Earn six-figure income in landscape maintenance business BY TY MCDONALD ADVERTISING Yes, you can — earn big dollars on the Big Island — as a knowledgeable landscape gardening professional. Now that is “pocket change” you can believe in. The landscape
Earn six-figure income in landscape maintenance business
BY TY MCDONALD
Yes, you can — earn big dollars on the Big Island — as a knowledgeable landscape gardening professional. Now that is “pocket change” you can believe in.
The landscape and ornamental plant industry, currently one of the largest and fastest growing agricultural sectors in Hawaii, is valued at nearly $500 million. This rapid growth is projected to continue into the foreseeable future. In many ways, the landscape industry clearly is the future of agriculture in Hawaii.
One benefit of rampant development occurring on the island is the increase in demand for landscape goods and services. The starting salary and benefits for entry-level gardeners at many of our beautifully landscaped resorts is much better than that offered by traditional agriculture operations. Moreover, for budding entrepreneurs in landscape maintenance, the opportunities are many, and in some instances, quite lucrative.
With this enormous opportunity and influx of people into the landscape field, comes the challenge to ensure quality service and workmanship throughout the various sectors of the industry.
Landscape gardeners face a wide variety of tasks and challenges in their daily work. Besides knowledge of a plethora of tropical and subtropical plants, good gardeners must deal with nutrient and irrigation management on the island’s unusual soils, contend with a myriad of invasive pests and provide proper horticultural care of turf grasses, shrubs and trees.
The Hawaii Island Landscape Association, or HILA, the umbrella organization for the diverse landscape industry on the Big Island, acts as a liaison for the various landscape professions by promoting communication between architects, contractors, gardeners, resort managers and suppliers. The mission of HILA is to promote excellence within the landscape industry.
Beginning this month HILA, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service, is offering its annual 10-week Landscape Maintenance Training program. This series is geared for landscape maintenance technicians new to the field, those already in the field but desiring more technical knowledge, as well as experienced landscapers reviewing for the Certified Landscape Technician test.
The first class, “Botany,” on March 19, reviews basic plant science before tackling plant identification slides — illustrating more than 100 tropical plants common in Hawaii landscapes. Topics covered in the following weeks include more ornamental plant identification; common weeds and their control; plant installation; insect pest identification and control; safe pesticide use; math for landscapers; plant and soil health; pruning; turf care and irrigation; and safe operation and maintenance of landscape equipment.
The LMT classes will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, from March 19 through May 21, at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort. The cost is $350 for the entire series or $40 for individual classes. The deadline for registration is March 14.
Additional HILA training classes offered include the Irrigation School. This course provides advanced irrigation training for those interested in job advancement, preparation for the CLT Irrigation test, or both. Topics include irrigation design hydraulics and plan reading, electricity and controllers, water management, drip irrigation, valve troubleshooting and repair, hands-on copper sweating and trencher operation.
The two-day class will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13 and 14 at Hualalai Resort. Cost for the Irrigation School is $250.
Landscapers seeking certification should plan to take the CLT test administered in June in Kona. Two different certifications are offered: landscape maintenance and irrigation. The CLT test for each is composed of one written test and one field test, held on consecutive Saturdays. For information about this international program, call Jay, on Oahu, at 956-2150.
For those taking the CLT test, HILA is again offering the “CLT Test Preparation Intensive.” This training is an intensive 10-hour class (held over two days) specifically focused on helping candidates review and prepare for either of the two tests. The intensive, scheduled for June 6 and 7, is also a way to get a feel of the CLT test prior to the official all-day field test.
The rest preparation intensive includes classroom study of plan reading, plant sensitivity and safe pesticide application, as well as sod laying and tree planting demonstrations. The hands-on irrigation section provides opportunity to practice pipe repair and head adjustment, controller programming and irrigation parts identification.
A schedule of classes and registration form for the program are available at www.lichawaii.com under “Training.”
Call Ty at 322-4892 for more information.
