I recently saw a Facebook post where someone was posting for a tree company saying they needed work. Someone commented back saying ” well everyone and their brothers cut trees, mows lawns, and grades land in this area, so the market is saturated.” It reminds me of my generation and the generation before me, where you won a gold star if you were the kid that charged the neighbors $5 to cut their lawn. Kids had little side hustles and now they are adults, and have saturated the market with landscaping services and tree trimming companies. The question becomes, if I want to hire a landscaper, how do I select the right one? Well, we’ve got a few tips for you, especially with the new year on the horizon!
First, there are many different types of landscaping services. From only maintenance, to only installing plants, landscape design, landscape contractor, arborist, and more! It can truly get overwhelming, but the main goal for you is decide what services you truly need. Are you looking to just “refresh” your landscape, well then, an installer might be a good choice for you. Do you need your trees trimmed before a hurricane? Hiring a certified arborist would be the right choice in this case! Knowing exactly what services you need, is step one to finding a solid landscape service. The second must have is, licensed and insured. I remember as a kid, a guy with a ladder and a pickup truck would knock on our door and offer to cut my dad’s trees for $25. It may seem like a deal, but do not fall for this! Even if they have the right intentions, if they aren’t insured, you are liable for any injuries that may occur to them while they are on your property! Be sure to do your research and ensure the company is truly licensed and insured before any work can begin.
You may be thinking well the next most important thing would be cost, and you’re not wrong that’s something you have to consider, but in all reality, it should be knowledge. There are a MULTITUDE of companies with little experience and hold no certifications. We like to call those “mow & blow companies.” They are usually cheaper, they buzz your lawn, blow the debris, and move onto the next one. Now I get it, everyone needs to start somewhere, but here’s the problem with that. The odds of spreading diseases, fungus, and possibly insect issues into your yard are extremely high. This is why you should ensure your landscaper holds at least one, possibly more certifications! Think of it this way, when you get your haircut, your hair dresser must hold a license. When you get your nails done, each cosmetologist has to hold a license. Why aren’t landscape professionals, who truly impact our environment, not have to hold certifications? From the FNGLA to Florida Friendly, to BMPS, there are a number of certifications that landscapers could possibly hold! So what certifications should you be looking for? It comes back to what we mentioned earlier, what services are you truly looking for?
The FNGLA Certified Horticulture Professional (FCHP) program is the industry’s only standard for measuring horticulture knowledge on everything from plant and pest identification to landscape management. The certification is designed for those working in the horticulture industry or studying to enter the field.
FNGLA Certified Landscape Irrigation Service Technician-focuses on irrigation including sprinklers, valved, controllers, wiring, pipe fitting/repairs, operational efficiency, troubleshooting, and more!
Certified Landscape Technician (FCLT) program is focused on plant ID, plan layout, tree installation, pruning, palm banding & propping, grading & drainage, irrigation, equipment operation, and job evaluation
FNGLA’s Certified Landscape Maintenance Technician (FCLMT) program is designed to measure the skills of practicing landscape maintenance technicians. This certification relies heavily on Green Industries Best Management Practices. This certification encompasses plant ID, pest management, fertilization, truck & trailer, irrigation, pruning, site evaluation, and turf management
FNGLA’s Certified Landscape Designer (FCLD) program offers a professional designation for practicing Landscape Designers. FNGLA Certified Landscape Designer (FCLD) is the highest level of certification available to Florida’s landscape design professionals. This certification encompasses plant ID & selection, design principles, site design, and landscape lawn and sustainable practices.
Florida Water StarSM Accredited Professional (FWS-AP) helps industry professionals and government employees across Florida increase their water conservation knowledge through training and testing. FNGLA works with Florida’s Water Management Districts throughout the state on this comprehensive water conservation program. FWS-AP has two designations: Landscape and Irrigation.
FNGLA’s Certified Landscape Contractor (FCLC) program is the only standard for measuring the knowledge of practicing landscape contractors in Florida, and is the highest level of certification available to Florida’s landscape installation professionals. This certification includes landscape law, accounting, estimating, and construction documents.
The search feature on the FNGLA website to find a certified landscaper in your area. You can search by just county, or look up a specific person or type of certification.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program offers a Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Certified Professional (FFLCP) designation to individuals who have completed the required training in FFL principles and are familiar with the latest UF/IFAS recommendations. These trained professionals have demonstrated the ability to recognize and address common landscape issues by using environmentally sustainable landscape management practices that help preserve and protect Florida’s water and natural resources. If you want a rich, Florida Friendly landscape, hiring a certified professional is a great way to go! Our friend Butterflies & Blossoms in Sarasota is one of the few local landscapers who hold this certification! You can find who is certified in your area here!
GI-BMPs teach environmentally safe landscaping practices that help conserve and protect Florida’s ground and surface waters and natural resources. This science-based educational program for Green Industry professionals is brought to you by the UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Florida law states that all commercial fertilizer applicators must have a Limited Certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) (s. 482.1562, F.S.). Sadly, a mow and blow company may slip under the radar and not hold this important certification that helps protect our waterways from run off and over fertilizing! Find a company who is certified here!
At the end of the day, you choose who will takes care of your landscape. In this kind of economy, it’s easy to resort to the cheapest option, but at the end of the day, it may not be worth it in the long run. A fungus spreads due to uncleaned blades, that kills half your lawn and now your HOA is charging you daily until your lawn is replaced. Maybe your landscaper decides to do a hard prune on your plants, which leads to them dying due to excess rain, causing rot. A certified professional is paramount to ensure your landscape is thriving, as well as reducing your impact on the environment.
-Written by Janyel Taylor & Edited by John Taylor
Like our blogs? Get them straight to your inbox by subscribing!
The Veranda View 