Thai Gardeners...

[chonabot]

We have a reasonably large garden and since the recent rains here in Isaan the grass etc has grown to a point that we needed it cut.

In the corners of the plot we have a few Coconut and Mango trees plus loads of Dragonfruit Cacti-like plants.

These areas were also very overgrown - we have only been he a few months.

We have employed 2 gardeners so far ( seperately ) and after the 2nd day each gardener has arrived pissed out of their minds on whisky ( reeking big time and stumbling around )

We did not pay either up front and the 2nd one actually works for a large firm of gardeners via a Tool suppliers in the city.

The garden looks worse than before and I just wonder if this is a trait amongst that particular trade here in Thailand?

I have a few weeks off and may just as well try and finish the job myself - but it's so damned hot - even in the evening

Edited April 26, 2012 by chonabot

[robblok]

My sympathies, i pity you, i hated gardening in Holland and here things grow even faster. I think in general you get here what you paid for. Though i found out paying more does not grantee more quality.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

I cut me garden myself 2 months back. Isnt much grass but lots of weeds etc. Did it all with my bare hands and sweated alot. Took me 3 hours

Last month i cut the mango tree down. There was so many ants in the garden i gave up and the next day decided to get the local gardener to chop it up, get rid of it and cut the garden.

200 baht he cost me.

So me doing it for 3 hours or paying someone 200 baht that does a great job in 1 hour or so?

[chonabot]

I would definitely take the second option - alas looks like the sweaty first option has been thrust upon me.

Wife just returned from the hardware shop with a lethal weapon loosely described as a lawnmower ( 1800 baht - ouch )

It kind of reminds me of a strimmer but has a bare blade that is on the end of a 5 foot tube that is connected to your body by a wrap around thingamejig..... petrol driven ( is that good or bad ? )

I will check on my insurance policy before continuing....

Edited April 26, 2012 by chonabot

[draftvader]

I would definitely take the second option - alas looks like the sweaty first option has been thrust upon me.

Wife just returned from the hardware shop with a lethal weapon loosely described as a lawnmower ( 1800 baht - ouch )

It kind of reminds me of a strimmer but has a bare blade that is on the end of a 5 foot tube that is connected to your body by a wrap around thingamejig..... petrol driven ( is that good or bad ? )

I will check on my insurance policy before continuing....

No need, your wife already has. That is why she came back with this particular tool. Nearly 5,000 posts too, we're going to miss you!

[F1fanatic]

Ask local friends to recommend a gardener or gardening company.

I think you have been unlucky as my experience has been different. The first gardening company I employed used staff that were obviously being paid peanuts, so not at all interested - but, they still did a reasonable job and never turned up pissed or drank whilst here.

A local garden centre then recommended a gardener (obviously a friend/relative as I'd said nothing about gardening services) and, although I was dubious, gave him a try and (so far) he has been brilliant and, happy to give advice on all my plants .

'Doing it yourself' depends on the size of your garden... Its hot and time consuming. Even weeding takes hours for a small bed as everything grows so quickly.

[chonabot]

I would definitely take the second option - alas looks like the sweaty first option has been thrust upon me.

Wife just returned from the hardware shop with a lethal weapon loosely described as a lawnmower ( 1800 baht - ouch )

It kind of reminds me of a strimmer but has a bare blade that is on the end of a 5 foot tube that is connected to your body by a wrap around thingamejig..... petrol driven ( is that good or bad ? )

I will check on my insurance policy before continuing....

No need, your wife already has. That is why she came back with this particular tool. Nearly 5,000 posts too, we're going to miss you!

It was fun ....aarrghhhh

Edited April 26, 2012 by chonabot

[chonabot]

Ask local friends to recommend a gardener or gardening company.

I think you have been unlucky as my experience has been different. The first gardening company I employed used staff that were obviously being paid peanuts, so not at all interested - but, they still did a reasonable job and never turned up pissed or drank whilst here.

A local garden centre then recommended a gardener (obviously a friend/relative as I'd said nothing about gardening services) and, although I was dubious, gave him a try and (so far) he has been brilliant and, happy to give advice on all my plants .

'Doing it yourself' depends on the size of your garden... Its hot and time consuming. Even weeding takes hours for a small bed as everything grows so quickly.

Agreed - between the 2 drunkards they seem to have sorted the weeds more or less - just piles of debris left plus the grass.

One question - why do the Gardeners cut the grass and then insist on burning the debris on the lawn - leaving a huge burn mark - usually bang in the middle of the lawn?

[F1fanatic]

Ask local friends to recommend a gardener or gardening company.

I think you have been unlucky as my experience has been different. The first gardening company I employed used staff that were obviously being paid peanuts, so not at all interested - but, they still did a reasonable job and never turned up pissed or drank whilst here.

A local garden centre then recommended a gardener (obviously a friend/relative as I'd said nothing about gardening services) and, although I was dubious, gave him a try and (so far) he has been brilliant and, happy to give advice on all my plants .

'Doing it yourself' depends on the size of your garden... Its hot and time consuming. Even weeding takes hours for a small bed as everything grows so quickly.

Agreed - between the 2 drunkards they seem to have sorted the weeds more or less - just piles of debris left plus the grass.

One question - why do the Gardeners cut the grass and then insist on burning the debris on the lawn - leaving a huge burn mark - usually bang in the middle of the lawn?

If they were pissed, then they haven't dug out the weeds by their roots - so they'll be back in no time.

My gardeners have never burned the debris at my home - they take it away.

[David48]

... just piles of ... grass.

If this was over in the Farming Forum ... they would be screaming 'compost' !

[chonabot]

Ask local friends to recommend a gardener or gardening company.

I think you have been unlucky as my experience has been different. The first gardening company I employed used staff that were obviously being paid peanuts, so not at all interested - but, they still did a reasonable job and never turned up pissed or drank whilst here.

A local garden centre then recommended a gardener (obviously a friend/relative as I'd said nothing about gardening services) and, although I was dubious, gave him a try and (so far) he has been brilliant and, happy to give advice on all my plants .

'Doing it yourself' depends on the size of your garden... Its hot and time consuming. Even weeding takes hours for a small bed as everything grows so quickly.

Agreed - between the 2 drunkards they seem to have sorted the weeds more or less - just piles of debris left plus the grass.

One question - why do the Gardeners cut the grass and then insist on burning the debris on the lawn - leaving a huge burn mark - usually bang in the middle of the lawn?

If they were pissed, then they haven't dug out the weeds by their roots - so they'll be back in no time.

My gardeners have never burned the debris at my home - they take it away.

More reasons for me to be happy - great

[CharlieH]

I ended up buying the same machine but got a local to use it.

I had problems with the first guy too, he just had a big machette and liked hacking at things.

The local people generally didnt want to know until I mentioned I would provide the machine to use and then no problem.

Just watch whoever uses it, because it is not there's they are not careful about oil etc and try using it to cut rocks !! I eventually found an older guy who was happy to do it for 200 baht a day and now he comes once a week just to keep things tidy.

[chonabot]

Thanks Charlie

[h90]

Slightly different story.....

We use motorbike taxis for a lot work...There is one bight guy, you tell them what to do, next day he comes with 5 or more people, they make everything perfect. Are cheap and he takes care that all are fit.

But not good for daily work, like watering everything.

[DP25]

Hire some Cambodians. They're in Thailand to work not to mess around. Sounds like you're just getting the local drunks that can't hold down a job

[Tonto21]

Getting a gardener in Thailand easy…Keeping one, that’s a different story.

In the early days I would pay too much and, in general looked like a ‘soft gitt’, by that I mean I tried to treat them well. It would end with me telling them to thin-outand I would call them if I needed them again.

I learnt to pay the going rate, (for my area) fix a start/finish time and fix time for lunch break. But just as important I resisted the urge to be anything but business like with them, no small chat. Just remember this….”familiarity breeds contemned” and never is it more prevalent than in Thailand.

Having said all this, I now have a new gardener, of two weeks, he is promising, (but then they all were) the last one, after working for me for about 9 months was instructed, (while I was away for a month) too just come in twice a week and water all the plants and feed the fish…………….When I got back, half the small plants were dead from no water.

He came in to get his wages, 1200 Baht, (150B for each 2 hour visit) which I felt was pretty fair.

Basically my wife read him the riot act about all the dead plants……..And he said he came in every day to water the plants, he didn’t know why they died………Oh and by the way he said I owed him 4200 Baht, as he came in every day, and the agreed price was 150B for each visit.

My wife and I just openly laughed at the bloody cheek, we decided to pay what we had agreed originally and get rid and told him, “don’t call us we’ll call you”

'DP25' yes Cambodians, yes really good workers, I had a young guy working for me…..But be careful if they don’t have papers YOU could be in deep doo doo employing them.

[David006]

I would definitely take the second option - alas looks like the sweaty first option has been thrust upon me.

Wife just returned from the hardware shop with a lethal weapon loosely described as a lawnmower ( 1800 baht - ouch )

It kind of reminds me of a strimmer but has a bare blade that is on the end of a 5 foot tube that is connected to your body by a wrap around thingamejig..... petrol driven ( is that good or bad ? )

I will check on my insurance policy before continuing....

probably a rubbish Chinese brush cutter.... a decent one is about 8-10 k. !!!

My take on the gardening part of our farm is get up am 6am cut with your Makita or whatever for as long as your legs ,back etc can stand it ( 1-2 hours depending on the previous nights drinking or....) then drink beer until the wife wakes up to cook your bacon and eggs...then a nap till.....hey TIT!!!

Hey use a welder hood type eye protector..goggles is ok but they fog up and.....Also wellies and long pants will help protect you spindles from the odd stone waiting to to raise a welt on your shins.....grab the hose to wash down after as you will have grass and god knows what all over ya...don't want to mess up the bathroom eh?

Have fun...

Edited April 26, 2012 by David006

[chonabot]

Cheers all - found a snake in the debris -

[chonabot]

This is funny...

So yesterday I spent a good few hours with the wife and the first pisshead gardener cutting the grass and catching snakes etc.

Today all that remains to be done is to either burn or remove the grass/debris/snake traps.

anotehr gardener just rocked up - fair play he looks sober which is a bonus.

He insepcted the garden and announced he could do a great job - 600 baht once per month should do it.

I thought hmmmm ok why not - starting next month.

But he then tells us as a special bonus he will remove the grass today as a special favour.

I thought..wow a real gent....

But he will charge us a thousand baht for the process.

Even though that part of the job would be included in the 600 baht next month.

I was stunned when my wife asked me what I thought.....

Of course I said no - and the guy now has it in his head that the farang said no - not the Thai lady...lmao

[giddyup]

I have a guy who comes every 3 weeks. My land is around 100 sq wah, so not huge. He cuts the grass, trims edges, trims the hedge, takes all cuttings away for 300 baht. Not particularly cheap as it doesn't normally take him more than 45 minutes, but he does a great job and saves me the exxpense of buying a mower and trimmer, not to mention the working up a sweat part. He laid all new lawn for me after digging up all the old for 4000 baht, which I thought an absolute bargain.

[Ruin]

Got a good gardening family in Bangkok but our upcountry shack seems like it will have me and a cheap Chinese brush cutter. Tried all around our place but up here in the mountains there just ain't anyone!

[kokesaat]

We pay our 23 year old full time live-in gardener 270 baht per day, no charge for a nice bungalow with fridge and tv. He babies our lawnmower, weedeater, chain saw, and hedge trimmer. He used to work at a large golf course....so he knows his stuff around plants/grass. This past month he cut the grass around our 2.5 rai of land 3 times, trimmed about 20 mature trees, relandscaped two areas, repotted numerous large plants....along with his daily sweeping/raking/cleaning. He makes his own charcoal from the trees he cuts.

His wife gets paid the same to take care of our home and 3 dogs as our maid. She makes an excellent cup of cappuchino and knows just how I like my morning corn flakes.

My wife and I are getting quite used to this sort of assisted-living lifestyle.