Horticultural Technician Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose of Classification:
Grows
and cares for plants used for educational and/or research purposes.
Plants are grown outdoors, in nurseries or in environmentally
controlled structures such as greenhouses or sheds.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is
first in a series of three classifications. It is distinguished from
the Horticultural Specialist in that incumbents spend the majority
of work time in the growing and caring of plants. Persons performing
technical research activities in addition to growing plants will be
classified in the research series. Incumbents in this classification
do not perform research.
Examples of Duties:
- Prepares soil and growth media for each type of plant.
- Plants seeds and transplants seedlings to obtain plants for
use in experimental programs, teaching laboratories and/or
educational programs.
- Cares for growing plants by watering, pruning, weeding and
removing dead or damaged leaf tissue.
- Applies pesticides to destroy undesirable growth and pests.
- Mixes and applies a variety of fertilizers to obtain proper
nutrient balance for each plant.
- Initiates new plant growth by using several methods of
pollination.
- Coordinates with research staff and/or supervisor to
ascertain type and number of species to propagate and allocates
appropriate space.
- Determines where plants are to be located, considering such
factors as lighting, temperature, humidity and space
requirements; may adjust ventilation, cooler and heat settings.
- Maintains log of daily activities.
- Maintains inventory and requisitions supplies and chemicals.
- Maintains work and plant growing area.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of plant propagation techniques.
- Knowledge of pesticides and their use in the care of plants.
- Knowledge of fertilization techniques.
Minimum Qualifications:
Two
years of experience in gardening or horticultural work which
involves plant propagation and fertilization; OR, Any equivalent
combination of experience and/or education from which comparable
knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
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