Careers In Horticulture And Related Fields

University of KentuckyCCD HomeCCD Crop ProfilesCollege of Agriculture, Food and EnvironmentCareers in Horticultureand Related FieldsHorticulture is an applied science dealing withfruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. It is anextremely diversified field with nearly unlimitedcareer opportunities in a variety of job settings.The majority of horticultural positions require aminimum of either a two- or four-year degree. Insome careers, however, educational requirementscan vary greatly, depending on the level ofexpertise required for the position. Some entrylevel positions provide on-the-job training andrequire only a high school diploma, while otherpositions within that same career may requirespecialized technical or professional training.The following list is meant to provide basicinformation on some of the more common careersin horticulture and horticulture-related fields.Agricultural Business ConsultantEvaluates agricultural businesses with thegoal of increasing productivity, efficiency,and profits. Assists in establishing budgets.Provides advice on taxes, estate planning, andother financial issues. May be self-employedor work for financial consulting firms andagribusinesses. Requires a four-year degree inagricultural business or agricultural education.Arboretum/Botanical Garden/Horticultural Garden WorkerInvolvesplantingandmaintaining plant collectionsin naturalized, systematic, oraesthetic arrangements. Mayalso propagate plants, teach, and/or conductresearch. Employed by arboreta, botanicalgardens, city parks, colleges/universities,historical sites, nature preserves, public andprivate gardens, and recreational areas. Widerange of educational requirements.Arborist/Urban Forester/Tree ServiceTechnicianConcerned with all aspects of the care, protection,and maintenance of woody plants, especially trees,in urban settings. Employed by arboreta, botanicalgardens, colleges/universities, consulting firms,Cooperative Extension, government agencies,landscape maintenance firms, large privateestates, parks departments, research institutions,resorts, theme parks, tree nurseries, tree servicecompanies, and utility companies. Wide rangeof educational requirements.Voluntary certification availablethrough International Society ofArboriculture.Agriculture & Natural Resources Family & Consumer Sciences 4-H/Youth Development Community & Economic DevelopmentEducational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

Botanist/Plant BiologistStudies the form and function of plants. Mostare employed by educational institutions andgovernment agencies. Others may be employedby arboreta, biological supply companies,biotechnology firms, botanical gardens, chemicalcompanies, food companies, fruit growers,research institutions, and seed companies.Requires a minimum of a four-year degree.Business Sales RepresentativePromotes, markets, and distributes agriculturallyrelated products to retail or wholesale businessesand growers. May work for companies thatmanufacture or sell chemicals, fertilizers,equipment, or horticultural supplies, as wellas seed and plant suppliers. Wide range ofeducational requirements.Enologist/OenologistStudies the science of wine and winemaking.Job types include operating machinery,picking grapes, teaching, and research, aswell as winemaker. May be hired by colleges/universities, wineries, and grape producers.Wide range of educational requirements.Extension AgentDevelops and coordinates programs to promoteagriculture in the county. Involves research(such as field trials and test demonstrations) andproviding educational opportunities for growers.Employed by land grant universities. Requires aminimum of a four-year college degree.CommunicationsInvolves one or more forms of mass media.Types of positions include agriculture/farm newsdirector, book/magazine author, editor, journalist,photographer, public relations, scientific writer,technical illustrator, videographer, and Webdesigner. Employment opportunities includeagribusiness firms, newspapers, radio/TVstations, and trade/garden magazines. Widerange of educational requirements.ConsultantProvides expert horticultural advice to businessesand growers. May specialize in one area; e.g.nursery crops. Many are self-employed; otherswork for equipment companies, landscape firms,and pesticide companies. Requires a minimumof a four-year college degree.EducatorTeaches horticulture or related subjects atcolleges, high schools, junior colleges, technicalschools, universities, and vocational schools.Requires a minimum of a Bachelors Degree orMasters Degree. Ph.D. required for teaching atthe college or university level.Extension SpecialistDevelops and coordinates programs to promotehorticulture in their state. Provides educationalopportunities for Extension agents and conductsapplied research. May also have teachingresponsibilities at the university. Employed byland grant universities. Requires a Ph.D.FloriculturistA general term for horticulturists who specializein cut flowers, bedding plants, and potted plants.May be involved in marketing floral suppliesand products, teaching, or conducting research.Employed by colleges/universities, florists,garden centers, producers, and technical schools.Wide range of educational requirements.

Florist/Floral DesignerFloriculturists who design flower and foliage plantarrangements. May also care for and sell live ordried floral material. Positions in florist shopsand floral retail businesses; also large grocerystores and retail chains with floral departments.Wide range of educational requirements.Grower/Plant Producer/FarmerProduces horticultural crops for retail orwholesale markets. Works on and/or owns agreenhouse, nursery, orchard, sod farm, vegetablefarm, vineyard, etc. May be an independentgrower or be employed by other producers. Widerange of educational requirements.Horticultural TherapistFood Scientist/TechnicianInvolved in every aspect of food productionand processing from farm to table. Concernedwith such issues as food safety, quality, andnutrition; developing new food products; andeducating consumers.Employed by foodprocessing companies, government agencies,and universities. Typical positions include foodinspector, quality assurance specialist, marketingrepresentative, researcher, and technician.Requires a college degree.Garden Center Owner/Manager/WorkerSells landscape plants, tools, and supplies in a retailoutlet. Provides plant information to customers.Positions include field worker, garden centerowner, greenhouse worker, manager, and salesclerk. Wide range of educational requirements.Greenhouse Manager/WorkerPlants, cultivates, manages, and harvestsgreenhouse crops. May be hired by commercialgreenhouses or landscape companies. Widerange of educational requirements.Uses plants and horticultural activities to improveemotional, mental, and/or physical well-being ofpatients. Works as part of a team consisting ofother health-care professionals, rehabilitationspecialists, and/or social workers. May workwith mentally disabled, emotionally disabled,senior groups, inner city youth, and prisoners.Employed by hospitals, nursing homes, prisons,schools, and rehabilitation centers. Requiresspecialized training in a post-secondary programaccredited by the American HorticulturalTherapy Association.Interior LandscapingInvolves designing, installing, and maintaininginterior plantings in private or public buildings.May be self-employed or work for landscapeor interior design companies. Wide range ofeducational requirements.Irrigation SpecialistSells, installs, operates, and repairs irrigationsystems at various locations, such as athleticfields, farms, golf courses, greenhouses, andnurseries. Requires a two- or four-year collegedegree in grounds management, landscapedesign, or a closely related field.Landscape ArchitectPlans and designs exterior landscapes for parks,recreational areas, campuses, industrial sites,institutional grounds, shopping malls, and otherlarge projects. May be self-employed or work fordevelopmental companies, government agencies,landscape architectural firms, or resorts. Afour-year college degree is required for most

entry level positions; however, some positionsrequire a graduate degree. State registration orcertification required.May be employed by processing companies,producers, and marketing organizations. Postsecondary training is required.Landscape ConstructionNurseryman/Nursery Manager/Nursery WorkerInstalls ornamental plant material, turfgrass, andstructural landscape features according to plansfrom a landscape designer or landscape architect.Employed by a landscape contractor firm orlandscape nursery. Wide range of educationalrequirements.Landscape DesignerPlans and designs exterior landscapes forhomes, estates, and small commercial buildings.Generally involved in smaller projects, comparedto a landscape architect. May be self-employed orwork for landscape firms. Requires a minimumof a two-year college or technical degree.Landscape sManagerPlants, transplants, maintains, and harvestsnursery crops. May be involved in graftingand propagating plants.Job opportunitiesat greenhouses, landscaping companies, andwholesale or retail nurseries. Wide range ofeducational requirements.Plant Breeder/GeneticistProduces new and improved plant varieties.Positions with arboreta, biotechnology lting firms, government agencies, andresearch and development departments in largecorporations. Requires a four-year college degreefor entry level positions and a graduate degreefor advanced positions.Involves planting and maintaining privateand public landscapes, gardens, and lawns.Employment opportunities exist at amusementparks, cemeteries, golf courses, parks, lawnand garden service companies, public grounds,racetracks, recreation and sports facilities, anduniversity campuses. A two- or four-year collegedegree is recommended.Plant DiagnosticianLawn Care SpecialistPlant InspectorHome lawn maintenance, including mowinggrass, seeding lawns, applying pesticides,and making fertilizer applications. Generallyemployed by lawn care companies, but may alsowork for landscape firms or government agencies.Some serve as independent contractors. Widerange of educational requirements.MarketingInvolves all aspects of marketing and promotinghorticultural crops or products, includingimproving methods and equipment used ingrading, packaging, storage, and shipping.Specialists who attempt to determine the cause ofvarious plant problems, which can include plantdiseases, insects, and cultural problems. Providespest management solutions. May be employed bycolleges/universities, the Cooperative ExtensionService, greenhouses, and large nurseries.Requires post-secondary training.Inspects plants in commercial nurseries, gardencenters, orchards, field plantings, as well ascounty, state, or national entry/exit points, toensure material is free of specific insects ordiseases. Generally federal or state employees.Requires a four-year degree or graduate degree.Plant PathologistStudies plant diseases, their cause, and theirmanagement. May be involved in teaching,research, diagnostic work, or agribusiness sales.Some serve as private consultants, while othersmay be employed by colleges/universities, the