Janice wrote:

haha.. well I'm figuring it's good when you can find one who knows a
flower from a weed, or even a vegetable from a weed!

I have a friend who used to accompany another friend and I when we
used to go "Greenhousing" which amounted to going to each and every
greenhouse we could find in town and even in neighboring towns. That
was a big deal to me as I've never really owned a real trustworthy
vehicle, so it was always a risk. Anyway, that friend has been
helping me around the yard, and I've been paying her, is going to move
pretty soon, out of state! This is going to leave me in bad way since
I can't afford to pay big prices, and most of the people doing yard
work are only mowing lawns, maybe weed whacking the edges, and beyond
that do more damage than help, and if you have an area you can trust
them to weed, they want $25 an hour or more, to do hand weeding!

I'm just not able to do more than sit and spray the hose around the
yard and soak the half whiskey barrel planters, and pull some weeds
out of the ones I can reach. It's depressing

So I can see someone being delighted to acquire help that doesn't
require continual supervision to keep from losing your plants! I
can't do that all the time, and when it gets really hot, can't spend
very much time outside at all. I generally go out early morning or
later in the day.. not early evening .. mid? after the sun is off the
yard, and the temperatures has had time to drop 10 or 15 degrees.

I'm going to have to put out a plea for help, but I hate to advertise
my inability to get around well as that can also be a "come help
yourself to anything I own" ad too. I'd have to get a few large dogs
too! LOL

Janice

I hear you! Maybe you could show them what you don't want
weeded--of course, that assumes they will understand/remember. I
have just been soooo nervous with the guys who have been coming up
until now--in part, because I have had awful experiences with such
folks, first at my dad's and now here. I do have one theory that
may help--the companies that are just starting out may be much
more conscientious and knowledgeable than the second (or more)
generation ones--or even first-generation ones that have enough of
a reputation so they can coast. (I'm sure there are exceptions to
my generation theory, kids who are actually interested in the
business who have taken over--but that has not been my
experience.) Another thing that helps is if your directions are
a) understood, and b) passed on.
--
Jean B.