Garden labourer

Garden labourers perform simple tasks in cultivating and maintaining flowers, trees and shrubs. This work can take place in either parks or private gardens.

The duties of a garden labourer include, but are not limited to:

• Maintain and grow the garden to ensure it meets specific requirements and expectations.
• Perform basic maintenance such as cutting the grass, emptying bins, managing weed control and leaf raking.
• Plant and nurture new trees, flowers, and various plants.
• Work with hand tools and basic light machinery such as plant vehicles, and small diggers.
• Service all garden equipment and machinery.
• Maintain a clean garden by clearing rubbish and litter from the garden and grounds.
• Provide guidance to management on matters related to the garden.
• Advise management on the costs of plants and garden necessities with detailed written quotations and reports.
• Ensure a safe environment for staff and clients by adhering to safety and health regulations.

Garden labourers usually work alone or in small crews. They need to be able to work well with their hands and with tools and machinery. They must also be strong and healthy, because their work requires much reaching, bending, lifting, and walking. The work is generally safe, although tools and chemicals can be dangerous if not used properly.

Garden labourers spend most of their working hours outdoors. Sometimes they also work in greenhouses, indoor gardens, or shops where equipment is kept. They may work part-time or full time. The hours are often irregular and depend on the climate, the season, and the type of job. There may be long workweeks in the spring and summer with shorter hours or even layoffs in the winter.

The following job titles also refer to garden labourer:

gardening worker
landscaping labourer
landscape labourer
gardening assistant
manual garden labourer
garden worker
garden maintenance trainee
gardener
landscaping operative

Although there are no specific educational requirements for garden labourers, many employers prefer to hire high school graduates. Interested individuals can take high school, vocational school, or college courses in gardening and related subjects, such as biology, botany, and horticulture. Business subjects are useful for those who want to start their own landscaping service.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Garden labourer is a Skill level 1 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to garden labourer.

crop production worker
vineyard worker
forest worker
leaflet distributor
fruit and vegetable picker

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of garden labourer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of garden labourer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

landscape gardener
groundsman/groundswoman
hop farmer
interior landscaper
horticulture worker

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of garden labourer.

• Soil structure: Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.
• Plant species: The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics. 
• Watering principles: Methods, principles and systems for supplying water to land or crops by means of pipes, sprinklers, ditches or streams.
• Pest control in plants: Types and features of pests in plants and crops. Different kinds of pest control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.
• Plant propagation: Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.

These skills are necessary for the role of garden labourer.

• Maintain plants’ growth: Support growth, appearance and intended purpose of the plants.
• Work in outdoor conditions: Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.
• Prepare the ground: Prepare the ground for laying turf or seeding by clearing the area, choosing the optimal soil, choosing the ground deepness and the appropriate fertilisers.
• Prepare sites for planting of grass: Prepare lawn areas by spreading top soil and planting grass, and by laying instant turf.
• Maintain turf and grass: Establish and maintain fine turf, grassed fields, and synthetic surfaces for sports events. Ensure a pleasant appearance of the property grounds.
• Prune hedges and trees: Cut and prune trees and hedges in ornemental forms, considering botanical and esthetical aspects.
• Maintain ground: Mow grass, rake leaves, and remove fallen limbs and trash. Remove weeds from landscapes in parks, greenways and other properties. Maintain the grounds and landscapes of private clients and businesses. Perform maintenance such as fertilising; spraying for weed and pest controls; planting, pruning and removing trees and shrubs; mow, trim, edge, cut and clean up uncontrolled weeds.
• Prepare planting area: Prepare planting area and soil for planting by for example fertilising, mulching by hand or using mechanical tools or machinery. Prepare seeds and plants for sowing and planting by ensuring the quality of seed and plants. Sow and plant by hand, using mechanical tools or machinery and in accordance with national legislation.
• Maintain plant soil nutrition: Manage and support overall soil nutrition. Practice sustainable gardening techniques and integrated pest management in gardens both outdoor and indoor.
• Nurse plants: Determine the need for nursing activities and carry out nursing by cultivating, maintaining, watering and spraying the plants and trees manually or using appropriate equipment, taking into account the plant species and following safety requirements.
• Propagate plants: Carry out propagation activities by appling appropriate propagation methods such as grafted cutting propagation or generative propagation considering the plant type. Carry out propagation control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
• Handling chemical products for soil and plants: Handling chemical products for soil and plants includes cleaning the equipment used for spreading and spraying, mixing of chemicals, preparing pesticides and herbicides for spraying, preparing fertilisers for spreading.
• Perform hand pruning: Efficiently perform hand pruning by using specific pruning tools like shears, lopping shears, saw, a small pocket scale to weigh the pruned material, and twine.
• Use gardening equipment: Use gardening equipment such as clippers, sprayers, mowers, chainsaws, complying to health and safety regulations.
• Plant green plants: Plant seeds manually or by using ground equipment.
• Prepare planting area for planting: Prepare planting area and soil for planting by fertilising, mulching and performing weed control. Take the conditions of the area, soil and plant type into account.
• Maintain plant health: Manage and support overall plant health. Practice sustainable gardening techniques and integrated pest management in gardens both outdoor and indoor.
• Plant according to guidelines: Plant according to guidelines including instructions on digging, staking and maintenance.
• Prune plants: Carry out pruning with relevant tools, related to the different purposes like maintenance pruning, pruning for growth, pruning for fruiting, debudding and volume reduction.
• Grow plants: Carry out plant growing activities. Carry out grow control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
• Operate turf management equipment: Operate turf management equipment like hedge cutters, mowers and strimmers.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of garden labourer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Turf management: Planting and maintenance of turf.
• Greenhouse types: Different types of greenhouses (plastic, glass) and other horticultural facilities such as hotbed, seedbed, irrigation systems, storage and protective facilities etc.
• Herbicides sprayers: Types of equipment used to spray herbicides on a surface, used both manually and mechanically.
• Ecology: The study of how organisms interact and their relation to the ambient environment.
• Pruning techniques: The techniques of selectively removing parts of trees and plants to foster better growth and regeneration.
• Landscaping materials: Field of information which distinguishes certain required materials, such as wood and wood chips, cement, pebbles and soil for landscaping purposes.
• Lawn care: Procedures, equipment and products used to maintain the cleanliness of lawns and other grass surfaces in parks or residences.
• Horticulture principles: The standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, corrective pruning, and fertilisation.
• Plant disease control: Types and features of diseases in plants and crops. Different kinds control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.
• Pruning types: Different approached to pruning trees, such as thinning, removal, etc.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of garden labourer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Transport physical resources within the work area: Transport physical resources such as products, equipment, materials, and liquids. Carefully load, transport and unload resources safely and efficiently, keeping the load in good condition.
• Build garden masonry: Create types of masonry specific for gardens such as walls, stairs, etc.
• Assist in interior plant projects: Assist in or carry out the planting, maintaining, watering and spraying of flowers, hanging baskets, plants, shrubs and trees in interior decorations according to the work description or project
• Establish vertical gardens: Construct vertical gardens including attachment of the garden to the wall or other surfaces. Select and plant suitable plants for the wall and maintain the wall.
• Build fences: Put up fences using a pothole digger, shovel, tamper, and other manual tools.
• Perform weed control operations: Carry out crop spraying for weeds and plant disease operations in line with National industry and customer requirements.
• Maintain turf management equipment: Install and service equipment like nets, posts and protective covers for sports and recreation purposes.
• Establish green roof: Establish vegetation on roofs, taking into account water and drainage, filters and soil. Plant suitable grasses, and possibly bushes and trees. Establish the green roof with regards to health and safety regulations.
• Maintain the greenhouse: Perform maintenance work on greenhouses. Clean greenhouse windows, drains and gutters.
• Prepare land for turf laying: Coordinate the work involved in clearing and preparing sites ready for planting. Ensure that the working methods for site clearance and preparation are established and clearly communicated. Oversee site clearance and preparation in accordance with specifications and maintain the quality of work.
• Maintain gardening equipment: Perform daily maintenance on tools and equipment and report major faults to a superior.
• Create garden areas in cemeteries: Plant out garden areas.
• Execute disease and pest control activities: Execute disease and pest control activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the climate, plant or crop type, health and safety and environmental regulations. Store and handle pesticides in accordance with recommendations and legislation.
• Nurse trees: Plant, fertilise and trim trees, shrubs and hedges. Examine trees to assess their condition and determine treatment. Work to eradicate insects, fungus and diseases which are harmful to trees, assist with prescribed burning, and work on preventing erosion.
• Provide lawn care: Care for lawns by applying techniques of organic, hybrid and integrated lawn care. Provide all necessary nutrients. 

9214 – Garden and horticultural labourers

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References

1. ESCO
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Gardener Job Description – Betterteam
4. Gardener and Groudskeeper Job Description – StateUniversity.com
5. Gardeners – Working Conditions – IllinoisWorkNet
6. Featured image: Photo by Anaya Katlego on Unsplash