Horticulture worker

Horticulture workers carry out practical activities and assist in nurseries or greenhouses for the production of horticultural crops.

The duties of a horticulture worker include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare seed beds
• Transfer plants to containers
• Move container plants around the work site
• Till the soil
• Unload shipments of packaged soil and other gardening products
• Propagate new plants through grafting and other measures
• Prune plants and tress

Wearing protective gear like dust masks, safety glasses and protective clothing is essential to the horticulture worker’s job. The use of fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals exposes horticulture workers to substances that may be harmful. Caution when using gardening equipment and tools is also necessary for horticulture workers to avoid injury.

The following job titles also refer to horticulture worker:

berry picker
flower picker
farm hands
fruit picker
horticultural farm worker
crop worker
horticultural worker

No formal educational credential is required to work as horticulture worker. However, for the purpose of advancing their careers, many horticulture workers study to obtain an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in horticulture or a related field.

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.

Horticulture worker is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to horticulture worker.

hop farmer
horticulture production team leader
horticulture production manager
crop production manager
agronomic crop production team leader

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

viticulture adviser
flower and garden shop manager
botanical technician
agricultural inspector
biotechnical technician

These skills are necessary for the role of horticulture worker.

• Maintain storage facilities: Maintain or ensure the maintenance of cleaning equipment, heating or air conditioning of storage facilities and the temperature of premises.
• Harvest crop: Mow, pick or cut agricultural products manually or using appropriate tools and machinery. Taking into account the relevant quality criteria of products, hygiene prescriptions and using the appropriate methods.
• Supervise hygiene procedures in agricultural settings: Ensure that hygiene procedures in agricultural settings are followed, taking into account the regulations of specific areas of action e.q. livestock, plants, local farm products, etc.
• 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.
• Monitor fields: Monitor orchards, fields and production areas to forecast when crops will be fully grown. Estimate how much damage the weather may cause to crops.
• Execute fertilisation: Carry out fertilisation tasks by hand or using appropriate equipment according to fertilisation instructions taking into account the environmental, health and safety regulations and procedures.
• 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 applying 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.
• Use gardening equipment: Use gardening equipment such as clippers, sprayers, mowers, chainsaws, complying to health and safety regulations.
• 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 the greenhouse: Perform maintenance work on greenhouses. Clean greenhouse windows, drains and gutters.
• 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.
• Maintain gardening equipment;
• Store crops: Store and preserve crops in accordance with standards and regulations to ensure their quality. Ensure that storage facilities are kept according to hyginic standards, regulating temperature, heating and air conditioning of storage facilities.
• Grow plants: Carry out plant growing activities. Carry out grow control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
• Store products: Keep products in a safe place in order to maintain their quality. Ensure the stock facilities meet hygiene standards, regulating temperature, heating and air conditioning of storage facilities.

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

• Quality criteria for storage facilities: Quality criteria for storage facilities such as safe locking systems, ventilation, regularly inspected fireproofing systems, etc.
• Organic farming: Principles, techniques and regulations of organic farming. Organic farming or ecological agriculture is an agricultural production method, which places a strong emphasis on environmental protection and ecological balance.
• Food safety principles: Scientific background of food safety which includes preparation, handling, and storage of food to minimise the risk of foodborne illness and other health hazards.
• Crop production principles: Principles in growing crops, the natural cycle, nursing of nature, growth conditions and principles of organic and sustainable production. Quality criterias and requirements of seeds, plants and crop.
• Greenhouse types: Different types of greenhouses (plastic, glass) and other horticultural facilities such as hotbed, seedbed, irrigation systems, storage and protective facilities etc.
• 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. 
• Types of storage facilities: Different types of devices and facilities used to hold information and their quality criterias.
• 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.
• Pruning techniques: The techniques of selectively removing parts of trees and plants to foster better growth and regeneration.
• Agronomy: The study of combining agriculture production and protection and regeneration of natural environment. Includes the principles and methods of critical selection and adequate application methods for sustainability in agriculture.
• Fertilisation principles: The study of plant, soil structure, climatic and environmental issues in agronomical production.
• Plant harvest methods: The various methods, timing and equipment involved in harvesting different crops and plants.
• Customer relationship management: The customer-oriented management approach and basic principles of successful customer relations that focus on interactions with customers such as technical support, customer services, after-sales support and direct communication with the customer.
• Horticulture principles: The standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, corrective pruning, and fertilisation.
• Agritourism: Aspects of agritourism involving agriculturally based activities to bring visitors to a farm.
• Plant propagation: Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.
• 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 horticulture worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Coordinate greenhouse environment: Take care of the heating and cooling of greenhouses. Work together with the Grounds and Buildings Manager in keeping the irrigation systems and the horticultural equipment in good condition.
• Promote farm products: Explain the characteristics of a product and the way it was produced.
• Create flower arrangements: Prepare and arrange flower compositions according to design by applying necessary techniques and using necessary materials.
• Prepare flower arrangements: Select suitable flora and foliage to create floral arrangements and match arrangements with decorative accessories such as pieces of ceramic and vases.
• Pick orders of agricultural products: Assemble and prepare customer orders based on agricultural product knowledge.
• Provide fertilizer recommendation for flowers: Discuss and recommend different types of fertilisers, and explain when and how they should be prepared and applied.
• Keep task records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
• Process flower bulbs: Mechanical clean, disinfect and process flower bulbs.
• Assist equipment operation: Assists with snow removal. Operate snow equipment such as plough trucks, brush skid steers, front loaders, snow blowers and shovels.
• Place orders for flower products: Communicate with wholesale suppliers and place orders for flowers, plants, fertilisers and seeds.
• Provide agri-touristic services: Provide services for agri-tourism activities on the farm. This may include providing B & B services, small scale catering, supporting agri-tourism activities and leisure such as riding, locally guide tours, giving information on farm production and history, selling of small-scale local farm products.
• Present the farm facilities: Perform customer adapted presentations of the farm organization and farm processes taking under consideration the farm sustainability and local environment.
• Direct the preparation of food: Oversee the preparation of a variety of dishes such as soups, salads, fish, meats, vegetables or desserts. Participate in and direct food preparation either on a day-to-day basis, or for special guests or events.
• Advise customers on types of flowers: Provide customers with advice on types and varieties of plants and flowers, floral arrangements and decorations for specific occasions.
• Perform on-farm product processing: Transform the primary farm product by tools and/or machinery into elaborated food products, respecting the quality objectives, hygiene and security legislation or rules.
• Carry out work related calculations in agriculture: Calculate different kinds of on-site requirements in the agricultural, fishery and forestry sector by taking care of marketing and budgets.
• Handle veterinary emergencies: Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
• Assist landscape projects: Implement soft and hard landscaping works such as paving, retainer walls, pathways or irrigation systems based on already identified sites and according to landscaping plans.
• Sell flowers: Sell natural and artificial flowers, potted plants, soil, floral accessories, fertilisers and seeds.
• Select adequate packaging for food products: Choose the appropriate packages for food products taking into account attractiveness and suitability of the package. Use proper packaging for sending it safely and at a reasonable cost. Have awareness that packaging can also influence the product characteristics such as shape, weight or solidity. Balance out various aspects such as cost, attractivity and compliance with regulations and environment protection.
• 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 recomandation and legislation.
• Use agricultural information systems and databases: Use relevant information systems and databases to plan, manage and operate agricultural enterprise and production.

6113 – Gardeners, horticultural and nursery growers

---

References

1. ESCO
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Horticultural Worker: Job Description and Career Advancement Info – BestAccreditedColleges
4. Featured image: Photo by Gary Barnes from Pexels