If you don't want to take classes, then I'd suggest you get a job at a growing facility. Not a garden center. A growing facility. Learn it from the ground up.

Take as many horticulture related classes and work at a small size nursery for the knowledge and experience.

Kirk

Thanks, I am planning on taking the classes I am trying to decide if the classes a St.Petersburg Ptech are the ones or if I should try and get another BS degree.I have a deree in socialwork(good for handling customers in my current position).The instructor at Ptech said I could just go in and take the course for the test to be certified as a florida nursery proffessional.I do not know how I could get certified that easy and still know what I need.I am planning on getting in touch with a grower that my father just told me about(a business freind)and see if he will let work or intern at his small nursery here in St Pete .What other courses should I take, are there some business courses that wwould be helpful. Thanks for your advice. Lisa

When you run your own business, how you manage it is as important as knowing how to grow things. Maybe more so. I took a two part course in small business management. Evening classes a few nights a week for a few months each. It was a good investment. BTW, the best way to learn things like scheduling crops and "the business" is to keep your lip buttoned and your eyes and ears open when working for somebody else. Soak it in. I hate to even mention this, but if you have a degree you should know you are spelling professional wrong in several posts. I think a second degree, unless you are serious about going big time isn't necessarily necessary. What is important is applying the thinking process and one degree should mean you have mastered that. Good luck.

Unfortunately, when you are in business the product being offered can be comparatively incidental, the fact that it is a business being the most important aspect. You could be offering cars or clematis, it won't matter how good you are with the manufacturing if you are a disaster at marketing or management.

I think this is partly why so many people encountered working in nurseries - at all levels, not just seasonal labor - don't seen to have an intimate knowledge of their plants. You also can't be fixated on a particular product and do very well because of changes in the market, like fashions and economic downturns. One longtime eastern conifer grower switched to growing indoor potted cacti to get through the Depression, then went back to their usual product line when it was over.

profession has one f..lol

he he he

cheers

This is not a good profession to make money. Baby boomers are Snow Birds and Gen Xer's like Target. Wholesale stuff is higher than retail. Especially firepits. Ambiance is I gotta have it now!

If i could give a bit of advice to anyone going to school it would be to intern in whatever field one is interested. One is not going to get a job as a mechanic when ones only experience comes from books. So the advice I give to you is to supplement your schooling with practical work experience. That is the best and possibly only way to acquire sound knowledge in this field or any other for that matter. Good luck
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