17 Plant Nursery Worker Interview Questions and Answers

A plant nursery worker is responsible for the care and maintenance of plants in a nursery setting. This can include tasks such as watering, fertilizing, and repotting plants, as well as keeping the nursery clean and organized. Plant nursery workers may also be responsible for plant propagation, which involves starting new plants from seed, cuttings, or division.

If you’re interested in a career as a plant nursery worker, you may be required to attend a job interview. During the interview, you’ll be asked a variety of questions about your qualifications, work experience, and skills. You may also be asked questions about your knowledge of plants and plant care.

To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve compiled a list of sample plant nursery worker interview questions and answers.

Are you familiar with the proper care and maintenance of plants?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have experience working with plants and how much knowledge you have about proper plant care. Use your answer to highlight any specific skills or training you have that make you a good fit for this role.

Example: “I’ve been growing my own plants at home for years, so I am very familiar with the basics of plant care. However, I also took a class in high school on commercial plant care where we learned more advanced techniques like pruning and fertilizing. This class helped me understand what it takes to grow healthy plants in large quantities.”

What are some of the most important skills for a plant nursery worker to have?

Employers ask this question to make sure you have the skills they’re looking for in a plant nursery worker. They may also use your answer to decide which skills you need to improve on or learn more about. When answering this question, think of some specific skills that are important for working at a plant nursery and explain why they’re important.

Example: “The most important skill for a plant nursery worker is communication. Plant nurseries often work with customers who have questions about their plants. It’s essential to be able to clearly communicate information to these customers so they can understand what we’re telling them. Another important skill is problem-solving. Plant nurseries often deal with issues like pests and disease. Having good problem-solving skills allows us to find solutions to these problems as quickly as possible.”

How do you deal with difficult customers?

Nurseries often have customers with unique requests or questions. Employers ask this question to make sure you can handle these situations and provide excellent customer service. In your answer, share a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer. Explain how you handled the situation and what steps you took to ensure the customer was satisfied.

Example: “I once worked at a nursery where we sold many different types of plants. One day, a customer came in looking for a plant that could grow indoors but also outdoors. I explained that there are no plants that can do both, but I offered some tips on how they could care for their current plants so they would be able to grow them outside during the summer months. The customer thanked me for my advice and purchased two new plants.”

What is your experience with pruning plants?

This question can help the interviewer determine your experience with a specific task that is important for this role. If you have previous experience pruning plants, describe what types of plants you worked with and how often you did it. If you do not have any experience pruning plants, you can talk about other tasks you performed in your past roles that are similar to pruning.

Example: “In my last position as a plant nursery worker, I was responsible for pruning plants on a weekly basis. I started by removing dead or damaged leaves from the bottom of the plant before moving up to the top. I also removed any extra branches that were growing out of place. This helped me ensure all plants looked healthy and maintained their shape.”

Provide an example of a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer or client.

Employers ask this question to see how you handle conflict. They want to know that you can remain calm and professional when faced with a challenging situation. In your answer, try to focus on the steps you took to resolve the issue or diffuse the conflict.

Example: “In my previous role as a florist, I had a customer who was unhappy with her purchase. She claimed that the flowers were wilted when she received them. After speaking with her, I learned that she ordered the flowers two weeks before her wedding. She said they should have been in much better condition by then. I apologized for the inconvenience and offered to replace the flowers at no cost. She agreed, and we sent her new flowers the day of her wedding.”

If a plant was failing to thrive, what would be the first thing you would check?

Nursery workers need to be able to identify plant problems and take action to correct them. Employers ask this question to make sure you have the skills necessary to care for plants in their nursery. In your answer, explain what you would do if a plant was struggling. Explain that you would first check the soil’s moisture level, light exposure and temperature.

Example: “If I noticed a plant wasn’t thriving, I would first check its water supply. If it didn’t have enough water, I would give it more. Next, I would check the amount of sunlight it is receiving. If it isn’t getting enough light, I would move it to a sunnier location. Finally, I would check the temperature around the plant. If it is too hot or cold, I would adjust the environment.”

What would you do if you noticed that one of the plants you were responsible for was infested with pests?

Nurseries often have to deal with pests, and the interviewer wants to know how you would handle this situation. Your answer should show that you are willing to take action and ensure the safety of the plants in your care.

Example: “If I noticed a pest infestation on one of the plants, I would immediately quarantine it from the others. Then, I would contact my supervisor so they could decide what course of action to take. Depending on the severity of the infestation, we may need to destroy all of the plants or just those that were affected. In either case, I would make sure that the remaining plants were safe before returning them to sale.”

How well do you deal with repetitive tasks?

Nurseries often have repetitive tasks that require attention to detail. Employers ask this question to make sure you’re comfortable with the work environment and understand what’s expected of you on a daily basis. In your answer, explain how you stay motivated when doing repetitive tasks. Share any techniques you use to keep yourself engaged in your work.

Example: “I actually enjoy working with plants because it gives me an opportunity to be creative. However, I know there are some aspects of my job that can get repetitive. For example, I may need to water the same plant every day for several weeks at a time. To help myself stay focused during these types of tasks, I try to find ways to mix things up. For instance, I might change where I place certain plants or add new decorations.”

Do you have any experience selling plants or other products in a retail setting?

Employers may ask this question to learn more about your sales experience and how you interact with customers. If you have retail experience, share a time when you helped a customer find the right plant or product for their needs. Explain what steps you took to help them make an informed decision.

Example: “In my last position as a cashier at a garden center, I had many opportunities to interact with customers. One day, a woman came in looking for plants that were deer-resistant. I showed her several different types of plants that would work well in her yard and gave her tips on how to care for them. She left the store with three new plants and was very happy with my advice.”

When is the best time to fertilize plants?

This question can help interviewers understand your knowledge of plant care. It’s important to show that you know when plants need to be fertilized and how often they should be fed. You can answer this question by giving a specific time frame for when you would fertilize plants in the nursery.

Example: “I believe it’s best to fertilize plants once a month during their active growing season, which is usually from spring through summer. During fall and winter, I recommend only feeding them every three months or so. This helps ensure the soil has enough nutrients for the next growing season.”

We want to increase our online presence. How would you promote our plant nursery online?

Employers want to know that you can use your creativity and digital skills to promote their business online. Showcase your ability to create a social media presence, develop an effective website or optimize search engine results.

Example: “I would start by creating a company blog where I could share tips for growing plants at home. I’d also set up a Facebook page and Instagram account so customers can learn more about the nursery’s products and services. I would then focus on optimizing these platforms for search engines like Google and Bing so that when people search for plant nurseries in our area, they find us.”

Describe your experience with using pesticides and other plant care products.

Employers ask this question to make sure you’re familiar with the products they use in their plant nursery. They want to know that you can apply these products safely and effectively, so be honest about your experience using them. If you haven’t used pesticides or other plant care products before, consider asking a coworker for advice on how to use them properly.

Example: “I’ve worked in several different plant nurseries over the past few years, so I have some experience using pesticides and other plant care products. However, I would like to learn more about which ones are best for each situation. For example, I’m not sure if there’s a specific pesticide that works well against aphids. I’d love to hear from someone who has experience with this.”

What makes you the best candidate for this plant nursery worker position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can contribute to their team. Before your interview, make a list of all the skills you have that relate to this position. Focus on highlighting your soft skills, such as communication and teamwork abilities, along with any hard skills, like plant care knowledge or customer service experience.

Example: “I am passionate about working in an environment where I can help others grow plants. In my previous role, I helped customers find the right plants for their gardens and answered questions they had about caring for them. This experience taught me how important it is to listen to what people need and provide helpful advice. I also learned how to use technology to research different types of plants and flowers.”

Which plants do you enjoy working with the most?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your interests and passions. They want to make sure you enjoy working in the nursery, so they can help you find a position that fits with your personality. When answering this question, think of which plants you have worked with most recently or those you are most familiar with. Explain why these plants interest you and what makes them unique.

Example: “I really love working with succulents because I find them so interesting. There are so many different types of succulents, and each one has its own unique characteristics. I also like how easy it is to care for succulents, as I feel confident caring for them after my previous experience.”

What do you think is the most important thing to remember when maintaining a plant nursery?

This question can help an employer determine how much experience you have working in a plant nursery. They may also want to know if you understand the importance of maintaining plants and keeping them healthy. When answering this question, try to focus on your own experiences with plant nurseries and what you think is most important when caring for plants.

Example: “I believe that the most important thing to remember when maintaining a plant nursery is to keep track of all the plants’ needs. For example, I once worked at a plant nursery where we had many different types of plants. Some needed more water than others, while some needed more sunlight. It was my job to make sure each plant got the care it needed, so I kept detailed records of each plant’s location and its specific needs.”

How often should you water plants?

This question can help interviewers assess your knowledge of plant care. It’s important to show that you know how often plants need watering and the best ways to do it. In your answer, explain what factors affect when you should water a plant and give an example of how you would decide when to water a plant in your previous role.

Example: “I have experience working with both indoor and outdoor plants, so I understand that there are different rules for each type. For indoor plants, I usually check the soil once a week to see if they need watering. If the top inch of soil is dry, then I’ll water the plant. For outdoor plants, I look at the leaves to determine whether or not they need watering. If the leaves start to curl up, then it’s time to water.”

There is a plant that you’ve been caring for that suddenly starts to wilt. What is the first thing you do?

This question is a great way to test your plant care knowledge and skills. It also allows the interviewer to see how you respond to unexpected situations at work. In your answer, be sure to explain what steps you take to solve the problem and ensure that the plant recovers.

Example: “If I noticed a wilting plant, my first step would be to check for any signs of pests or disease. If there are no visible issues, then I would move on to checking the soil moisture level. If it’s dry, then I would water the plant. If the soil is moist, then I would look for other possible causes such as low light levels or temperature. If none of these things seem to be causing the issue, then I would contact my supervisor so they can help me determine the cause.”