Gardening, Landscaping, and Groundskeeping Skills

Gardening, Landscaping, and Groundskeeping Skills



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BY ALISON DOYLE

 

Updated March 07, 2018

When you’re promoting your services for landscaping work, whether on a resume, website, or even neighborhood flier, it’s essential to list the gardening skills and services you have to offer. We’ve put together a collection of landscaping, gardening, and groundskeeping skills and keywords that potential employers and clients look for.

We’ve also included a list of questions that employers and clients might ask when they’re interviewing candidates for gardening and landscaping work.

Gardening, Landscaping, and Groundskeeping Skills and Examples

Pest Management

Share your knowledge of pest control, whether it's plant, animal, or insect.

Beneficial Insects





Biological Pesticides





Deer, Rodent, Mole Control





Pest Control





Pest Management





Picking/Killing Weeds





Nontoxic Pest Management





Weeding



Lawn and Grass Work

If there are local concerns in lawn care, such as cold-weather tolerance or a prevalent type of invasive weed, your resume or website should mention your skills in managing them.

Grass Management





Lawn Aeration





Lawn Disease Control





Lawn Care





Lawn Fertilization





Lawn Cutting





Low-Water Grasses





Mowing





Seeding Lawns





Sod Installation



Irrigation and Drought Management

Drought management skills are essential in some areas and have advanced far beyond basic drip systems.

Bioswales





Drip Irrigation





Drought Tolerant Plants





Evapotranspiration (ET)





Irrigation Scheduling





Rainwater Harvesting and Catchment





Soil Moisture Monitoring





Sprinkler Installation and Maintenance





Watering Plants

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Soil Management

Again, add details to these skills based on the soil challenges unique to your area.

Composting





Crop Rotation





Digging





Fertilizing





Mulching Garden Beds





Soil Analysis





Soil Amendment





Soil Maintenance





Winterizing



Plants

This is a starter list. If you specialize in certain types of plants, say roses or fruit trees, then be sure to add those to your resume.

Dividing Bulbs





Farming





Flower Maintenance





Garden Design





Gardening





Germinating Vegetable/Fruit Seeds





Greenhouse Work





Harvesting





Landscape Design





Landscaping





Plant Identification





Plant Selection





Planting



Tree and Bush Work

Tree-trimming companies are always looking for qualified and experienced job candidates, although many companies also offer on-the-job training to get you up to speed on these skills.

Aerial Lift Operator





Branch Thinning





Bush Trimming





Cutting Wood





Grafting





Pruning





Stalking Trees





Stump removal





Tree Climber





Tree Trimming



Equipment Maintenance

This is an area homeowners often need help with.

Blade Sharpening





Garden Tool Repair/Maintenance





Small Engine Repair





Repair



Landscaper Interview Questions

Here’s a list of frequently asked interview questions for landscapers, landscape technicians, and landscape architects. You’re sure to impress if you come prepared to discuss examples that show off your technical skills. If you can share a portfolio of photos of your past work, even better.

What types of landscaping projects have you worked on in the past?





How much guidance do you like to receive on a project?





Do you prefer to work independently or in a group? Why?





What is your favorite planned or built landscape? Why?





What was your most successful project? Why do you believe it was successful?





Tell me about a project you worked on that involved collaboration with other landscapers.





What are your views on the organic growth of plants?





Name three popular dust solutions.





What are two or three insect killers you prefer to use?





Tell us about a time when you dealt with a difficult plant disease successfully.





What would you do if a client asked you to make a revision that you did not agree with?





What soil traits must be considered before selecting plants to cultivate?





Tell me about a time when your design did not turn out as you had planned. What steps did you take to resolve the problem?





What experience do you have creating a promotional piece or concept design?





Do you have any experience using AutoCAD to create a design concept? If so, how have you applied AutoCAD to your landscaping work?



More Interview Tips

Job interviews don’t have to be stressful. In fact, they can be a really positive experience if you approach them with an optimistic mindset and do some preparationbeforehand. One of the best ways to gain confidence before your interview is to make a list of ten or so of the best qualities you would bring to the job. Having a friend role-play the part of your interviewer can also help you become comfortable practicing responses to questions about your gardening and landscaping skills and experience.

Finally, remember that you are interviewing the employer or client as much as they are interviewing you – you need to know, before accepting a job, whether project timeframes and budgets are viable. Here’s a list of questions to ask your interviewer that will help you to decide if you are a good fit for the job. 

 https://www.thebalancecareers.com/gardening-landscaping-and-groundskeeping-skills-2062416