Anyone know what is a good rate? Want to offer a service but not sure what to charge. Do you go by bush, hourly rate? Who has had theirs done? I know its unusual but I enjoy doing them! And have all the gear.
racheal77,
Jun 29, 2:53am
Funny I love pruning them also, usually just do some elderly neighbours how have dozens they cant do so sorry cant help with payment but a good idea.
brightlights60,
Jun 29, 3:18am
I thought I was the only one. Hort tutor thought I was bonkers when I said I liked doing it, always have. Have all the gear now (gauntlets etc) as used to get ripped to shreds!
buddytom,
Jun 29, 7:48am
I think an hourly rate is the way to to go, then everyone is happy .
antoniab,
Jun 29, 10:53pm
I love it too - hanging out to do mine but still too warm here.
I used to prune the roses at the Imperial War Museum in London when I lived there, great job!
grassman,
Jun 30, 12:18am
Charge by the hour is easiest. I have been doing them for 25 years and always by the hour. Never even give a rough price without seeing them first.
brightlights60,
Jul 2, 11:09am
Thanks grassman. I will do anyone elses first, but love leaving mine till August. I sometimes do an early prune if I get bad aphids as I hate spraying and only do it once a year if I have to. Would rather give another prune. I have around 19 beautiful roses, mostly classics like Peace, In Loving Memory, Freesia, Double Delight. My In Loving Memory no matter how brutal I cut back, gets to over 8 foot right outside my kitchen window. This year it bloomed till April, from November. Amazing.
paix1,
Jul 3, 9:01am
Yeah, Loving Memory almost grows like a tree brightlights! I don't prune here either until August. And for what it's worth, last year I sprayed immediately after spraying and that was it. And I never had black spot, aphids, or anything else the whole summer! The only thing I did differently was every time I had a banana or egg, I threw the skins/shells straight out the window onto the roses. They were spectacular last summer. Gave them a trim recently with the hedge clippers as my Tropical Sunset had one stem touching my roof guttering (yes really) and they are sprouting new growth (which I will prune off in August). I must get Double Delight as it was one of my late Mum's fav roses - I also love Paddy Stephens and Hamilton Gardens - both grow like Loving Memory.
summersunnz,
Jul 3, 12:45pm
Paix, my 99 year old friend has Double Delight by her front door - she treasures it :-)
brightlights60,
Jul 5, 12:30pm
Love Double Delight. I agree, with that endless Summer we had, the roses were amazing last Summer. I think the more attention you give them the better they do. I always take the spent blooms of, always giving people a bunch of roses when I go anywhere, and have vases full inside, and yes, I drop banana skins (up to 1 per plant) for potassium for the roses, plus lemon or lime skins to deter the aphids. They also get the compost bin contents once a year, and last year I piled coconut fibre around the roots to maintain the moisture. I also have a jasmine in the middle that grows practically into my kitchen window. I cut it brutally at the end of Summer so its going to fantastic this year.
kellygirl,
Jul 12, 11:50am
I do it for a job & charge $35 hour
summersunnz,
Jul 13, 3:48am
Cool job :-)
bluefrog2,
Nov 22, 1:02pm
I paid to have my fruit trees and rose bushes pruned the first year I had my garden. And have the guy teach me how to do it myself at the same time. I think we agreed a flat rate for the job over the phone, after I told him how many trees and how tall they were.
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