Nursery Worker (45-2092.00)

Job description

Greenhouse/Nursery: Workers may perform any combination of the following duties concerned with preparing soil and growth media, cultivation, and otherwise participating in horticultural activities: haul, spread, dig, rake, and mix media to prepare the growing areas for production; cover and fill cold frames and greenhouses in preparation for planting; haul, plant, spray, weed, water, prune, trim, shape and space products; spraying herbicide, spraying, fertilize with granular or liquid fertilizer; tie, bunch, wrap, and pack trees and shrubs to fill orders and load onto trucks for marketing; work on potting line, in a greenhouse, or in an outdoor production area transplanting seedlings and liners into containers and place in growing area. Work with bedding plants, potted plants, hanging baskets, and bare root products. Workers will load and unload greenhouse nursery stock. Workers will perform any greenhouse/nursery related duty associated with the employer’s greenhouse/nursery business. Fieldwork begins at assigned time usually shortly after daylight. Work is performed during light rain and in high humidity and in temperatures ranging from 100 (+) degrees to 35 degrees F. Workers will work on their feet in bent, stooped, and crouched positions for long periods of time. Workers will make fast, simple, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists. Workers must be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs. Workers will use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects, such as potted plants. Workers may be required to perform work on the farm that is incidental to farming the crops listed in the application, such as performing hand cultivation tasks, weeding or hoeing, cleaning and repairing farm buildings, seed beds, racks, or grounds, operate tractor/farm equipment, incidental crop set up, move irrigation pipes and equipment, gardening, weeding and shrubbing, etc. All other duties assigned under this order will be those duties of SOC 45-2092.00 Nursery/Greenhouse worker. More details are outlined in the employers ETA- 790A.

Bedding Plants: Workers will fill flats with potting soil in preparation for planting. Filled flats will be stacked for transport to planting area. Worker will then plant plugs or seedlings into flats as instructed by supervisor. Planted flats will be tagged with appropriate picture tags. Completed flats will be watered in by hand and placed in growing area for finishing.
Potted Plants/Hanging Baskets: Workers will fill pots/baskets with potting soil in preparation for planting. One or more transplants will be planted in each container as specified by supervisor. Completed containers will be watered and placed in growing area for finishing. Workers may be required to install hangers and tags on pots or baskets. Workers may be required to place watering tubes into containers to facilitate the irrigation process.
Flowering Trees and Shrubs: Workers will be working with flowering trees and shrubs. Workers will plant, cultivate, harvest, propagate, grade, store and ship container and field grown horticultural products. Harvesting crops may include grading and tagging. Some harvesting may require digging up products and placing on pallets. Grading is done by size. Products are measured, tied in bundles and placed in storage for shipment. Workers will harvest seed and/or take cuttings from trees and shrubs, place in containers pre-filled with growing media and transplant cuttings and seedlings to prepared areas.
Bare Root Products: Workers will handle a variety of bare root products. Workers will propagate, plant, cultivate, harvest, and prepare products for shipment.
General Maintenance: Workers will perform various duties for up keeping of the nursery. These duties may include painting of nursery buildings, fence repair, mowing, weed eating, and other general building and ground maintenance.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in a diverse tree and shrub nursery. Workers must possess a valid drivers license or obtain one within thirty days of hire. Workers will operate trucks and other farm equipment both on site and on public roadways. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers operating comparable operations establishing acceptable previous experience. Must be physically able to meet and perform all job specifications stated in job order. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the employee. All drug testing will occur after the worker begins his or her employment and is not a part of the interview process. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.