Horticultural Worker

Crops/Commodities: nursery stock, including bedding plants, trees, and shrubs. Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays): 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. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping and kneeling required. Use hand tools including but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable foot wear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work.

Salary : $19