nursery worker

Crops/Commodities: Landscape shrubs and trees.

Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):

Perform manual and mechanized tasks associated with the indoor and outdoor production of containerized horticultural products. Plant, cultivate, and maintain nursery stock, trees, shrubs, plugs, liners and other horticultural varieties. Prepare and clean production beds. Prepare fields/soils/container beds 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. Clip new growth from stock plants and process cuttings for the production of liners. Plant/pot seedlings or liners by hand, fill and label trays/containers, and move product to/from greenhouses and loading/unloading areas. Move containerized plants by hand and by using tractors/trailers/carts. Load and unload product/fertilizer/plant growth products from trucks, trailers and carts. Install/remove plastic coverings from beds/greenhouses. Perform general plant maintenance. Irrigate and apply fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Stake, 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 staking, tying or wrapping as necessary. Count, inventory, and grade trees and plants. Select trees for cutting/harvesting according to grade. Cut trees using axe or chainsaw. Drag cut trees from cutting area. Pack, label, tag, pull, sort, and store plants by variety.

Secondary duties (performed on less than half of the workdays in the contract period):

Operate, install, move and maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Dig and maintain ditches. Mow, cut and weed fields. Use hand tools including but not limited to rakes, hoes, tractors, mattocks, brush hooks and/or axes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers and saws. Lift, carry and load/unload products and supplies. Operate clean and maintain nursery vehicles and equipment. Assist with nursery building/field sanitation, maintenance and repairs. Build/repair/maintain greenhouses and other nursery sheds and buildings.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason. Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.

TERMINATION. Prior to any termination for cause, employer evaluates workers' performance of required tasks and compliance with Work Rules and other employer policies. Employer may terminate a worker for cause if the worker's performance consistently and/or substantially fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations (in accordance with the criteria set forth herein), or otherwise engages in serious or egregious misconduct that endangers health, safety, or property.