Nursery Worker

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
Nursery work: shrubs, flowers, trees, grasses.
Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):
Use garden tools and equipment to plant, transplant, and cultivate containerized shrubs, grasses, trees, and flowers and fill nursery orders in accordance with specifications provided by the supervisor. Prepare planting areas by removing weeds, old/dead plants, debris, sticks and rocks. Consolidate plants. Fertilizing plants by hand. Mixing soil and fertilizer to add to plants. Lay plastic, measure planting areas, and insert stakes and string for spacing. Dig, cut and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees and shrubs. Load and unload nursery commodities, tools and materials. Weed, trim, sheer, prune and shape plants, shrubs and trees. Count and check pots, plants and materials. Transplant or pot, space, label and tag plants. Mix potting soil and fill trays. Plant seeds and cuttings into pots and trays. Inform supervisors of the presence of insects, disease or quality concerns. Work with other workers to cover greenhouses. Cover greenhouses with plastic and implement freeze protection measures. Move containerized shrubs, plants and trees by hand or using tractors. Must assure accurate identification and count of plants when pulling orders to load onto delivery trucks. Operate, clean, maintain, repair and install irrigation. Regulate, maintain and repair greenhouse conditions and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems. Apply pesticides and herbicides. Trap and destroy pests. Assist in the assembly of nursery buildings and repair nursery facilities. Operate, repair, clean and maintain nursery vehicles and equipment. Workers must use extreme care while handling plants so no harm is caused to the plants and may only hold them by the container. Workers are also responsible for nursery sanitation duties including cleaning and maintaining work areas, sanitizing greenhouses, picking up trash and sweeping floors. Workers must maintain sales yard.

The vehicles provided to workers (van, SUVs, pick-up truck, etc.) are for multi-purpose use on an as-needed basis (e.g., driving workers from employer-provided housing directly to the farm, around the farm properties during the work day, possibly carrying equipment/supplies with them). This may require workers to operate the vehicles on public roads in order to reach the other locations (no CDL w/ passenger endorsement required). These multi-purpose vehicles have a capacity or less than 13 tons, may be used on or off-farm by the workers (e.g., drive to the grocery store, bank, etc. at their discretion). Workers are not required or expected to arrange for the routine pick-up of other workers or groups of workers on a regular schedule or planned basis (e.g., at housing locations or centralized pick-up points).

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer.

Raises and/or bonuses may be offered to any seasonal worker employed pursuant to this job order, at the company's sole discretion, based on individual factors including work performance, skill, and tenure.
Secondary duties (performed on less than half of the workdays in the contract period):

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.

TERMINATION. Prior to any termination for cause, employer evaluates workers' performance of required tasks and compliance with Work Rules and other employer policies.

Special Requirements

Three months of verifiable nursery work experience required. Work outside in extremely hot, cold and/or wet conditions. Walk, sit, stand, reach, kneel, push/pull, bend and stoop for extended periods of time. Lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs. Must be 18 or older. Employer is a drug free workplace. Drug testing is conducted post-hire at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process.