Grower
Position Summary:
Growers direct and control greenhouse activities to ensure optimum growth, quality, appearance and health of plants. Communication skills, organization, attention to safety and detail, and time management are critical to the success of the Grower and the overall success of Corso’s Perennials.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manage all irrigation and growing operations.
- Assist in the development, management and implementation of IPM. Manage and implement sanitation, cultural, and general growing protocols.
- Apply pesticides, chemicals and biologicals as required for maintaining crop health.
- Assist in the planning of the Grower Assistants ensuring that all work is appropriately prioritized and completed in a timely manner.
- Oversee all phases of plant production. Ensures proper planting depth, labeling, and watering.
- Walk greenhouse daily to monitor water management, cultural issues, weeds, fertilization, insect and disease issues, sanitation, and overall plant growth, health and appearance.
- Monitors plant development to ascertain conditions such as leaf texture, bloom size and the existence of pests or disease; removing substandard or diseased plants to maintain quality standards.
- Ensure greenhouse environment is maintained to optimize plant growth (chemical, environmental, and manual pinching).
- Assist and oversee minor greenhouse repairs and winterizing of greenhouse structures.
- Plan the space allocation for new plants scheduled from production.
- Work closely with production to make smooth transition of new plants/production into greenhouses and ensure immediate needs are met on all new production.
- Train Grower Assistants to perform their jobs as efficiently and as effectively as possible.
- Maintain growing records to include specifics about plant growth, fertilization, pest problems and any treatment of these problems.
- Maintains inventory of needed growing supplies such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.
- Proven ability to learn new concepts and apply concepts to a variety of situations to improve growing methodology.
- Apply chemicals, testing and disease prevention techniques.
- Knowledge of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and OSHA policies and procedures.
- Maintain a clean and safe work environment.
- All other duties as assigned.
Skills / Qualifications:
- 1-3 years’ experience and/or a college degree.
- Demonstrated initiative and self-direction.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to climb, squat, bend, twist and stand for extended periods of time.
- Effectively manage time and meet all specified deadlines.
- Ability to operate and maintain equipment in a safe manner.
- Thorough knowledge of plant propagation and cultivation.
- High degree of flexibility, with a strong work ethic.
- Attention to detail with low tolerance for unmet expectations.
- Willingness to do what it takes to get the job done to a high standard.
- Must have reliable transportation and good attendance.