Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Landscaping Supervisor
What landscaping supervisors actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
Hold a tailgate safety talk with crews. From there, the day usually includes schedule and assign crew work, train and supervise workers, and inspect work quality. Hours are long during the growing season, with early starts; winter may include snow operations.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a landscaping supervisor working full time.
- Hold a tailgate safety talk with crews.
- Assign routes and jobs.
- Check a crew’s work at a commercial site.
- Meet a client about a drainage problem.
- Order plants and stone for next week’s install.
- Train a new hire on trimmer safety.
- Review hours and update the schedule.
Where landscaping supervisors work
Supervisors work outdoors at job sites and in trucks, with some office time for scheduling and estimates.
Hours and schedule
Hours are long during the growing season, with early starts; winter may include snow operations.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Schedule and assign crew work
- Train and supervise workers
- Inspect work quality
- Order materials and plants
- Maintain equipment and vehicles
- Communicate with clients
- Enforce safety rules
Tools you’ll use every day
- Scheduling software
- Trucks and trailers
- Mowers and power equipment
- Estimating tools
- Phones and tablets
- Irrigation controllers
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Leadership role
- Outdoors with variety
- Clear path from crew to supervisor
- Path to business ownership
What’s hard
- Long seasonal hours
- Labor shortages
- Weather delays
- Client pressure
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like leading crews
- I enjoy outdoor work
- I’m organized
- I can handle clients
- I solve problems on the fly
- I want to grow into management
Not sure? Take the free Landscaping Supervisor fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Lead daily safety talks
- Enforce PPE and equipment guards
- Plan for heat illness prevention
- Drive and trailer safely