Horticultural Worker Ii

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
nursery stock, including bedding plants, trees, and shrubs.
This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working in a nursery, handling tasks associated with nursery production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience.

Must be proficient in plant production in both greenhouse and field, cutting propagation methods, plant identification by sight and photo, dormancy check by root. Must be able to evaluate performance of fungicide-herbicide and molluscicide. Must be able to regulate irrigation water by chlorination and acidification. Must be able to maintain numerical marking system of plants for inventory.

Perform manual and mechanized tasks associated with the indoor and outdoor production of horticultural products. Plant, cultivate, and maintain nursery stock, trees, shrubs, bedding plants, plugs, liners, hanging baskets, greenhouse-grown specialty plants, and other horticultural varieties. Prepare fields/soil for planting. Plant/propagate plants. Remove cull stock, debris, tree stumps, brush, ferns, vines and other growth from planting area using hand tools or mechanized equipment (rakes, shovels, hoes, tractors, mattocks, brush hooks and/or axes). Plant/pot seedlings or ‘liners’ by hand or mechanical planter, fill and label trays, and move product to/from greenhouses and loading/unloading areas.. Prepare trees for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Hand dig trees and other plants with shovel or tree spade. Crimp wire baskets. Attach hangers to baskets and hang throughout holding houses. Move containerized plants using rolling/electric carts. Load/unload trucks and product from conveyor belt. Install/remove plastic coverings. Perform general plant maintenance. Irrigate and apply fertilizer or other chemicals. Maintain irrigation systems. Train, prune, trim, shear, space, transplant and cull trees and/or plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Shear trees with proper taper and bud cut angle for quality. Tie/position trees and plants by tying or wrapping as necessary. Count, inventory, and grade trees. Select trees for cutting according to grade. Cut trees using axe or chainsaw. Drag cut trees from cutting area. Bale trees using tree baler. Wrap burlap or other covering around root balls and secure with twine and/or staples. Pack, label, tag, pull, sort, and store plants by variety. Crimp wire baskets.

Work may also include mechanized field work using power equipment. By way of example and not limitation, power equipment may include tractors, planters, sprayers, cultivators, skid loaders, tree spades, ball handlers and other equipment. Workers will be expected to be able to operate agricultural equipment with or without direction. Repairs and performs preventive maintenance on machinery and equipment.

Workers will be instructed in safety and operation of the tractor and other equipment before driving tractor or using other field nursery equipment. Tractors should be 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.

Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Install and remove levee gates.

Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions.

Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects operator, others, the employer’s products and property. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination.

Special Requirements

This job requires a minimum of three months of prior experience working in a nursery, handling tasks associated with nursery production and harvest activities. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Employer-paid post-hire drug testing required. Workers with clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles.