Horticultural managers need to be capable of dealing confidently with staff, customers and suppliers. Good negotiating and marketing skills are needed when dealing with retail outlets, growers and distributors. Managers further need technical knowledge of plant stock and a scientific understanding of environmental conditions, crop pests, soil chemistry, plant physiology etc. Horticultural Workers must be interested in plants and nature and understand scientific and technical information relating to plant growth and control of pests and disease. To be capable of the full range of horticultural tasks, workers need a reasonable standard of physical fitness.
Manual dexterity is required for grafting, budding and potting.
It is important to be able to work as a member of a team. Groundsmen must have an interest in gardening. Manual dexterity is a must for using hand tools and for work on fine turf areas. It is essential to be physically fit. Numeracy is required to calculate quantities of fertilisers for example.