Nursery Worker

Job description

Workers will perform tasks for various employers as listed on their contract.

Crops: Annual Bedding Plants

Greenhouse/Nursery: Workers may perform any combination of the following duties concerned with preparing soil and growth media, cultivation, and otherwise participating in horticultural activities: haul, spread, dig, rake, and mix media to prepare the growing areas for production; cover and fill cold frames and greenhouses in preparation for planting; haul, plant, spray, weed, water, prune, trim, shape and space products; fertilize with granular or liquid fertilizer; tie, bunch, wrap, and pack trees and shrubs to fill orders and load onto trucks for marketing; work on potting line, in a greenhouse, or in an outdoor production area transplanting seedlings and liners into containers and place in growing area, and working on planting lines.

Bedding Plants: Workers will fill flats with potting soil in preparation for planting. Filled flats will be stacked for transport to planting area. Worker will then plant plugs or seedlings into flats as instructed by supervisor. Planted flats will be tagged with appropriate picture tags. Completed flats will be watered in by hand and placed in growing area for finishing.

Potted Plants/Hanging Baskets: Workers will fill pots/baskets with potting soil in preparation for planting. One or more transplants will be planted in each container as specified by supervisor. Completed containers will be watered and placed in growing area for finishing. Workers may be required to install hangers and tags on pots or baskets. Workers may be required to place watering tubes into containers to facilitate the irrigation process.

General Maintenance: Workers will be responsible for performing general maintenance in and around greenhouses/nursery. This will include fence mending, mowing, and weeding eating, sweeping floors, and keeping workplace clean. Workers will repair and paint buildings to ensure they are in good repair

GENERAL CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL CROPS: Fieldwork begins at assigned time shortly after daylight. Work is performed during light rain and in high humidity and in temperatures ranging from 100 (+) degrees to 35 degrees F. Workers will work on their feet in bent, stooped, and crouched positions for long periods of time. Workers will make fast, simple, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists. Workers must be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs. Workers will use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects, such as trees or potted plants. These could/will weigh 75 lbs. Workers will supply their own work clothes. All the tasks in this Job Description constitute one (1) job; the employer may assign workers to different tasks on any day or to multiple tasks during the same day in the sole judgment of the employer. Workers may be required to perform work on the farm that is incidental to farming the crops listed in the application, such as performing hand cultivation tasks, weeding, or hoeing, cleaning, and repairing farm buildings, seed beds, racks, or grounds, operate tractor/farm equipment, incidental crop set up, move irrigation pipes and equipment, gardening, weeding and shrubbing, etc. All other duties assigned under this order will be those duties of Horticulture Workers, SOC code 45-2092.01. This is a very demanding and competitive business in which quality specifications must be rigorously adhered to. Sloppy work cannot and will not be tolerated.

The employer retains the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able to but does not demonstrate the willingness to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in a commercial greenhouse. Applicants must 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.