Sow propagation trays and dispatch a tubestock order

You are a Nursery Hand in the Horticulture and Nursery team.

Simulated workplaceEntry missionCAQA Greenfield Agri and Landcare

What is going on

Spring is the busiest time in the nursery. Propagation house 2 has 180 trays of eucalyptus and acacia seed to finish sowing for autumn revegetation orders, each batch needing a label so the plants can be traced to the seed lot. At the same time a cooperative order of 2,400 native tubestock must be picked, graded, labelled and loaded on Friday. Anything root-bound, diseased or under size must be graded out. A recent chemical spill in the store means the trolley rule is being enforced, and the quarantine bay has new stock that must not be mixed with the order.

Mei-Ling Chow, Nursery and Orchard Manager
Subject: Propagation trays and Friday's cooperative order

Two jobs for you this week. First, finish sowing the eucalyptus and acacia trays in propagation house 2 and record the batches in the Field Activity Log so we can trace them. Second, the Goulburn Fresh Produce Cooperative order of 2,400 native tubestock is due to be picked, checked, labelled and loaded on Friday under work order WO-26-0418. Grade out anything root-bound or diseased, follow the biosecurity rules for the quarantine bay and dispatch yard, and use the trolley for every crate. Let me know any shortfalls by Thursday.

Your brief

Complete the propagation sowing with correct batch records, then pick, grade, label and prepare the tubestock order for dispatch, working safely and following nursery hygiene and biosecurity rules, and report any shortfall.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the Farm and Site Biosecurity Policy sections on plants and nursery stock and the Work Health and Safety Policy, and list the hygiene and manual handling rules for the propagation house and dispatch yard.
Prepare growing media and trays for the eucalyptus and acacia seed, sow at the specified depth and density, water in and apply a batch label with species, seed lot, date and your name.
Record the sowing in the Field Activity Log against propagation house 2 with tray numbers and batch labels, updating the existing entry.
Review work order WO-26-0418 and the picking list, then pick the 2,400 tubestock by species from the growing-on area, using dedicated tools and keeping clear of the quarantine bay.
Grade each crate for size, root condition and pest or disease signs, set aside rejects with a note of the reason, and count the shortfall by species.
Label and stack crates for dispatch using the trolley, prepare the dispatch docket, and update the work order status and notes.
Report the shortfall and any plant health concern to the Nursery and Orchard Manager and record any hazard you found in the WHS Incident and Hazard Register.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Sown trays with batch labels and Field Activity Log entry
Graded order with reject notes
Dispatch docket and updated work order
Shortfall and plant health report

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.