Bonsai-sitting: Fair rate?

tom_termine

Hi all -

I am "hiring" someone to care for my trees for several days this summer when I am on vacation. I have been wondering about a fair rate to pay for (basically watering) these services, so I thought I would ask the experts on this site for an opinion. I have about 40 trees, all currently outdoors, of course. The "sitter" will need to travel about 30 mins. (back and forth) to get to my home. I estimate that it takes no more than 1 hour (moving very slowly and deliberately) to water all my trees (assuming they all need it, that is).

So, any opinions out there? Should I pay something if it rains, as well, sort of an "on-call" fee? What do you think?

Thanks in advance!

__________________
Tom

Advertisement

pootsie

Well that all depends on the perks, right?
Fridge priveleges? Cable? Hot-tub?

All I can say, from my own bitter experience, is that it is NOT a good idea to have an ex-girlfriend look after the trees.

pootsie

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

agraham

Tom,

i've got a guy who works with/for me who takes care of mine when i'm out of town....i pay him a little more per hour than he makes at work.and i trust him

come to think of it...what a great deal i have

pootsie,

LOL................you're kidding,right?.......no way....and you're a lawyer?

andy

Robert

I think it depends on what is a reasonable rate for "skilled" work in your area. Here in California I pay somone $20.00 per visit. He travels about 10 minutes to get to my place, he can water my whole yard in about 45 minutes, he's very dependable and does a good job. I have him come every third day I'm gone.....but more frequently if we have a particular heat spell, (and I leave that up to his judgement).
Also, consider, what would be the cost of the loss of a tree or two?
As in most things, you get what you pay for. Don't scrimp.

Robert.....in Sta.Cruz

__________________
Robert.........in Sta.Cruz

bonsaikc

I care for one tree while its owner is gone for three months each summer. He brings it to me and picks it up. He pays me $50 for the three months, as it's simple to water it along with mine. This is the fukien tree we will be repotting on Sunday. He will be paying me for the repotting, too.

__________________
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

rockm

A better source for this might be to contact local pet sitters in your area and see what they charge for their services. It is roughly the equivalent of what you're asking your acquaintance to do. Gas expenses should be factored in also.

For what it's worth, you're not really asking him to water. You're asking him to assume alot of other duties, including sounding the alarm if something looks amiss like sick trees, stolen trees, animal damage, vandalism, etc. those may not be at the top of the list, but you would expect him to notify you it stuff like that happened, wouldn't you?

tom_termine

Thanks, everyone. All great points and input.

And, pootsie, the priveleges include unlimited use of my copper watering can (they can go crazy!) and all the OFF! mosquito repellent they need! They can even pat my bullmastiff on the head if he happens to be in the yard at the time (and he lets them).

Pretty hard to resist, huh .

__________________
Tom

jeremy_norbury

and all the cuttings they can carry, of course...

I hate vacations for THIS VERY REASON - unreliable watering. It might be worth contacting your local bonsai club - they will feel your pain...

Jerry

__________________

All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
I told you I was ill. Spike Milligan's Gravestone

malhomme

Make friends with someone in your bonsai club that lives near by, and then swap "sitting" when needed. Works for me!

A buddy like this will come in handy when it's collecting season. Two spades are faster than one (actually, a sharpshooter and a mattock in our soil).

This works really well because you can trust your bonsai buddy to know when to water and to recognize the danger signs of poor horticulture or adverse seasonal changes.

Just don't become such tight buddies that you run off to Belize together!

Cheers,
Jim