Nursery Owners and Managers

Depending on the size and complexity of the nursery, owners and managers need experience in some or all of the following areas: the agriculture of plants, especially fruits, flowers and landscaping plants, and turf; business and accounting skills, including use of computers; agricultural economics, to determine the best methods for achieving maximum production; machinery and grounds maintenance. This experience can be gained through mentoring from a more experienced manager, course work at a local community college, government sponsored programs to encourage farm education for those who were not raised on a family farm, and lower-level positions in a nursery.

Skills required for an agricultural manager include precision and accuracy in monitoring and assessing the quality of their products; critical-thinking skills such as reasoning and judgment to enable managers to improve their harvest and take account of weather conditions; interpersonal skills to ensure effective communication between managers and their workers; and mechanical skills necessary to operate and repair machines used in agriculture. Perhaps the most important personality traits for the successful agricultural manager are a love of the outdoors and the plantings that can enhance our appreciation of nature; a capacity for hard work in the face of all kinds of weather; and the ability to take the initiative in fostering the growth and protection of plants.

Whatever their experience and training, a nursery owner needs a lot of energy, patience, and fortitude to overcome the slow times and other difficulties involved in running a business. Other important personal characteristics include maturity, creativity, and good business judgment. Nursery owners also should be able to motivate employees and delegate authority.

To be a successful nursery manager, you should have good communication skills, enjoy working with and supervising people, and be willing to put in very long hours. Diplomacy often is necessary when creating schedules for workers and in disciplinary matters. There is a great deal of responsibility in retail management and such positions often are stressful. A calm disposition and ability to handle stress will serve you well. You should also be in good physical shape since you will occasionally help your employees lift or rearrange plants, trees, gardening tools, and other products.