Horticultural Technicians

Horticultural technicians generally work a 40-hour week. Those who work in parks are often required to work weekends and some summer evenings. Whether working indoors in a greenhouse or florist shop, or outdoors in a park or on a golf course, they are surrounded by beauty. However, the job requires work in all kinds of weather. Arboriculture technicians, landscape developers, and turfgrass technicians spend a good deal of time outdoors and occasionally must work in rain, mud, or extreme temperatures.

Some technicians, such as those who work in greenhouses, public gardens, and floral shops, work in fairly peaceful surroundings and are able to enjoy the products of their work—the flowers or plants they tend. Jobs can also be exhausting and strenuous. Depending on the job, workers may have to climb trees, lift large equipment, mow large lawns, or kneel and bend to care for plants and soil. Some of the machinery used, such as blower vacs and mowers, can be very noisy. In addition, depending on the nature of the work, technicians may have to handle chemicals such as pesticides or fertilizers. When necessary, they wear protective clothing, goggles, gloves, hearing protective gear, and sometimes respirators.