Horticulture & Botany Jobs

Do you enjoy the smell of blooming daffodils, the taste of crisp mint leaves, or the autumn colors of aspen trees? What if working with these plants was part of your job? Would you enjoy getting paid to dabble in the plant world? You can if you have a green thumb.

What is a green thumb? It’s the wonderful ability to make plants grow. Having a green thumb takes natural skills plus knowledge of plants. Some people are born with it and other people have to learn green thumbing skills. It’s a pretty cool power to possess because you can make plants healthy and strong.

For those with green thumbs there are lots of exciting careers.

Have you ever tried to grow a plant? What did you grow and how did it turn out? Did it produce brilliant colors or taste magically delicious? If so, you might have a green thumb. But more importantly, did you enjoy the growing process? Was it rewarding to see something you nurtured from seedling to sprout to blossom to bloom? If so maybe it’s time to consider doing this for a career.

There are lots of green thumb careers out there. Can you think of any? Gardeners tend flowers and plants all day. Landscapers create lovely outdoor environments. Or maybe you’re the scientific type. Would you thrive as a botanist where you study one of the 350,000 species of plants? What other green thumb jobs can you think of…

• Horticultural Therapist jobs – Use gardening skills to help mentally and physically challenged people
• Landscape Design jobs – Choose plants and design landscapes
• Algae Farmer jobs – Produce algae for biodiesel
• Winemaker jobs – Select quality grapes for high brow wines
• Florist jobs – Grow and sell colorful flowers
• Plant Nursery jobs – Nurture trees and plants for sale
• Fruit Grower jobs – Develop fruits and manage orchards
• Arborist jobs – Care for trees like a doctor
• Turf Specialist jobs – Take care of grasses

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That’s only a partial list of careers that utilize green thumb talents. There is constant demand for green thumbs in both horticulture and botany. Any job where you work with plants for aesthetics or function requires a green thumb.

Green thumbs get to spend their days outside. They get down on their hands and knees and work in the soil with the green plants that they love. Plants play an important role in our lives. They keep the environment balanced and the world turning. Plants exchange gases, filter pollution, prevent erosion, play a role in the water and nitrogen cycles, provide animal habitats, and give green thumbs fun jobs.

Most green thumb jobs are outside with Mother Nature tending flower beds, trees, grasses, and herbs. Sometimes they work indoors in greenhouses full of plants or doing research and plant experiments in high tech laboratories.

If you’re interested in working as a green thumb, try it on your own first. Start a personal garden and see how it goes. If it’s something you can’t get enough of, then pick a plant job that interests you. Find out what type of education you need. There are entry level jobs and jobs that require doctoral degrees. Earning certifications shows that green thumbs are qualified and driven for success. Join societies, associations, and organizations. Start your career search. Look for jobs at universities, garden centers, landscaping companies, nurseries, tree services, floral shops, pharmaceutical companies, botanical gardens, parks and recreation districts, or wineries.

Some green thumb jobs are seasonal adventures others are dedicated, lifelong careers. Find a job that interests you and give it a try. Who knows where it will lead. Some jobs pay minimum wage, other plant jobs pay well over 6-figures. It all depends on your job, your resume, and your love for plants.

If you have a green thumb, don’t let your talents go to waste. Botany and horticulture are a multi-billion dollar industry. The jobs are fun and abundant. Maybe it’s time to let your green thumb sprout a new career.