Archive for April 2010

I’m geting another Gardner snake?

Friday, April 30th, 2010

the first one I had was a checkred garter snake but after a year it died of blisters diease now the pet store only sells albino ones it’s winter so I can’t catch a wild one sowould it matter if it’s albino and I need care tips on food mulch and health care

It shouldn’t matter all that much if you get an albino garter snake. Its diet would still be the same. It may be more sensitive to light, so make sure to give it hiding spaces. Avoid bright lighting. You can use an under tank heating system for basic heating. For top heat you can include a red incandescent light.

Categories : Mulching Tips

Tips on starting a business?

Friday, April 30th, 2010

I want to start a landscaping business: Landscapia. With certain prices every 30 minutes depending on what it is. Any tips?

Hi Michael,

"Success Leaves Tracks." What I would recommend you do to get your business started the right way is to conduct some competitive intelligence…Its very simple and you can do it in just a few hours.

First, you simply go through the Yellow Pages in your area and research all the different lanscaping companies who are already operating successfully.

Your purpose is to eventually call these successful"" companies asking them about their services and fees for both residential and/or commerical jobs, depending on what you want to work with.

Also, make sure to look at the ad description to get ideas on the types of jobs and services they offer. This will help you decide what specifically you want to do in landscaping.

You may have to act a potential client to get these answers, it will only take a few minutes per call but it will definitely get you started the right way.

Before you go off and start dialing you may want to create a list of questions that’ll answer you most pressing concerns in starting your business such as:

1. "How many years have you been in business?" Michael, you definitely want to take notes from someone whos been in the business a long time…

2. "What are your rates per job/hour/30 minutes?" Or ,"What are your rates for a "specific" job. Or, "Is there a flat fee to even take on a job?"

3. "Do you work on contracts, 6mths. 1 year…?"

Something else you must do is to define your business. In other words you need to make it easy for customers to know what business you are in.

After doing your research you may decide that you only want to focus on specific jobs or you may want to do regular landscaping maintenance jobs…and that is exactly what you want to include after your business name. "Landscapia"

For example: Landscapia: Custom Lanscaping Projects, or, Landscape Maintenance, or simply create a list of what you do…Yard work, Tree Trimming, Commercial & Residential Maintenance, etc…

FYI: Specialists get paid much more than generalist ie: a heart surgeon earns more than a medical doctor…

Is there a gap or customer segment, or area in landscaping that you can fill, which will pay you much more for the same time worked?

Michael, by doing some competitive research you’ll definitely get started in your business 95% ahead of all others.

Good Luck.

P.S. When you are doing your research make sure to take note of systems that already successful landscaping companies are using and implement those into your own business…building a system dependent business is much easier to run and more likely to last for the long haul.

Categories : Landscaping Tips

The Gardening Magazine

Friday, April 30th, 2010

You go to the supermarket and various bookshops and you will see many different magazines on every subject. For gardeners the magazines to browse through are the gardening ones. How can you tell from the glossy cover, if the gardening magazine in your hand will be worth your buying it?

Well firstly the glossy cover will give you a preview of what to expect in the gardening magazine itself. There will be the titles of certain subjects that are known to attract the attention of new gardeners and other more experienced gardeners.

To have a well kept garden is a joy. To watch your garden spring up almost magically is a wonderful feeling. Gardening services provide many different services that will keep your garden maintained without any hassle for you. Gardening doesn’t get much better than this.

A quick look at the table of contents shows what the magazines are actually offering you. You can find the standard articles on gardens and how their owners achieved that particular look. There may be articles that give expert advice on how to cultivate a new type of flower, vegetable or even a fruit hybrid.

For the new gardener there will be tips and mini projects in the gardening magazine on how to make their dream garden. They can also find articles dealing with matters like mulching and making your own compost. A new gardener can be inspired by the fantastic photographs depicting beautiful gardens. Articles pertaining to the picture in the gardening magazine will describe in detail what was done to the garden to achieve that look.

You can also look up ways to grow your plants in different garden forms. These articles may describe indoor gardening or show you how to plan a Japanese garden. You could also receive gardening tips from experts in the gardening trade. They in turn will introduce you via the gardening magazine to suppliers who have the expertise and knowledge to help you transform your humdrum, plain looking garden into a masterpiece.

In addition to these articles of interest you will find many advertisements in the gardening magazine. The will range from seed distributors to gardening equipment dealers. You may even find nurseries that will sell you seedlings and quality transplants.

There is sure to be a page or two that is devoted exclusively to future gardening magazine subscribers. You will be advised how much your subscription rate will be and how often you can receive your magazine. You may even be offered a chance to subscribe to a year’s worth of gardening magazines. In addition you could be offered a preview of what is in store for the gardening magazine next month. What a tantalizing thought.

As you can see the glossy cover to the gardening magazine is there to invite you into buying the magazine. Looking inside the magazine will let you know if this is indeed the right magazine to start you on your exciting new journey through the many different faces of gardening.

Dtm
http://www.articlesbase.com/ebooks-articles/the-gardening-magazine-57352.html

Categories : Mulching Tips