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Many plant lovers begin their careers by working in
greenhouses and nurseries or on grounds maintenance.
Workers in both occupations concentrate on the care and
upkeep of vegetation.
Greenhouse and nursery workers start the growth of
various flowers, shrubs, and young plants, or seedlings,
in a controlled environment. When the plants are hardy
enough, nursery workers transplant them to open fields
and then fertilize them and set up irrigation systems.
When the plants are ready for sale, greenhouse or retail
workers help customers to find the ones that best suit
their needs.
Grounds maintenance workers, sometimes called
landscapers, groundskeepers, or gardeners, are perhaps
the best known occupation in the green industry. These
workers perform the familiar tasks of mowing, watering,
fertilizing, pruning, and weeding landscapes and gardens.
They follow design specifications for installing flowers,
plants, lighting, and sprinkler systems and for building
walkways, patios, and decks.
Grounds maintenance workers also use and fix
landscaping equipment, including power saws, mowers,
tractors, and aerators. Some workers specialize in apply-
ing pesticides and, in most States, receive training and
licensure. Others become tree trimmers and pruners.
The tasks that grounds maintenance workers do
depend on where they work. Those who work on sports
fields, golf courses, or other kinds of turf use special
equipment under the direction of turf managers. Other
grounds maintenance workers are hired for residential
jobs involving the care of yards and gardens. Still others
work in cemeteries, hospitals, and universities and other
institutions that have a campus.
Grounds maintenance duties change with the seasons.
During the spring, workers are busy planting, fertilizing,
tilling, and pruning summer- and fall-blooming shrubs.
Summer is usually the season for routine care, such as
mowing, watering, weeding, and pruning spring-flower-
ing shrubs. In the fall, workers rake leaves and prepare
plants for the winter. And winter is a time for controlling
moisture, protecting plants from the elements, and clear-
ing away snow and debris.
Qualifications and training. Greenhouse and
grounds maintenance workers need to listen well and
follow directions. They usually learn their required tasks
on the job. Many workers also complete formal training
in safety practices. Most States require workers who use
pesticides to be certified, which usually involves passing
a test to demonstrate ability in safely applying pesticides.
These tests are usually administered by States’ agriculture
departments or environmental conservation departments.
Entry-level greenhouse and grounds maintenance
workers can advance to supervisory occupations by gain-
ing experience; taking classes in plant and soil science,
safety and business practices, or equipment maintenance;
and receiving certification from a professional associa-
tion, such as the Professional Landcare Network.
Earnings. According to BLS, landscaping and
groundskeeping workers had median annual earnings
of $20,420 in May 2004. Half of these workers earned
between $16,720 and $25,710. The top-earning 10 per-
cent made more than $33,080, and the lowest earning 10
percent made less than $14,600.
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators made
more, with median annual earnings of $25,590. The top-
earning 10 percent made more than $36,920. The lowest
earning 10 percent made less than $17,960.
The grounds maintenance workers with the high-
est average pay were tree trimmers and pruners. In May
2004, their median annual earnings were $26,150. The
top-earning 10 percent made over $41,870, and the low-
est earning 10 percent made less than $17,290.
All of these earnings figures are for wage-and-salary
workers. Self-employed workers are not included.
