Nursery Worker

Job description

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 construction 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. Using the employer's vehicles, licensed drivers may transport workers and be offered additional hours.

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. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

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 should expect occasional periods of little or no work because of weather, crop or other conditions beyond the employer's control. These periods can occur anytime throughout the season. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on different days.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a two day introductory period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the introductory period if the worker’s performance fails to satisfy the employer’s reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

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. Negative results are required before starting work.