Nursery Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
nursery stock including, but not limited to, perennials, fruit trees, roses, shrubs, ornamental, trees, grasses, ground covers, tropicals and azaleas.
Perform manual and mechanized tasks associated with the outdoor production of horticultural products. Plant, cultivate, and maintain nursery stock, trees, shrubs, bedding plants, plugs, liners, and other horticultural varieties. Prepare fields/soil for planting. Remove cull stock, debris, tree stumps, brush, ferns, vines and other growth from planting area using hand tools or mechanized equipment (rakes, shovels, hoes, tractors, mattocks, brush hooks and/or axes).. Plant/pot seedlings or ‘liners' by hand or mechanical planter. Propagate plants from cuttings. Prepare trees for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Hand dig trees and other plants with shovel or tree spade.

Perform general plant maintenance. Irrigate and apply fertilizer or other chemicals. Train, prune, trim, shear, space, transplant and cull trees and/or plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Shear trees with proper taper and bud cut angle for quality. Tie/position trees and plants by tying or wrapping as necessary. Count, inventory, and grade trees. Select trees for cutting according to grade. Cut trees using axe or chainsaw. Drag cut trees from cutting area. Bale trees using tree baler. Wrap burlap or other covering around root balls and secure with twine and/or string. Pack, label, tag, pull, sort, and store plants by variety. Clean/maintain work area.

Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates.

Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer's products and property. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work.

Outdoor work required when plants are wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (product, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.

Employer-paid post-hire random and upon suspicion drug testing required.

Employer requires all newly hired employees to take and pass an employer-paid background check. All background checks are conducted uniformly after an initial job offer has been extended and accepted by the new hire.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of verifiable agricultural experience, preferably at a nursery, handling both manual and mechanized tasks including agricultural field work. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing required. Criminal background check required. Workers with clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.