Self-employed gardeners and landscapers face seasonal income patterns that make MTD tracking important. Busy spring and summer months followed by quiet winters mean your quarterly submissions will vary significantly.
Self-employed gardeners and landscapers face seasonal income patterns that make MTD tracking important. Busy spring and summer months followed by quiet winters mean your quarterly submissions will vary significantly. Digital records help you plan for tax payments during lean months.
Muddy boots, wet gloves, and a phone that is always running out of battery. Gardeners work outdoors all day and need admin that takes seconds, not hours.
Self-employed gardeners in Eltham (London) earn an estimated £37,800 per year on average — above the April 2027 threshold of £30,000. Tradespeople in Eltham often also cover Balham, Banstead, Barking and surrounding areas.
London tradespeople typically charge 30-40% more than the national average due to higher operating costs, congestion charges, and parking fees.
London-based tradespeople face higher van insurance, ULEZ charges, congestion zone fees, and parking costs that are all deductible.
With higher average earnings, most London tradespeople will be caught by the April 2026 threshold of £50,000. Common deductible expenses for gardeners include: plants, compost, aggregates, mower fuel, tool maintenance, van, trailer, insurance.
Your next quarterly deadline and how long you have to prepare.
Track every job from quote to payment. Kanban board. Drag and drop.
Create and send invoices in seconds. Looks professional. Gets you paid.
Snap receipt photos. Auto-categorise to HMRC categories. Never miss a deduction.
See your Q1–Q4 breakdown with HMRC SA103 categories. Deadline countdowns built in.
All your customers in one place. Call, WhatsApp, track job history.
Built for tradespeople, not accountants. Works from your van in 10 seconds.
| Feature | Graft | Xero | QuickBooks | FreeAgent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Free / £3 Pro | From £15 | From £10 | £19* |
| Built for trades | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Job management | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| HMRC categories | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quarterly view | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Receipt scanner | ✓ (AI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile-first | ✓ | Partial | Partial | Partial |
| Customer CRM | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
*FreeAgent is free with NatWest/RBS/Mettle business accounts. Otherwise £19/month.
plants, seeds, compost, bark mulch, aggregates, slabs, mower fuel, strimmer line, hedge trimmer blades, tool servicing, trailer costs, van fuel, vehicle costs, insurance, waste disposal
Graft auto-maps all of these to the correct HMRC SA103 categories: Cost of goods, Car/van/travel, Phone/office, Rent/rates/insurance, Advertising, and Other expenses.
From April 2027 if qualifying income exceeds £30,000, or April 2028 if over £20,000. Landscapers with larger projects may hit the £50,000 threshold and need compliance from April 2026.
Yes. All materials supplied to customers — plants, compost, aggregates, slabs — are "Cost of goods" for HMRC.
Equipment fuel, servicing, blade sharpening, and replacement parts are all allowable business expenses.
Each quarter is reported independently. A busy Q1 (spring) might show £12,000 income while a quiet Q3 (winter) shows £3,000. Both are submitted as they are.
Yes. Full CRM plus HMRC-categorised quarterly views at no cost. Pro at £3/month adds exports and unlimited AI receipt scanning.
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