Gardener

A gardener plans and carries out the necessary operations to cultivate trees, shrubs, flowers and to produce saplings, bulbs and seeds for sale or delivery to wholesale buyers or markets. He/she is also responsible for establishing, maintaining and decorating parks and gardens.

• Planting or sowing new plants, growing vegetables, cultivating flowers, trees or bushes and harvesting crops.



• Performing farm/nursery operations such as land preparation, cleaning up and removing leaves, weeds, dead plants and litter.



• Controlling plant illnesses and pests through the application of pesticides.



• Caring for the plants and seeing to it that everything is looked after.



• Delivering and/or marketing products.



• Growing plants for exhibition or medical purposes.



• Operating machines like lawnmowers, etc..

Requirements

Secondary Education
In general no formal educational qualification is required, but some employers require a minimum qualification of Grade 7. The main requirement is the ability to read and write.
 
Tertiary Education
Not applicable, as gardeners receive on-the-job training. Agrifutura (Windhoek) offers short courses to unskilled employees.

Personality
The prospective gardener should be willing to work outside most of the time and be prepared to exert a lot of physical effort.

Work Opportunities
Gardeners are employed by commercial nurseries, garden-service undertakings, households and municipalities. Good, experienced gardeners are always in demand.

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