The Retirement Newsletter: Gardening during your retirement — hobby or side-hustle?

Issue Number: -67 — could your green fingers help you in your retirement?

The author took the photo at a local flower show

Welcome

Welcome to issue number -67.

After a rather depressing issue -68 in which I reviewed my retirement plans and concluded that my pension pots had taken a real pounding; this week, I thought I would look at how I might be able to boost my retirement income through a side-hustle. Time to look at gardening.

Now, I must admit that I am not a gardener. I would go as far as to say that I hate gardening. It does nothing for me. But, I do come from a family that had several keen gardeners in it. But for me, it does nothing. And I know this because years ago, I had a two-week summer job helping someone clear and replant their garden. I hated every minute of it.

Gardening is not for me.

And here is the proof — my attempts to grow some carrots, peas and courgettes. This is my total harvest.

Photo by Author — the evidence of why I am not a gardener — my total summer crop

What I was hoping my vegetable would be like:

Photo by Author — this is what I was hoping my vegetables would look like

The above photo is of prize-winning vegetables at a local agricultural show. Yes, I am no gardener.

However, I did watch one of my uncles grow (pun intended) his hobby and interest in gardening into a nice little side-hustle when he retired that brought in some extra cash, saved him some money and kept him fit and active.

Gardening — hobby or side-hustle

Growing up, one of my uncles was a very keen gardener. From an early age, I remember him having an allotment on which he grew vegetables and some flowers for the house.

Now, I think allotments may be something unique to the UK — please correct me if I’m wrong in the comments below — because when I have mentioned allotments to friends from other countries, they looked confused.

An allotment is a largish area of land, typically owned by the local council, that is divided up into small areas. These ’allotments’ of land are then rented out to local people on an annual fee to grow what they like — fruit, vegetables, flowers — anything.

Years ago, there were numerous allotments around the UK, but local governments have slowly sold them off.

Photo by Author

Allotments were very popular when I was a kid, and there was a waiting list to get one. Then their popularity waned. But now, growing your own fruit and veg is trendy, so I guess there may be a waiting list.

Anyway, back to my uncle. He had an allotment for years, and he grew lots of things. I remember large amounts of runner beans, broad beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes from his small plot. And a few years before he retired, he moved into a place with a large lawn, which he immediately converted into a vegetable garden.

So, my uncle had the green thumbs of the family, and through his retirement, his homegrown fruit and vegetables meant he saved money on his grocery bills. But there was more to it than growing a few things for himself. He also did gardening for other people.

It was only after my uncle died, and I talked to his wife, that I discovered he had the nice little side-line of looking after other people’s gardens.

He started his gardening side-hustle before he retired and continued it long into his retirement. He only did gardening for a few people. He enjoyed it; it kept him busy and fit and brought in a little extra money for a few small luxuries.

So, what are five ways you could use your gardening passion to help boost your retirement income?

1. Grow your own

I have already covered this above.

The idea is to grow your own fruit and vegetables to reduce food bills.

A simple idea. It won’t make you rich, but you will save money and eat good quality fruit and vegetables.

2. Grow and sell

This seems to be an increasing trend, certainly, in the UK.

Around where I live, there are several what I would call ’small holdings’ — surprisingly small bits of land — on which people grow a few vegetables or fruits to sell. And while not gardening, some places also keep chickens and sell the eggs.

There is also growing and selling plants for other people’s gardens.

Two people I know locally have bee hives and sell honey and wax.

3. Garden for others

This can be an excellent little money spinner in some areas — gardening for others.

Again, I know of some people locally that do gardening for others as a full-time job. I have no idea what they do in the winter, but they must be making a bit of money during the summer, judging by what they charge and the long hours they work.

As a retiree with a love of gardening, this might be something you could consider.

4. Start a blog, a newsletter or write an eBook

Yes, as with most of my ’side-hustle’ newsletters, the last two are ‘blog and online course’.

But why not? Why not blog or run a newsletter on gardening? Plus, if you combine it with any of the above, running a blog or newsletter would give you something to do — and hopefully, keep the money coming in — during the winter months.

5. Set up a course

Like number four above, why not set up an online course? And, as with four, this would keep money coming in over the winter.

Have a look at — Issue Number: -80 — could setting up an online course in retirement be a good move? — for setting up a course.

Summary

Gardening can be beneficial in so many ways in your retirement.

If you garden for pleasure, it will keep you fit and healthy. You could turn it into a side-hustle and grow your own fruit and veg to reduce your food bills. Or, you could go ‘full side-hustle’ and turn it into a business.

Happy gardening.

Next week

Next week, in issue -67, I am going to ask the all-important question — Are you a boomerist?

Thanks

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Until next time,

Nick

PS, If you have something you would like to contribute to the newsletter — a story, advice, anything — please get in touch.