This job was posted by https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov : For more information, please see: https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/11510261 Crops/Commodities:

ornamental and shade trees, container plants, shrubs.

This job requires a minimum of 3 months of agricultural experience working in a nursery handling both manual and mechanized tasks. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Workers must be able to perform manual and mechanized tasks with accuracy and efficiency. Workers will perform work including but not limited to planting, digging, transplanting, mowing, watering in nurseries. Fertilize, prune, spray, space, water, tag and perform other plant maintenance. Load finished plants onto wagons and trucks. Plant and dig field grown plants, burlap roots, perform general maintenance of field grown plants. Plants must be handled carefully to ensure that minimal leaves, limbs and roots are broken during transplanting process. Prepare fields/soil for planting. Remove cull stock, debris, tree stumps, brush, ferns, vines and other growth from planting area using tractor, mattocks, brush hooks and/or axes. Plant, cultivate and maintain trees, nursery stock and/or bedding plants in condition for shipping and sale to customers. Pot seedlings or liners\' by hand or mechanical planter. Propagate plants from cuttings. Perform general plant maintenance. Prune, trim, space, transplant and cull plants to ensure availability of marketable products. Irrigate and apply fertilizer. Pack, label, tag, pull, and store plants by variety. Count, grade, and inventory plants. Prepare plants and trees for digging by tying or wrapping as necessary. Dig plants and trees. Drum lacing and quarter lacing. Crimp wire baskets. Must understand nursery quality control standards and have working knowledge of production procedures. Must harvest plants according to specific standards. Selects trees for cutting according to markings, size, species and grade. Must select and harvest crops pursuant to customer needs. Products must be handled carefully to prevent damage.

Balled and burlap (B & B) tree production: Workers will be required to work as operators of skid steers with tree spade attachments or haul out trees. Workers may be required to work on the ground packaging the finished root ball on a tree by stapling burlap with hog ring pliers, tying basket loops with twine, crimping baskets with pig tail crimpers or tying branches with twine.

Loading and Unloading: Workers will be required to work on flat bed trailers, tying B & B trees to the trailer with twine. Workers will be required to work loading or unloading bare root trees by hand or machine into trailers.

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. Use power equipment including but not limited to: tractors, planters, mowers, plows, sprayers, cultivators, power shears, chain saws, high lifts, fork lifts, skid loaders. Must operate agricultural equipment safely, with or without direction. May apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Mix and apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences. Work on production line. Grade, size, sort, and pack product. Bunch/bundle product pursuant to supervisor instructions. Fill bins/trays and other containers with product, level bins, and prepare product for shipment to market or storage. Perform quality control on inbound/outbound loads. Follow qualit control standards and production procedures. Handle product carefully to prevent damage. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Palletize and stack boxes/containers.