What Does a Professional Gardener Do?

The specific types of job duties a professional gardener will perform on a daily basis will vary based on the type of gardening he or she is doing, as well as the season of the year. There are a number of different types of professional gardeners; some will grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs to sell, while others will raise flowers, shrubs, or trees. Some will work more as landscapers or professional groundskeepers, maintaining the appearance of the outdoor areas around retail or hospitality establishments, professional buildings, or municipal areas, among others. There is no specific education that is required to become a professional gardener, though some will study horticulture, silviculture, or botany, depending on their career goals.

In many cases, a professional gardener will maintain his or her own garden, raising products that she can then later sell to distributors or independently at farmer's markets. Though this would be considered agriculture on a larger scale, people who do it on a smaller scale may simply be considered professional gardeners. They may raise a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs to sell, depending of course on where they live, and the growing season in such an area.

Another type of professional gardener will raise different types of plants in order to sell them, such as in a greenhouse. This may involve growing a wide variety of flowers and shrubs or even trees in some cases. Again, they may sell their products through a distributor, or independently. Both of these types of professional gardeners must have extensive knowledge of topics such as types of soil, drainage, and nutrients required to raise healthy plants, as well as how to prevent certain plant diseases or pests from destroying their crops. Organic gardeners require even more specific knowledge on how to raise plants without the use of chemicals.

In other situations, a professional gardener does not raise plants on his or her own, but will work to maintain lawns and gardens at various locations. Similar to landscaping or groundskeeping, this person will maintain the appearance of an outdoor area based on the needs of the client. The gardener will perform this work based on his or her own knowledge of growing healthy plants, and what types of plants succeed in close proximity to other plants. For people who enjoy hands-on work, and spending most of their time outdoors, working as a professional gardener can be a great career path.