Virtual Assistant - Author Assistant....

Welcome to Mary's Garden, I need some advice. First it's time for the garden tip. I have borrowed some tips on growing vegetables in the fall from Mother Earth News.
Tip 1. Starting Seeds
Tip 2. Think Soil First
Tip 3. Try New Crops
Tip 4. Watering Fall Garden Plants: Keep ’Em Soaked
Tip 5. Go Mad for Mulch

Tip 6. Deploy Your Defenses Against Garden Pests

Luscious little seedlings attract a long list of aggressive pests, including cabbage worms, army worms, and ever-voracious grasshoppers. Damage from all of these pests (and more) can be prevented by covering seedlings with row covers the day they go into the garden. Use a “summer-weight” insect barrier row cover that retains little heat, or make your own by sewing or pinning two pieces of wedding net (tulle) into a long, wide shroud. Hold the row cover above the plants with stakes or hoops, and be prepared to raise its height as the plants grow. See The No-spray Way to Protect Plants for more details on using row covers in your garden.

Summer sun can be your seedlings’ best friend or worst enemy. Always allow at least a week of adjustment time for seedlings started indoors, gradually exposing them to more direct sunlight. Even transplants that are given a week to get used to strong sun appreciate a few days of shade after they are set out, which can be easily provided by placing an old sheet over the row cover. Or, you can simply pop flower pots over the seedlings for a couple of days after transplanting. In most areas, insect pressures ease as nights become chilly in mid-fall, but you might want to keep your row covers on a little longer if your garden is visited by deer, which tend to become more troublesome as summer turns to fall.

Personal Assistant, do you have one?

Now it's time for me to ask for that advice. Do you use an assistant? In my search I have found that the title varies. I do not care what they are called, I want to know what they can do for me, and how much it will cost, and are the results guaranteed.

I'm very interested to hear what your experiences have been.

I have reached out to two separate assistants for proposals, one is by the month and one is by the hour. I have not received a proposal from the monthly one, as of yet. However, the list of things the assistant would provide by the hour, I have. I am an Administrative Assistant at my day job, many of the listed services are things I could do with my eyes closed. In other words about 3/4 of the offered services I'm not interested it. So I will ask; what is it I would actually get for my hour?

My question to all of you is: What results have you received? What should I expect an assistant to guarantee? I don't want to hire someone with unreasonable expectations. I'm afraid to give my business to someone who may promise more than I will receive.

Because at the end of the day, I cannot afford to give someone money if there are NO results.

If you have recommendations or experiences PLEASE share with us.

Thank you,