Profession garden labourer

Garden labourers perform simple and routine tasks in operations to cultivate and maintain trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants in parks and private gardens, to produce saplings, bulbs and seeds, or grow vegetables and flowers by intensive cultivation techniques.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

Related professions horticulture, gardening

• First line supervisor horticultural nursery gardeners
• Floral arranger
• Flower binder
• Garden architect
• Gardener (cemetery)
• Gardener (public parks)
• Gardener, all other
• Greenkeeper sports grounds
• Groundsman
• Head groundsman
• Horticultural grower
• Horticultural technician
• Horticultural worker
• Landscape architect

Knowledge

• Soil structure

  Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.

• Plant propagation

  Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.

• 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 species

  The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics. 

Skills

• 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.

• Maintain plant soil nutrition

  Manage and support overall soil nutrition. Practice sustainable gardening techniques and integrated pest management in gardens both outdoor and indoor.

• 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.

• 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.

• Plant green plants

  Plant seeds manually or by using ground equipment.

• 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.

• Work in outdoor conditions

  Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.

• Operate turf management equipment

  Operate turf management equipment like hedge cutters, mowers and strimmers.

• Prune hedges and trees

  Cut and prune trees and hedges in ornemental forms, considering botanical and esthetical aspects.

• Maintain plant health

  Manage and support overall plant health. Practice sustainable gardening techniques and integrated pest management in gardens both outdoor and indoor.

• 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 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Handle chemical products for soil and plants

  Handle 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.

• 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 plants' growth

  Support growth, appearance and intended purpose of the plants.

• Plant according to guidelines

  Plant according to guidelines including digging, staking and maintenance.

• Grow plants

  Carry out plant growing activities. Carry out grow 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.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB