I had my first landscaping experience four years ago when I began working for my brother Nick. It was after my first day of work that I knew this was the career I wanted for myself. While working for my brother I learned several beneficial skills giving me a tremendous learning experience. Throughout this essay I will explain and give examples of all my experiences such as lawn care, hardscape, and how to run a successful business.
While working with Nick one skill I learned was how to properly maintain and take care of lawns. Nick also taught me the correct way to fertilize by using the appropriate fertilizer according to the season. It is essential to know which fertilizers to use and when to use them because if the right fertilizer is not used then the problem will not go away. It goes the same way for seeding a lawn. If you don’t seed a lawn properly then the grass will never grow. One more skill that I learned that is crucial for lawn care was how to install an irrigation system. Beginning with digging the trenches for the water pipes, then installing the sprinkler heads, and lastly wiring the control box inside the house.
I also learned how to build many hardscapes, such as patios, walkways and retaining walls. Nick taught me the proper way to build, beginning with leveling off the area that is being built on. Then how to correctly place the first row of bricks so that eventually it does not start to crack in places and fall apart. That will also make any project you do look better.
One of the most excellent skills I picked up by working with my brother was how to run a successful business. I learned this by simply watching him and what he did for many years. It is very hard to run a successful landscape business with all of the competition out there, but he manages to do it, and I think that is a good reason to learn from what he has done. He taught me how to estimate the cost of a job, and all the things that go into an estimate. He...