how do you become a professional gardener

• Obtain a high school diploma or equivalent. To become a gardener, it is advantageous to have a high school diploma or GED. ...
• Consider earning a degree. Some jobs may require you to obtain a degree in landscape design, horticulture or a related field. ...
• Get certified. Some professional gardeners seek to obtain an additional certification or become a master gardener by participating in a certain number of volunteer hours in their community. ...
• Gain experience: The best way to gain experience is to intern or become an apprentice under a professional gardener. ...

What qualifications do you need to become a gardener?

When you go self-employed you:

• Are responsible for finding your own gardening work;
• Decide whether you want to accept or decline a gardening job;
• Need to have your own method of transport, mobile phone and gardening equipment;
• Will not receive sick pay or holiday pay, so you will go without earnings during these times;

More items...

Is gardening a good career?

Gardening/landscaping: This is a great career choice if you want to get dirty, work with your hands, and if you are not necessarily interested in getting a degree.In landscaping jobs you will work in either public or private gardens or for a company that puts in landscapes.; Agriculture: If your interest is in food, consider a career in agriculture.. This can include farmers, aquaculture, or ...

Should you become a Master Gardener?

Becoming a master gardener allows you to spread your knowledge, learn more about gardening and service your municipality. Master garden training is a lengthy process with annually required retraining hours. It also involves up to 50 volunteer hours per year, but if you like helping others and have a passion for gardening, becoming a master ...

How to find and hire a gardener?

HomeAdvisor is the simplest way to find and book gardening services near you. Connect with the best gardeners in your area who are experts at planting flowers, maintaining gardens, recommending plants and shrubs, and more. Read millions of reviews and get information about project costs.

Can you make a living being a gardener?

You can earn money by creating a garden plan for your clients. From planting plans that cover what to plant when and where to put it in their garden, to a design of the actual garden space, you've got a lot of flexibility here.

Can you make money as a gardener?

Summer Garden Income. Summer is peak growing season and it's a great time to earn income from what you're growing at home. The big farms and CSA operations have the lettuce market cornered, but backyard gardeners can break into the market by offering really novel crops.

How do I become an expert gardener?

8 Simple Habits All Expert Gardeners Do Every DayMake Compost.Use Compost.Notice Things.Mulch.Feed Your Soil.Practice Prevention.Share The Wealth.Be Present.

Can you be a gardener as a job?

Gardening professionals work to improve and maintain the beauty of landscaped environments. Gardeners both install landscapes and maintain the appearance of existing grounds. Gardening professionals work for landscaping contractors, homeowners and owners of commercial real estate.

How do I start my own gardening business?

1:573:11How to Start Your Own Garden Business - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipA free guide to your email inbox. And you'll be all set up and ready to take the garden coachMoreA free guide to your email inbox. And you'll be all set up and ready to take the garden coach challenge too garden coaching is one of the most. Exciting new business platforms in the gardening.

What is the best plant to grow for profit?

5 Ridiculously Profitable Specialty Plants to Grow in Your...Ginseng. Used for thousands of years in Asian cultures as a healing herb and tonic, this plant brings in so much profit for growers it has been dubbed “green gold”. ... Gourmet Mushrooms. ... Bamboo. ... Herbs. ... Medicinal Marijuana.

What makes a good gardener?

Good gardeners tend to have a passion for certain elements gardening -- be it design, color schemes, textures or types of foliage, flowers or species of plants. They seem to get excited when you mention something interesting about their garden or something they personally take pride in establishing.

What is the secret to gardening?

Before you plant, always draw a plan out on paper. Put taller plants towards the back of the garden and shorter plants at the front so you can see everything from a distance. Keep your plants healthy by anticipating the plants' nutritional needs. You'll most likely need to add fertilizer while your plants are growing.

What should I do in my garden everyday?

Daily Gardening ChoresWalk the Garden. Every morning I walk the garden and look at all my plants. ... Trellis the Fast Growing Plants. ... Pest Control. ... Disease Control. ... Water Plants or Check On Irrigation. ... Add Kitchen Scraps to Compost. ... Harvest Crops. ... Adjust watering system.More items...

What is a professional gardener called?

Master Gardeners vs. Horticulturists are professional gardeners with an academic degree who are trained in horticulture, gardening, and land management (other related degrees include landscape design and landscaping, which are often distributed by a university's horticulture department).

Do I need qualifications to be a gardener?

You could do a college course in gardening or horticulture to get some of the knowledge and practical skills needed for this career. Courses include: Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture Skills. Level 2 Diploma in Practical Horticultural Skills.

Is working garden maintenance hard?

While big projects might come up from time-to-time, most landscape maintenance requires minimal physical labor. When it comes to landscaping as a career, however, things get a bit tougher. Regularly performing landscaping tasks for 40 hours a week (or even part-time) can cause major wear on your body.

Get A Degree Or Certification

Many colleges and community colleges offer degrees in horticulture and landscape design for those interested in becoming a professional gardener. You can also obtain a certification online, at a local plant nursery, or at a community college.

Obtain a Master Gardener Status

A master gardener program trains interested individuals about the science and art of gardening. Once you complete a master gardener program, you will receive a master gardener certification. To get this certification, you must complete a set number of required courses and volunteer for a set amount of hours.

Gain Real-World Experience

Once you get a degree, earn a certification, or complete a master gardener program, you can then begin to look for jobs as a professional gardener.

What is Success?

When looking to become a successful gardener it is firstly important that you clarify for yourself what success means. Success can mean completely different things for everybody. It really depends on how you view your career, what you want to get out of it. But also in life in general.

How to Become Successful

Knowing the above, knowing what works for you is one important part. But what else can you do to become a successful gardener?

How can Polo & Tweed Help?

Are you looking for a new great gardening job that fits in with what you want and need? Polo & Tweed can help! We have great part-time, full-time and freelance gardening and groundsmen roles all over the world.

How to become a Master Gardener?

1. Keep your absences to a minimum. The first part of EMG programs consist of an intensive core course, which equip Master Gardener candidates with the knowledge and skills they need to volunteer in the field. While you are allowed a small number of absences, your presences at each core course is preferred.

How many hours of training is required for a master gardener?

Master Gardener candidates may be expected to complete anywhere from 20 to 66 hours of core training. The subjects covered in these courses may include: Volunteer in your local community. Master Gardeners provide members of their local communities with gardening advice, assistance, and information.

When was the Master Gardener program established?

In 1972 , the Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program, which trained volunteers to provide their local communities with horticultural education and gardening assistance, was established in Washington state. As the program spread throughout the United States, it become internationally acclaimed.

Do Master Gardeners have to pass a background check?

Upon passing the background check, you will be officially admitted into the program.

How much do gardeners make?

Gardeners in America make an average salary of $47,657 per year or $23 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $65,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $34,000 per year.

What are the best states to work as a gardener?

The best states for people in this position are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Gardeners make the most in Massachusetts with an average salary of $49,017. Whereas in Rhode Island and Connecticut , they would average $48,177 and $45,721, respectively. While gardeners would only make an average of $43,092 in New Jersey, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

How many hours of training do you need to be a gardener?

Once you have completed approximately 30 hours of training, the opportunities to serve are nearly endless. Participation in scheduled gardening clinics at schools, garden and community centers and plant fairs are a few possibilities.

How many hours do you need to be a master gardener?

Master garden training is a lengthy process with annually required retraining hours. It also involves up to 50 volunteer hours per year, but if you like helping others and have a passion for gardening, becoming a master gardener may be for you.

When is master gardener training?

Training is typically in the winter months of January through March. This allows the new master gardener to be ready for the volunteer service requirements at the start of the gardening season. Volunteer hours vary by county but are typically 50 hours the first year and 20 hours in subsequent years.

What is master gardener?

A master gardener is a citizen that is interested in gardening and can fulfill the training and volunteer hours necessary. Requirements vary by county and state, and the course is tailored for that specific region.