Ok, so here's my confession: I don't own a truck, and I operate a successful, thriving fine gardening business. But a few months ago, I thought I needed one.
Earlier this year, I decided it was time to up my A-game, step into the big leagues, and invest in a truck for my fine gardening business. I started dreaming about everything I'd do with my new (or at least new-to-me) truck. I'd be able to put heaps of customers' green waste in my truck and easily take it to the composting facility. I'd put trees and hundreds of plants in my truck at one time! Think of how easy garden installations would be! I'd even be able to finally fit a wheelbarrow, all my tools, and a ladder or two in the back of my truck--making all my jobs a lot easier. And most importantly, I'd finally be able to call myself a REAL gardener.
And so, this began my journey of test driving every new and used truck in the greater Puget Sound area, in pursuit of a perfect work truck. At first, I just wanted an older used truck because, well, money! Trucks cost an arm and a leg these days. But I couldn't find an older used truck that was a reasonable price, wasn't all banged up, or didn't need thousands of dollars (on top of the selling price) of work done. If you look on your local Craigslist for pickup trucks, people are asking $15k for 30-year-old trucks with 300,000 miles on them! No joke.
So then I switched gears and decided that I was going to trade in my trusty little Subaru Impreza and get a newer used truck. BUT OH MY GOSH, this was a bad idea. Do you know how ridiculously expensive slightly used trucks are here in America--a country that prides itself on American-made trucks? Every day people (like myself) simply can't afford newer trucks. Not to mention, most newer trucks only have 4.5-foot beds! What the heck am I supposed to do with a 4.5-foot truck bed? Can a wheelbarrow even fit in a bed that short?
I'm sure you can read my frustration in the pursuit of the perfect truck, but I wasn't deterred. I was still convinced I needed a truck for my business to reach the next level.
I contacted a dozen or so local dealerships in pursuit of a "long bed" pickup truck (because anything more than 4.5 feet is considered a long bed these days), 2-6 years old, and under $30k. This was a nearly impossible pursuit, but I finally located one! I took it for a test drive, and I HATED it. It just didn't feel right—it didn't feel like me.
Then I realized I don't like driving trucks. I don't feel comfortable driving trucks. I don't like how big newer trucks have gotten. Newer trucks are SO expensive, and I can't stand how trucks get such poor gas mileage. I knew I had to stay true to myself. I knew I didn't need a truck; after all, I had operated my fine gardening business successfully for two and a half years, and only a handful of times did I ever need or wish I had a truck during that time.
With that said, I decided to keep operating my fine gardening business without a truck and so can you! I certainly can't be the first person to figure this out, but in case I am, let me debunk all the reasons you think you need a truck to operate a successful fine gardening business with all the tips and tricks I've developed.
First, let's list a couple reasons you think you need a truck:
You need to haul green waste away from your client's property
You need something big enough to haul all your tools around
You need something big enough to haul your lawnmower in
You need something big enough to deliver trees, shrubs, and other plants
You need to deliver compost
Every gardener and landscaper you know has a truck, so you need one too
Ok, that last reason was a little facetious of me, but it's true! How many bro landscape YouTubers have big-ass trucks? All of them! But you and I don't have to join in this madness.
Now, let's go over each of these reasons you think you need a truck and I'm going to provide solutions I've come up with and used in my fine gardening business.
Problem: You need to haul green waste away from your client's property
Solution: Build your fine gardening business around not hauling green waste
Work in neighborhoods that have municipal composting bins where the town/city/county comes and removes green waste (just like trash!).
Work with clients that have large yards where they have "seedy weed piles" or composting piles. Dump all the green waste you weed into the customer's compost pile--no need to haul away.
Use your network: contract out green-waste pick-up from another landscaper or someone you know who has a truck and wants a little extra side income.
Work with clients that have their own truck or utility trailer and have them dispose of their green waste. This is a great way of working with your client, saving them a little money and you can spend your precious time gardening instead of making a trip to the dump.
Work in communities like HOAs that contract out lawn care (but not fine gardening) and compost removal. The green waste you create while weeding can be hauled away by the lawn crew.
On the other hand, if you've decided you must haul green waste, why not get a utility trailer that can hook up to the vehicle you have? Many SUVs and cars can haul several thousand pounds of weight. Just the other day I saw an older model Prius hauling a small utility trailer with a load of wood in it! I love it when people work with what they've got.
Problem: You need something big enough to haul all your tools around.
Solution: You can probably fit all your tools in the back of your car.
Name me a tool you can't fit in the back of a Subaru Impreza with the back seats folded down. Ok, an 8 ft (or larger) orchard ladder. That is LITERALLY the only tool that I haven't been able to fit into my Impreza. But here's a list of all the tools that do fit into an Impreza: 6 ft orchard ladder, weed wacker, lawn mower, all my hand tools, buckets, tarps, pole pruner, loppers, hedge trimmer, electric blower, all my batteries, small chainsaw, rakes, shovels, my lunch (yes, lunch is a necessary tool!), and even a wheelbarrow! I've squished all of these tools into my car all at the same time AND still be able to drive safely. The best part? My tools are locked in my car and most people won't bother trying to steal them.
If you do need a tall ladder for a job, chances are you can probably strap it to your car's roof rack just as easily as putting it in the back of a truck.
Problem: You need something big enough to haul your lawnmower in.
Solution: Either don't mow lawns, use the client's mower, or get a folding lawnmower.
This may be a somewhat controversial answer, but maybe you don't take on jobs that require lawn mowing. Many clients LOVE when they can hire just one person who knows how to lovingly take care of the garden and mow a lawn, but you don't have to do it all. You can:
Decline jobs that require lawn mowing (you don't have to do everything to have a successful business).
Use the client's lawn mower. Sometimes a client hires you because they cannot physically mow or do not have the time. Often, they have lawnmowers stored away in their garage and will offer their mower for use. If they don't offer initially, ask if they've got one you could use.
Purchase a folding lawn mower that fits into your non-truck vehicle. This is the solution I've been most happy with. I don't advertise that I mow lawns (because I'd rather stick to garden maintenance), but when a good client asks if I could mow their lawn, I like to say yes and bring my mower to the job. I have an electric mower with a folding handle that fits easily into my car. It was one of my favorite purchases, it works well (yes there are electric battery mowers that can handle jobs without running out of battery power), and fits into my car easily.
Problem: You need something big enough to deliver trees, shrubs, and other plants.
Solution: You can fit more than you think into your non-truck vehicle.
I once took on a garden design and planting project that included 6 5-foot-tall bamboo plants and 40 other perennial grasses and flowers. And yes, I fit all of those plants into my car at one time for a single delivery. It wasn't pretty, but the bamboo had to lay on its side (which is probably what you would want to do in a truck so none of the branches would break driving down the highway), and all the smaller plants were in stackable containers. So, this proves that it's possible to do a plant delivery and installation without a truck.
For larger trees, most nurseries will offer delivery. I always suggest to my customers to have larger trees delivered anyway because I don't think I could lift one into a truck if I tried!
Problem: You need to deliver compost.
Solution: Delivery.
There's a delivery option for everything these days: fast food, mobile mechanics, dog washing, and even compost delivery. Why waste your time going to the compost facility and transporting it to your customer's house? Save yourself some time and hassle by paying a little extra for delivery. This saves me time and (usually) the client money. Plus, I don't have to drive around with a ton of compost in the back of my truck (if I had one).
Problem: Every gardener and landscaper you know has a truck, so you need one too.
Solution: Don't ever let someone else make you think you need something you don't want or need.
Stay true to yourself. Keep your costs down. Be creative. Drive the car you have or the car you love. Don't just buy a truck because everyone else has one. There's a creative solution to just about any problem--you just have to come up with it!
I'll be the first to admit that having a truck to throw shit in the back would make my life a little easier sometimes. But not so much easier that I need to spend $60k on a new truck to have a glorified junk hauler.
On a closing note, I do want to say that I recently traded in my Subaru Impreza because it needed a ton of work and I had outgrown it in other ways. I'm proud to be the new owner of a 2024 Subaru Outback, which I'm planning to get a tow hitch installed for towing a small utility trailer. I intend to continue to operate my fine gardening business in creative ways without owning a truck.
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