For landscape projects, know which type of professional you need to hire and how to find one – NOLA.com

Im often asked to recommend a horticultural professional or company for tree care, landscape maintenance or landscaping. Its not really appropriate for me to endorse particular businesses or individuals, but I am more than happy to provide some advice on what to look for when choosing businesses that provide these services.

First, you need to know that the green industry in Louisiana is regulated by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, specifically by the Louisiana Horticulture Commission. The following statement is from their website: The Louisiana Horticulture Law states that no person shall receive fees, advertise, or solicit business in a regulated profession or occupation unless they hold the appropriate license or permit, or have a regular employee who holds the appropriate license or permit, or is employed by a person who holds the appropriate license or permit.

This law authorizes the commission to govern the qualifications and practices of people engaged in the green industry. The commission is empowered to prevent fraudulent practices, to encourage participation in continuing education and to ensure that only high-quality products and services are provided to the public by green industry professionals.

Hire professionals who have the equipment and training to do the job safely if your trees need trimming after a storm. By law in Louisiana, the individual or company you hire to do tree work must be licensed by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

The following professions require licenses: landscape architect, landscape horticulturist, landscape irrigation contractor and arborist. Also, utility arborist, retail florist and wholesale florist are licensed through the commission, and the commission permits the occupations of nursery stock dealer and cut flower dealer.

In order to obtain a license, individuals must pass a test specific to their field of work. Passing the test indicates that they have a basic level of knowledge and helps ensure quality work. When hiring a green industry professional, always ask to see a copy of their state license to make sure the person you are hiring is practicing legally.

Also, feel free to interview more than one licensed professional, as there are differences in prices, levels of experience and ability to understand and carry out what you need done. Ask for references. Ask to see examples of their past work. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Its always best to have signed contracts that clearly spell out the work to be done and fees. If you can, it is a good idea to be on-site when work, such as tree pruning, is being done.

If you are not satisfied with the work done by a licensed professional, you may file a complaint with the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This affords you protection from inferior work, shoddy materials or unscrupulous practices.

What a year 2020 was. During time working from home, home schooling and dealing with COVID-19, many people turned to gardening as a way to kee

Many of the licenses require licensees to obtain continuing education hours annually to renew their licenses. This ensures that they are keeping up to date with current research and recommendations.

An arborist license authorizes the holder to make recommendations or execute tree surgery-type work including tree evaluation, removal, pruning, trimming, cabling, fertilization and cavity work. Licensees must enter into a written contract with property owners specifying work to be done and the sum to be paid. Continuing education hours required.

Working on trees is one of the most dangerous professions in the green industry, and arborists are required to carry liability insurance $25,000 per person for bodily injury and $50,000 per person for property damage. Before you hire an arborist, ask to see a current copy of the arborist's certificate of insurance.

The landscape architect license authorizes the holder to prepare landscape plans, grading plans, studies, designs, construction details and more for a fee. This license requires the most extensive educational background and testing.

After moving from LSU in Baton Rouge to New Orleans when I began my career as a horticulture educator, I soon realized that the locals used ma

While there are avenues to get a landscape architect license without it, the vast majority of licensees have a degree in landscape architecture from an accredited university (such as LSU ). Licensees are required to pass the national Landscape Architect Registration Examination and the Louisiana Landscape Architect Examination. Continuing education hours are required.

The landscape horticulturist license allows licensees to install and maintain interior or exterior landscapes. To that end, they may sell or lease nursery stock (plants), prepare beds, install plants, lay sod, prune, fertilize and other landscape maintenance and operate a nursery.

While they may prepare drawings that indicate plant selection and placement, landscape horticulturists are not landscape architects and cannot draw designs for a fee. They must have the licensee's name, the words landscape horticulturist and license number on all drawings. While landscape architects have intensive education in landscape design, licensed landscape horticulturists have no design education requirements.

Note the Department of Agriculture and Forestry does not regulate simple yard work, such as cutting lawns, edging and hand weeding beds. People carrying out only this type of work are not required to be licensed.

My three lemon trees have borne a ton of fruit but really look raggedy. They are in desperate need of pruning, but I dont know how. Any info

If you are having an irrigation system installed or worked on, the person must have an irrigation contractor license. This authorizes the holder to construct, install, connect, repair, maintain, improve or alter any portion of a landscape irrigation system, including the required wiring for that system.

This license requires the licensee to obtain a water supply protection specialist endorsement from the State Plumbing Board before connecting to a public or private water supply system or installing a backflow prevention device. Licensees must enter into a written contract with the property owner specifying the landscape irrigation services to be performed and the sum to be paid for the services. Continuing education required.

None of these licenses permit the use of pesticides. If insecticides, fungicides or herbicides will be applied, a separate commercial pesticide applicators license is required. Ask to see it.

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For landscape projects, know which type of professional you need to hire and how to find one - NOLA.com