Horticultural Worker 45-2092

Job description

General duties: Duties will be sporadic all through the contract due to various crops and crop conditions. Duties will/could include preparing soil, planting, pruning, cutting, deadheading, pinching, trimming to shape, spacing plants, fertilizing with granular or liquid fertilizer, cleaning work areas, transporting plant materials in the nursery areas, loading and unloading plants by hand, watering by hand with pumps or hoses, and all other duties associated with a commercial tree and shrub nursery. Workers may be required to tie trees to trailer with twine. Between harvesting, workers may be required to perform duties to prepare crops for marketing. Worker may unload and restock for storage.

Planting: Workers may be required to work on the ground planting trees and shrubs that are fed through a tractor pulled planter using shovels. Workers will be required to dig trees and shrubs.

Pruning: When pruning, it is vital to prune the unwanted branch while protecting the stem or trunk wood of the tree or shrub. Workers must remove all resulting material from trees rendered from tasks; worker is required to rake and haul out tines; worker may be required to work on the ground packaging the finished root ball on the tree by stapling burlap with hog ring pliers, trying basket loos with twin, crimpling baskets with pig tail crimpers or tying branches with twine.

Workers will plant, cultivate, harvest, grade, store and ship container and field grown horticultural products. Harvesting crops may include grading and tagging. Some harvesting may require digging up products and placing on pallets. Grading is done by size. Products are measured, tied in bundles and placed in storage for shipment.

Bare Root Products: Workers will handle a variety of bare root products. Workers will plant, cultivate, harvest and prepare products for shipment. Bare root products start from liners. When products reach the appropriate size, and at their supervisor’s instruction, products will be budded to promote growth. When products reach approximately 3-5 feet in height, workers will be required to harvest the products by digging trees and shrubs, placing on pallets and transferring to storage for shipment. Shrubs and some trees are harvested for resale when they reach approximately 1-3 inches in height.

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.

During certain duties, workers may be required to work in teams to accomplish a certain task. When engaged in teamwork activities workers must coordinate with other members of the team to accomplish the task.

Full Crop Commitment: This is regular work, seven hours per day, Monday-Friday, and five hours on Saturday for the full remainder of the period of employment. The worker agrees to work for assigned employer(s) whenever work is available during the full remaining period of employment even though work may be slack at times. The worker understands that if the worker quits or is terminated for cause prior to the end of the period of employment, the worker will not receive the 3/4 guarantees and will not receive certain transportation reimbursements. Excessive tardiness and/or absences will not be tolerated and will result in termination.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in a bare-root nursery. Workers must possess an ability to recognize species and varieties of nursery stock, able to read and understand signs and labels, and to understand written and oral work orders. Applicants must be able to 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.