I think you could supplement an income by "plant sitting." You would have to be licensed and insured. I think you might have to grow some pretty thick skin to take care of a massive collection. I'd bet that some of those customers would be tough to please and they'd let you know it the day they got home.

My sister's got a neighbor that does this, although not in the way you describe. They've got a large heated greenhouse and they take in and care for tender plants for the winter. This is in Alaska. Actually a few winters ago, a moose crashed through one of the greenhouses trying to get to someone's sizable lemon tree, to eat it. Charges are for size and care required.

Another viable way to go is to care for people's out-of-bloom orchids--climate controlled multiple greenhouses again. This would require some serious and extensive knowledge of orchid culture. When the orchid is about to bloom, it goes to the owner's house, and when the bloom is finished, it is returned to the 'care giver'.

As for plant sitting, most people just let the house sitter take care of it, don't you think? Only people with really valuable plants (orchids being a perfect example) care enough to shell out the $$.

That poor person who lost her collection of plants was heartbroken.

I imagine if she'd had a 'house sitter' who noted that they were specifically a 'plant sitter', she would have felt more secure leaving her extensive collection in their care!

It's a thought anyway.

I have had some interest from neighbors in placing their plants in my greenhouse over the winter, but I had not thought to charge them! Maybe I should charge a nominal fee since I will be paying for electricity to keep them warm!

thanks.

:)
pb

There is a bonsai nursery here that creates and sells bonsai, gives workshops, and "boards" bonsai for people who are going on vacation, etc. With something as high-care as bonsai, a hobbiest can say goodbye to overnight trips away from home for more than a few days -- and that's with a watering system. :)

To enter other people's homes, you definitely will need a business license and insurance (it wouldn't hurt to be bonded, as well). To take customer's plants into your own home, you would need to have insurance at the very minimum of requirements. Each seems to have pros and cons. I'd be cautious about bringing people's plants into my home because they could carry pests and diseases. You would need to take precautions to protect your othe customers' plants.

A "guest" greenhouse would be the best course, I believe.