Garden assistant or gardener - what's the difference?

Anyone who wants to become a freelance gardener, of course, should know exactly what they need to be able to do or need to do. Most important information first: As a gardener, you are not a fully trained gardener.

Even if the horticulture profession does not require a license, it is clearly recommended to undergo appropriate training. During this process, you will gain a comprehensive botanical knowledge that you must apply practically in your daily work. For example, gardeners know:

• What plants have what requirements
• Where do plants grow best
• How to deal with pests
• What are the aesthetic rules to be followed for the transplant?

The park assistant is mainly assigned to do various simple activities. It is not assigned to design a garden or aid in selecting a plant, but as an example:

• Herbs
• Pruning trees, shrubs, and hedges
• Harrow leaves
• Pits beds
• Lawn mowing
• Watering plants

As a horticultural assistant, you only provide operational activities, which may be referred to as auxiliary or auxiliary services. As a rule, you do not need specialized knowledge of a gardener for this.

Register a business to become a freelance gardening assistant

Offering simple gardening, helping an old lady, earning extra money - often working as a gardening aide is done in black. This means: registered business and without tax. Things that seem appealing and simple to one or the other are of course forbidden in Germany. Registering your business is essential if you want to start a serious business as a gardener and don't want to commit a criminal offense.

To do this, go to the trade office and fill out the trade license (this is now also available online). You will then get a tax number from the tax office and you can get started.
If you are wondering about the appropriate legal form to work as a garden assistant, you can expect a clear answer. Sole proprietorship is recommended if you intend to run your business on your own. On the other hand, if you want to think big and employ a few lawn aids (more on this topic in the next article), then it is better to set up a UG (Limited Liability) or Limited Company.

As a growing garden aid, you should bring these qualities with you.
Even if your daily duties as a lawn aid are relatively simple, that doesn't mean you don't have to meet any requirements to do the job. Perhaps the biggest challenge is that activities put a heavy burden on the body in the long run. Plus, you work outside all year long regardless of wind and weather conditions. The list below will help you figure out if you are a good fit for a job as a gardening assistant.

• Exercise capacity
• Fitness
• Energy
• Basic botanical knowledge
• The joy of being outside (whatever the weather)
• Orderly and orderly work

If you want to be self-employed in this branch, no special qualification or open training as a garden assistant is required. However, it is recommended that you have a basic understanding of gardening and not start completely. Your customers will quickly notice if you have any ideas about your business.

The right equipment for professional gardeners

It is important to have the right equipment to make your lawn work as easy as possible and reduce the risk of injury. As a lawn aid, you definitely need:

• Durable clothing (long and short)
• Sturdy shoes (preferably with a steel toe)
• Thick and thin gloves
• Hood
• Garden tools (if not provided by the customer)
• What else to consider

Insurance: As a gardener, you definitely need good coverage - no matter how careful and careful you are, things can always happen. Both accident and professional liability insurance are mandatory. You should also consider statutory protection and disability insurance.
Logging business: Regardless of whether you are a gardener or a gardener - the person hired by the client to cut a tree can only officially do so with a chainsaw license. If you wish to offer this service as a garden aid, it is highly recommended that you attend a suitable course. For example, contact your local forestry office, volunteer fire team, or chain saw manufacturer. To get the relevant certification, you need to budget from 300 to 400 euros.
Winter timing: Of course there is always something to do in the garden, but as a freelance gardening assistant, you also have to admit that the beginning of winter is a time of pickles and cucumbers, as only a few requests come home. This time around, it's worth considering several additional services - like clearing basements or helping with housework, in order to survive without major financial losses.

Create a gardening aid as a big business
Do you enjoy working as a gardening helper, but somehow feel like you have a lot of bigger things? Then take your business to the next level. Nobody is telling you that you have to do all the work yourself.

When the time is right, you can definitely consider hiring employees and thus create some sort of (out-of-district) horticultural assistance network. The job is ideal as a student - so why not collaborate with local universities and give young people the opportunity to slightly increase their monthly budget?

If you are considering growing your business and hiring people, it is especially important not to lose sight of these two points:

• Record each employee correctly (read: No undeclared work)
• Pay attention to comprehensive insurance coverage for all employees