It didn’t cost me much to get started. If you’re a gardener, you most likely already have the tools you need: rake, shovel, clippers. etc. I bought a blower, tiller, edger and chainsaw from a pawn shop — all for $175; I found a cheap van for $900. I found a 33-gallon trash can on the side of the road (someone was throwing it out)!

Start with the basics — don’t buy anything extra until you need it for a job. The only $$ you’ll really need is an amount to get you through the bleak times.

Get a book on starting your own landscape business — you can use those ideas and tailor it to your own gardening business. Putting flyers in your own neighborhood is a cheap way to advertise. Give a bunch of business cards to family and friends– you can make this on your home computer. I put business cards in the local senior community centers because seniors need help with their yards. Look for folks with shabby front yards and put a flyer in their door. The other place to advertise is in community associations that have newsletters — usually cheap advertising.

Good luck — let me know if you have any questions.

Pick the best one in your area that is not a franchise and get a job with them to learn first hand.