Hedges can be a significant addition to the treework if marketed for.
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
I have a buddy who does a pick prune of a line of 14 or so Tillia cordata on an annual basis. All hand pruners and ARS reach pruners.
18k???? wow they must love there hedges
