Horticultural Worker I

Job description

Perform a variety of complex tasks related to the growing and winter protection of container-grown plants, trees, shrubbery and other vegetation, such as: prune container-grown plants, hand fertilization, liquid fertilization, herbicide application, potting, mixing soil, unload plants during potting, move lists, pick orders in sales, tag plants for sales, identify and tag plant material, recognize and control plant diseases, tie, bunch and wrap roots, pack plant material to fill orders and load and unload plant stocks as needed. Operate and perform minor maintenance on nursery vehicles and equipment. All workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 89 lbs. repetitively throughout the workday. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. The job offered is for a skilled nursery worker and requires 3 months verifiable prior nursery work experience (Horticultural Worker I). Must commit to work entire contract period.

Worker will perform any or all of the following tasks as directed by the Employer:

Pruning: All plants have a specific requirement. If plants are not pruned properly it will delay their sale date and could even kill the plant.

Hand Fertilization: Plants are fertilized using spoons to measure the fertilizer. Supervisors are responsible that the correct fertilizer is being used on the proper plants.

Liquid Fertilization: This requires knowledge of the fertilizer injection system. The employee must know how to mix the fertilizer, hook the injector into the irrigation system, and apply the fertilizer.

Herbicide Application: Once per week newly potted plants are treated with a pre-emergence herbicide. The applicator must be able to read and follow the list supplied by one of our growers. This list will detail which group of plants, the location in the nursery, which herbicide, and the rate. Mistakes cost us money as herbicide is expensive. Plants that receive too little herbicide could grow weeds which are time consuming and expensive to remove. Too much herbicide could result in poor plant growth or even death.

Potting: Workers can work at either potting machine. Worker understands how both machines work and can make minor adjustments and repairs.

Mixing Soil: This is a skilled position that requires the ability and knowledge of driving a large front-end loader, weighing and measuring fertilizer and other chemicals for the potting soil, and knowledge of the soil mixing equipment.

Unloading plants during potting: During a typical day we will pot 8,000-3 gallons or 15,000-1 gallons.

Move lists: Throughout the growing season plants are moved from one location in the nursery to another.

Picking orders in sales: This requires knowledge of plant material, understanding our plant code system, understanding our plant quality code system, ability to find any location in the nursery, and ability to count. The most important knowledge is the ability to select the best quality plant material in filling orders.

Tagging plants for sales: Labels must be properly attached to the correct plants and then properly sorted by customer. On a busy day this crew could tag and sort over 20,000 plants. Mistakes here are costly as our customers will not have their order correctly labeled.

Loading trucks: We have two systems for loading trucks. One involves using shelves in a trailer and the other involves loading racks. On a busy day we will load as many as 6 trailers and 4 box trucks.

Special Requirements

All workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 89 lbs. repetitively throughout the workday. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. The job offered is for a skilled nursery worker and requires 3 months verifiable prior nursery work experience (Horticultural Worker I). Must commit to work entire contract period.