What does a Nursery Worker do?

A nursery worker is an individual who can be found employed at a business where plants are sold. Such an individual can have a wide range of plant care duties which include feeding, repotting, and mulching. Her duties may not be limited strictly to working with plants, however. She may also be required to conduct inventory and manage incoming and outgoing shipments.

If a nursery does not have healthy plants, it is unlikely that the business will be healthy. This is why one of the primary duties a nursery worker is likely to have is caring for plants. Doing so may not be as basic as it sounds. There are likely to be some plants that require little maintenance. A nursery worker may simply need to ensure that they get a bit of water and that they are kept in the sun or shade.

There are numerous plants, however, that require more in-depth maintenance. Caring for these plants often involves adhering to strict regimens. This may require a nursery worker to have an excellent memory. She will likely need to remember numerous measurements, such as how much water or plant food is needed for each different type of plant, and what types of products can be used with which plants. Caring for these plants may also require her to engage in maintenance tasks such as pruning, repotting, and mulching.

Propagating plants is another common and important duty that is often required of a nursery worker. This can involve a number of tasks such as the collection of seeds and spores, germination, and stratification. A nursery's future stock is often dependent on the outcome of these tasks.

It is not uncommon for a nursery worker to be required to engage in a number of duties other than caring for plants. For example, she may be required to act as a cashier. She may also be required to conduct inventory or to confirm shipments from the nursery's suppliers.

Filling orders is another common nursery duty. Many nurseries have catalog and Internet shopping services. When this is the case, the orders generally need to be organized in a timely fashion and prepared for shipment or pick-up.

Nurseries are businesses where consumers often seek a great deal of advice and guidance. A nursery worker is likely to realize that a significant portion of her time is spent educating customers. For this reason, a nursery worker should strive to be knowledgeable, not only about plants and planting tools, but also about local growing conditions.