Starting a business caring for Houseplants,opinions please?

Hi all,new here and love this site! If any of you folks would like to critique my idea,I would be thankful!
I've been working with plants for most of the last 20 years and have been thinking about starting a homebased business I'm calling 'Houseplant Housecalls'. It would involve diagnosing problems,repotting,treating,plantsitting,maybe buying and placing new plants. I don't want it to be an interiorscaping business,did that working for other companies and got totally burned out on the repititivness.
I think the clientel is here, but what I'd really like to know is if any of you had 'black thumbs' would you pay for this service?
I currently work at one of those big box stores,I buy all the plants there [ going on 6 years],and it is slowly crushing my soul.I'm the only employee that knows anything about plants and it doesn't seem to be a priority to them to hire anyone with any horticultural knowledge.As I'm sure you have all seen they really don't care if the plants die, and it's getting worse!
Thanks in advance for any advice/opinions! Kim

Hey I'd love to plantsit my neighbor's plants...hope she wouldn't mind if I took a few cuttings. hahaha jk

I'd only suggest to start small- try it part time before quitting your job.

I think it is a real good idea.I know several people who love plants but can't keep them alive.

Sounds like a dream job. Wouldn't mind doing something like that myself. I know many people that like plants but can't grow them. What types of plants would you offer if you place them yourself? I think that watering 2-3 week could be costly for the customer.

Hi kathy- I would probably offer to place low maintenance dracaena and pothos. Those were the 'backbone' of plants that were in businesses that i maintained when I was a tech.
The biggest problem was people in the offices and restaurants 'helping' me by watering them with their coffee!

Kimmers, I think it would be hard to make a living. I did critter care in the 80s when few people were doing it and while it supplemented my main job, there was no way I could live on dog walks (no matter what the weather!) and vacation visits. Part of the problem was that I gave each critter too much time to make a viable economic return. If you live in an area that has lots of affluent people....I just don't know. Seems that people will have gardeners and landscapers. I totally agree with the slogan "do what you love and the money will follow" but often the money isn't a lot. Just some ideas to throw out: maybe if you combined it with something along the lines of teaching people how to have a kitchen garden--perhaps a class at a local community college, or cooking several times a week using fresh herbs and taking it to your customers. I knew a woman who did this MWFand she had about 12-15 customers and she charged $30 for a meal for 2 and $20 for one person and used only the best organic vegetables. She made vegetable stews, interesting pastas and fresh bread. She had a heating gizmo in her van so the food arrived hot. Maybe a combination of plant/garden things would bring in enough money to quit the job you hate. Don't give up.

P.S. What about 1) teaching people how to create a garden no matter what the space restrictions are. Could be a class through continuing education or 1-on-1. People have personal trainers, what about personal gardeners. Something more than just rescue a dying plant altho that, too. 2) Design gardens. Some angle on this so it is not a landscape designer. Smaller scale. Window boxes.

I don't think your idea is so farfetched. Our office is in a building that has a professional house plant person come in and take care of the plants in the lobby. When I compare how healthy and good the plants in the lobby look to the little ones I have, it has crossed my mind to give up and have her add our office to her list. I've never checked the price she charges--but at least two of the people in our building use her.

Suspect it would be like most businesses, start slow and build up your base, etc. etc.

I think the one point is key - what economic area you live in... The wealthy will pay for service. They will also want exotics & large plants. Many homes now have ponds, & will gladly pay for someone to take care of the plants & fish. That also includes cleaning the ponds & taking care of the pumps, filters, etc. I would think consultation might be another service you could offer - that is worth alot to busy homeowners. They would pay for micromanaging their gardens. Could you begin with outdoor & work in the indoor plantscaping later? Plantscapers are doing very well where I live, designing & installing gardens, then maintenance on a regular basis. They change the plants with the seasons - so the work would be consistant during 3 seasons out of the year. I really think there is a valid market. I see others doing it - why not you?
Julie

My mom has an interior plantscaping business ('Forever Green') with accounts at auto and other showrooms around her area.. There's a lot of boring plants there.. ficus, and then every winter she gets pointsettas for some of the accounts. She never made a ton but she really only ever worked one day a week... I think she keeps it up for the tax ID number actually, which is a nice perk to owning a plant based business if you're a gardener.

I don't know anything about this but anyone have any thoughts on the benefit of doing something like taking a master gardening course to add to credentials? I only know that such a title exists and not whether it's worth getting or not.

Good luck,
Byron.

Byron,

Do you know how much the charges are for such a service? Is there an innitial charge for the plants, as well? I thought of doing this myself. I curently do a barter with a chiropractor. Plants for adjustments. My husband and I have both been get free adjustments monthly for the past 2 years. It would be nice to make some additional $ with other businesses, as well...Kathy

That is a nice arrangement! Many of my plants that have gotten too large have a new home at my sister's dentist. His office has a huge window & high ceilings, & everything is lush. I don't think he has given her any discounts though - very smart!

Our hospital has a lot of nice large plants which are maintained by such a company. They come by a couple times a week to water and manicure the plants. If one does not look healthy , then they would replace it. I have only seen them replace plants once, other than that the plants stay so nice and green. Never a brown leaf to be seen. They do the whole thing and keep them looking nice. I dont know if people at home would pay for it, but larger businesses sure would.

It does sound like a nice idea.

Thanks all for the input.Lots to think about! I might be going in a different direction though.A Landscaper that I deal with at the HD told me about a [possible] large wholesale Nursery going up in my town, and he thinks I'd be ideal to help run it! Keep your fingers crossed for me because this sounds like my 'dream' job!
But doing the houseplant job also is still in the works too,thanks again for all the ideas! kim

You get to play with the plants every day? That IS a dream job! I hope you accept the postion - it doesn't sound at all like "work!"

Kimmers, it's amazing what happens when we open ourselves and focus our thinking towards alternatives to 'what is.' Jobs, for sure, but not only--imagine on a world scale. That's it--imagine, as John Lennon sang. Anyway, I have my fingers crossed for you. Please keep this board up-to-date. If I may be so bold: as a former New Yorker and after 35+ away from there, I still have that city's cultural habit of not always taking no for an answer and trying to discover wiggle room when I hear a "No." Perhaps there is a way for you to get your foot in the door--something you can offer that they would not want to refuse. An example: About 8 years ago, I wanted to work at one unique video/DVD store BIGTIME because they had the most offbeat and interesting inventory of any store in the whole city, so I began as their 'on call' person and eventually after several months of last minute calls to come in, I had all the hours I wanted. Bye. ruby

kimmers, I think that is a bang-up idea. May I suggest? To get your name out there and let people know who you are and how good you are, why not host plant parties, offer up a clinic at your community college, put up a few brightly colored flyers (free advertisement), leave business cards on tables at restaraunts, offer free care (limited) to a potential customer for every customer she/he sends your way, etc. etc. I think you must have a market, if your box store sells so much, as people are probably replacing a lot of plants that die. By the way, how wonderful to work at a "real" nursery, I know what the heart ache is when working at a box store, they really don't give a hoot if something lives or not, as long as they can get the numbers out the door. Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gave me ulcers. :) You go, girl.

Thanks for the support you guys! I talked to the Landscaper today and it sounds like his Nursery is going to be a reality! It would be wholesale AND retail, but also offer 'bulk' items like mulch and boulders.There is only one Nursery in town and they are WAY over priced,so I think the market is good.When I told him I would be thrilled to be considered for a position he told me to 'hang tight' and he'll definitely keep in touch with me, because he thinks I would be a good fit!
I'm so excited, not only that it would be retail too [I really enjoy helping customers ], but not to have to put up with all the BS that Home Depot is famous for! :)