Our Services
Garden visit from an expert grower
Our primary service is a one-hour visit with the client(s) at their garden site, to assess and discuss its potential with them. Part (or even all) of this can include answering any specific questions they may have.
Some advantages of having a consultant on-site:
- We can see how all of the elements of the yard relate to each other, and how to integrate any additions (whether garden beds or perennial plants like trees or shrubs).
- We may spot issues that a beginner wouldn’t know to watch for – eg. drainage, competing existing plants, animal pests.
- Any advice we give will be based on knowledge of the location, so it will be much more customized and relevant.
The one-hour garden visit includes a brief written summary of the discussion and advice for going forward.
Rate for initial site visit: $100
Fruit tree and berry pruning
Fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes, and some herbs are perennial food crops. They take more time to establish than most garden vegetables, but once planted they can continue growing and producing for years or even decades. They can also be attractive parts of the residential landscape. Generally speaking, established perennial food crops require less water, fertilizer, and care than annual vegetables.
Most will need some pruning every year, in order to:
- Control the shape and size of a tree to fit in the available space, improve its appearance, and make harvest easier.
- Cut out disease, dead wood, and to stimulate healthy new growth and fruit production
- Keep the branch structure strong in order to support heavy fruit
- Improve fruit size and quality
There are general principles to follow when pruning, but each plant and situation is different. Some perennial food plants need very little maintenance to produce a regular crop (nut trees, some types of berries, herbs), while others require significant annual pruning.
Jordan first learned fruit tree pruning from an arborist he worked with during his landscape gardening days, and has been doing it seasonally for the last 20 years.
With a few exceptions, this work is done during the months when the plants are dormant: December through March in our region.
Hourly rate for pruning: $40/hour
Ongoing garden mentorship
If a client would like more help with garden design, crop planning, or other garden advice beyond what is covered in the initial visit and follow-up, we will provide consultation via email (and in some cases further on-site visits).
Available by quote.