Skills
Landscaper Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in landscapers, and how to build and show them.
What skills do landscapers need?
Landscapers need technical skills such as mowing and trimming, planting, and pruning, plus people skills like stamina and reliability. They also use tools such as Mowers and trimmers and Leaf blowers.
Technical (hard) skills
- Mowing and trimming
- Planting
- Pruning
- Irrigation basics
- Hardscape installation
- Equipment maintenance
People (soft) skills
- Stamina
- Reliability
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
Tools, equipment and technology
- Mowers and trimmers
- Leaf blowers
- Hand tools and pruners
- Skid steers
- Irrigation tools
- Trucks and trailers
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how landscapers put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Mowing and trimming” and “Planting.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “stamina,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as NALP Landscape Industry Certified Technician near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our landscaper glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Landscaper training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.