21 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
A typical day starts with a site visit or crew briefing—check plans in Microsoft Word or notes, then load tools and equipment. Morning tasks often include mowing, trimming, pruning, or installing irrigation parts while conditions are cool.
Afternoons are for heavier jobs: shaping landforms, hauling topsoil, installing sprinklers or ponds, and setting fences. End-of-day work includes cleaning and servicing equipment, logging hours or materials in Microsoft Excel, and messaging clients on Facebook or email about the next day.
You’ll use Microsoft Excel to track job costs, materials, and crew hours; Microsoft Word for proposals, contracts, and permit paperwork; and Microsoft Office to combine those files into bids. Windows is the common operating system on shop desktops or laptops.
Many contractors also use Facebook to post photos, get leads, and message customers. You won’t need complex CAD unless you move into design; basic skills in these systems are enough to run a small contracting business.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 952,640 employed landscape workers. The median pay is $39,150 per year. The lowest tenth earn about $31,150, and the top tenth earn about $56,730 (BLS data).
Your pay varies with region, experience, licensing (for pesticide application), and whether you run your own business or work for a company.
Yes. Applying pesticides legally requires a state pesticide applicator license—rules differ by state. For irrigation systems, some states or municipalities require a plumber’s or irrigation contractor license for certain hookups.
Basic plant-care advice doesn’t usually need a license, but offering engineered designs or electrical work for pumps may require a licensed professional. Always check your state and local regulations before offering those services.
A gardener focuses on plant care—pruning, planting, and fertilizing—often at one site. A groundskeeper maintains property systems like turf fields and snow removal on schedule. A landscape contractor runs or leads jobs: installs sprinkler systems, shapes landforms, installs fences, and manages crews and permits.
Contractors also bid jobs, use Excel/Word for contracts, and coordinate larger installs like ponds or irrigation systems that require more equipment and sometimes licenses.
Operate landscaping equipment safely: ride mowers, trimmers, chainsaws, and small excavators. Know how to water and fertilize properly, prune trees and shrubs, and install or winterize irrigation systems so plants survive seasonal changes.
Also learn to read a site, move topsoil, mulch correctly, and perform basic fence and pond installations. Basic Excel and Word skills matter—track materials, costs, and write simple contracts—plus safely handle pesticides only if licensed.