Nursery Worker (45-2092.00)

Job description

Workers will perform a variety of horticultural tasks such as planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops. In addition, workers may also assist with production by transporting products to greenhouses or pulling products for delivery to markets.

Additional job duties include but not limited to:
• Providing daily care to greenhouse and nursery plants, including planting, transplanting, pruning, watering, fertilizing, controlling insects and disease, ventilating, and controlling weeds; manage plant nutrient levels.
• Maintain each greenhouse room at the appropriate temperature, humidity, and light level.
• Inspect plant material for disease and insect problems, light levels, temperature and humidity, nutrient requirements, and mechanical damage.
• Record data and maintain records; notify the supervisor or project leader of irregularities.
• Spray, dust, shade, and fumigate crops.
• Prepare proper soil mixes as designated by the supervisor or project leader.
• Move materials such as soil, stone, soil mixes, concrete, fertilizers, growth chambers, etc.
• Unloading plants off transport racks onto the ground or tables.
• Perform routine maintenance and modifications to various greenhouse and nursery equipment; maintain irrigation systems.
• May set up, adjust, and maintain electrical devices such as irrigation control units, greenhouse control units, mist control units and horticultural coolers.
• Maintain the work area in a clean and orderly condition.
• Transporting products on racks from the greenhouse to the shipping area.
• Ensure the product on racks is adequately hydrated before shipment.
• Loading and unloading trucks in the shipping area.
• Dispose of products in the greenhouse that are not fit for sale.
• Ensure proper operation of the soil mixer.
• Insert plastic containers into the filler machine and maintain proper operation of the filler machine.
• Ensure quality of line operations.
• Place various forms of plants into assigned containers.
• Insert corresponding tags into each container.
• Transport carts of planted containers from the production line to transportation carts arranged neatly.
• General loading and unloading of plants and plant material.
• General greenhouse maintenance like minor repairs, greenhouse construction and landscape maintenance.
• Cleaning/Maintaining greenhouse and greenhouse equipment.

Physical Requirements
• Work in performed in various locations, including outdoors, in the plant nursery, farm environment, and Home Depot stores.
• Some climate control may be present. However, considerable time is likely spent exposed to weather elements, including heat, cold and inclement weather.
• Frequent exposure to noise, dust, and objectionable odors may be present.
• Skin and clothing may be easily wet and soiled.
• Must be able to push, pull, lift, and carry up to 75 lbs. repetitively.
• Must be able to work long hours (including weekends)
• Must be able to walk and stand on feet (and concrete floors) for most of the day.
• The position requires walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling, pushing and reaching.

Farm Equipment Operation: Workers may be required to operate tractors, forklifts, soil mixing, filling machinery, motorized tow carts, transport cars and other farm equipment during daily operations, as an incidental activity. Before any worker is required to operate any farm equipment, workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the tractor before driving the tractor. All equipment should be operated or driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, products, trees, crops, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in agricultural/horticultural work. 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.