We may not be staunch environmentalists, but most of us enjoy gardening, and are in love with plants. Cultivating a small garden, getting new saplings every week, watering the plants, and noting down their growth; is one of the most common hobbies of people worldwide. But how many think of converting this activity into a profession?
Professional Gardeners, though rare, are much needed. The work involves maintaining a nursery and providing services and products connected to gardening. You should have knowledge about plants, that is to be imparted and shared with clients and customers. Having saplings of plants, manure, insecticides, gardening equipments, etc, is essential. You also need to keep a track of the health of the plants and trees, treat weeds regularly, identify pests and diseases. A professional also should know how to raise new plants from cuttings and seeds, which can either be planted or sold at the right time. You have to maintain and repair various gardening tools and equipments. A good gardener typically has a set of loyal clients and conducts sessions or individual sessions to advise clients on all kinds of plants, about garden maintenance, answers questions, and helps in building the garden from scratch.
No formal education is needed per say. But there are a number of colleges and institutes offering gardening courses today. You may enroll into them. However, what is required in in depth knowledge about plants – their species, survival, life cycle, climatic conditions needed, amount of water and fertilizers needed, etc.
You should be in love with plants to be a professional gardener. It becomes a little difficult if you do not treat plants as your children and try your best to make them blossom, grow and live a full life. Only a deep interest will help you read, study and research about them, and issues related to them. It is a strenuous job, and you will have to spend hot summer afternoons, and cold winter days protecting the plants and covering them up. Thus physical endurance and stamina is also needed. You should be able to work both gingerly on one hand, and dextrously on the other.
