Around 65 percent of the population of Spain live in apartments, so don’t often have their own gardens, but if you’re one of the lucky 35 percent who live in a house and do have your own green patch, you may be wondering how to manage it.

If you’re not green-fingered or you don’t have the time for the upkeep of your garden, you could consider hiring a gardener to manage it. Or perhaps you’re new to Spain and you’re not used to the types of plants that grow well here or don’t understand why you can’t get a lush green lawn, then you might need some help. 

READ ALSO: How to get involved with urban gardens in Spain

Gardeners can provide many different services in Spain, from designing gardens and cutting hedges to fertilising plants, cutting down dead trees and even controlling pests.

But before you hire one, there are several things you need to keep in mind and consider.

Check your home insurance

Gardeners are exposed to different dangers during their work. Therefore, it is important that you have adequate insurance in case of any unforeseen event on your property. In this way, both parties will be covered in case of accidents and misfortunes.

This will usually be listed on your original home insurance policy, but if in doubt you should contact your provider to find out what you’re covered for and what you’re not. You should also find out what type of work and health insurance your gardener has too. 

Ask for references

Before hiring a professional gardener, the first thing you should do is ask for references. It’s important that you can trust the person working in your home – even if they’re only in the garden. You also want to find someone reliable, who isn’t going to take advantage of you and keep going around the corner to the local bar for a cerveza (beer), and not able to finish the work on time. It’s not uncommon to find cowboy gardeners who don’t really know what they’re doing or who simply leave a job halfway through because they get a better offer. 

If you can’t get personal recommendations from friends, you can ask around on local online forums or ask gardeners for images of their previous jobs to learn how they work and what they can do. 

READ ALSO: Do I need a permit to put a shed or wooden hut in my garden in Spain?

Check credentials and licences

It’s important to check the credentials and licences of anyone you hire. The credentials will serve as a reference to ensure that they are a qualified professional. For example, do they have their driver’s licence? While this is not essential it may be important if they need to reach you without public transport and bring their own tools. Do you they have their own registered business or are they signed up to the autónomo system because they’re self-employed? While some of these factors may not affect you, others will and you could potentially be paying someone under the table, without them declaring their taxes. 

Define the tasks that need to be carried out

You need to be sure of what you want doing in the garden. It’s no good just telling someone to simply take care of it, you need to lay out the tasks you want carried out. What changes do you want? Will they be in charge of removing pests as well, or just taking care of the watering and planting? How often do you need them and what tools, pesticides or fertilisers will they be using? This will ensure both of you know what’s expected. 

Sign a contract

Most importantly, you need to make a contract for your gardener to sign. This document provides legal support for everything you have agreed upon. From the budget to deadlines, schedules and possible modifications, it should all be set out in writing. Signing a detailed contract is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and arguments.