Nursery Worker

Crops/Commodities: Nursery stock, ornamental trees, conifers, woody and herbaceous ornamental plants. Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays): Perform manual and mechanized agricultural tasks associated with the indoor and outdoor production of horticultural products. Duties include cultivating, maintaining, harvesting, and handling nursery stock, trees, shrubs, plugs, liners, greenhouse-grown specialty plants, and other horticultural varieties. Perform pot-in-pot installation and maintenance. Propagate, plant, pot, and transplant plants as required. Remove cull stock, debris, brush, and other unwanted growth from planting areas using hand tools or mechanized equipment such as rakes, shovels, hoes, and tractors. Plant or pot seedlings or “liners” by hand or with mechanical planters, and move product to and from greenhouses, fields, and loading/unloading areas. Prepare trees for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Hand dig trees and other plants using shovels or tree spades. Crimp wire baskets. Move containerized plants using rolling or electric carts. Load and unload trucks and move product using conveyor belts. Perform general plant maintenance including watering, fertilizing, pruning, spacing, and culling. 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 to meet quality standards. Tie or position trees and plants by tying or wrapping as necessary. Count, inventory, and grade trees. Select trees for cutting according to grade specifications. Wrap burlap or other coverings around root balls and secure with twine and/or staples. Pack, label, tag, pull, sort, and store plants by variety. Install and maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move, install, and repair irrigation pipes, hoses, and related equipment. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth regulators, conditioners, and other plant-related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth stage, climate, and crop conditions. Workers must operate all equipment properly and in a manner that protects the operator, co-workers, 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 shoveling, hoeing, hauling, and other manual labor tasks. Bending, stooping, kneeling, and repetitive movements are required. Use hand tools including, but not limited to, hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load or unload products, materials, or supplies. Assist with farm building, equipment, and field maintenance and minor repairs. Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing appropriate work clothing and durable boots or footwear. Workers wearing clothing or footwear inappropriate for work will not be permitted to begin work. Outdoor work is required when plants are wet and during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sunlight, high humidity, and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary significantly. Workers may be required to work during occasional showers not severe enough to stop field operations. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Work is performed outdoors for extended periods and requires prolonged standing and/or walking, frequent bending and stooping, and repetitive motions. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects, including plants and containers, with a maximum lifting requirement of up to 75 pounds.

Salary : $15