Propagates and cultivates trees, shrubs and ornamental and flowering plants in nurseries.

Prepares potting media and containers before planting; selects seeds, bulbs and cuttings, and plants them in beds, lawn areas and tubs; budding and grafting vegetative material onto root stock; water plants manually and control automatic watering operations; applies pesticides to control pests, diseases, weeds and nutritional and environmental plant disorders; keeps records of soil mixtures, plantings, treatments, losses and yields; selects plants and packages them; advises customers on plant care and appropriate plants for local conditions; may plan sales area layouts and visual merchandise presentation.

• Works outside in nursery areas, in most weather conditions other than when in potting shed, glass-houses, or similar indoor environments associated with plant nurseries. Frequently works in dirty, wet, cold, hot or dusty conditions depending upon the season, weather and growing conditions.
• Will use horticultural pesticides and fertilisers and various soil mixture additives frequently. Protective clothing and breathing apparatus may be required.

• Medium to very heavy physical demand.
• Stands and walks, squats, crouches, bends and kneels frequently.
• Stretching up or across is unlikely unless working with mature trees. Twisting of the body or neck is likely to be required on an occasional basis.
• Very heavy lifting and carrying of bags of fertiliser, soil mixes, potted plants and seedling trays, also wrenching, bagging and carrying of rooted trees and shrubs is likely to be an occasional to frequent requirement.
• Repetitive movements will be occasional for tree-wrenching, picking-out seedlings and digging. The use of hand tools/hand-held objects both manual and mechanical will be frequent to constant (e.g. pruning shears). Workers will need to spray fertilisers and pesticides on an occasional to frequent basis.
• Driving and/or operation of a variety of tractor driven or hand-held cultivating machinery equipment (e.g. rotary hoes and weed-eaters) may be required on an occasional to frequent basis.
• Mental skills necessary include practical, organisation and problem-solving.

A New Zealand Register Level 4 qualification or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 3). In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. For entry-level positions on-the-job training may be sufficient.

• There are opportunities for flexibility of movement but they are limited.
• Some tasks may be constant on a seasonal or rotational basis but only occur periodically. Activities may vary according to the season and when plants, shrubs or trees are ready to be moved.