Head Grower | Production Manager

Located in Groveland Florida Cherrylake is one of the largest ornamental tree production and landscape service companies in the Southeastern United States. As a vertically integrated organization Cherrylake cultivates and grows a diverse selection of trees palms and shrubs across more than 1500 acres of farmland while also providing comprehensive commercial landscape installation and maintenance services throughout the region.

For more than four decades Cherrylake has built a reputation for quality innovation and exceptional customer service serving a wide range of clients including municipalities commercial developers contractors and property managers. By integrating production installation and maintenance operations the company is uniquely positioned to deliver high-quality plant material and landscape solutions while maintaining consistency efficiency and environmental stewardship throughout the entire process.

Cherrylake is committed to cultivating not only exceptional landscapes but also a culture of safety teamwork integrity and continuous improvement for its employees customers and communities.

This is a key leadership position within Cherrylakes Horticulture and Production team supporting operations across more than 1200 acres of ornamental tree palm and shrub production. The role requires strong horticultural and agronomic expertise strategic thinking operational excellence and collaborative leadership. The Production Lead is responsible for overseeing all activities related to irrigation and water management plant health crop maintenance and production quality for Cherrylakes diverse portfolio of containerized trees and shrubs. This position directly manages a team of four Team Leaders and one Plant Health Scout ensuring that production objectives are achieved while maintaining the high quality standards cost efficiencies and safety culture for which Cherrylake is recognized.

Working closely with farm operations plant health and executive leadership the Production Lead plays a critical role in optimizing growing practices improving production processes and implementing innovative agricultural technologies. This position also contributes to Cherrylakes commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable growing methodologies by driving continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity plant quality resource conservation and long-term operational success.

• Responsible for all aspects of cultivation of containerized tree and shrub material of a 1200 acre farm located in Groveland Florida.
• Develop an overall Plant Health program based on the latest chemistries and the specific needs of the current plant pallet (fertility pesticide fungicide herbicide).
• Assist plant health team leader in writing prescriptions based on scouting reports.
• Ensure tree & shrub maintenance departments are following the schedules outlined in our Task on Time (TOT) database.
• Develop and monitor budgets for materials and labor of maintenance water management and plant health departments. Flex labor in accordance to work load seasonality and budgets.
• Monitor and troubleshoot the irrigation infrastructure system including electric motors VFD filters and plumbing. Coordinate and oversee any repairs from outside contractors.
• Design budget and implement large irrigation expansions and projects.
• Ensure compliance with Consumptive Use Permit (CUP) from SJRWMD.
• Improve efficiency and quality of plant material through innovations technology and lean practices.
• Design implement & track experiments related to all aspects of cultivation (soil fertility pruning regiment etc..).

• Bachelor degree or higher in agriculture horticulture or related fields
• Active Pesticide Applicator License
• 5 years experience in horticulture
• 5 years management experience - leadership skills to coach train and develop teams.
• Excellent knowledge of pest and disease issues for ornamental plants as well as treatment options.
• Good understanding of lean production practices and methodologies.
• Proven experience in cultivation of agricultural crops preferably ornamental tree/shrubs.
• Excellent knowledge of plant fertility and plant physiology.
• Proven ability to manage and motivate a large team.
• Strong understanding of financial management and business practices related to budgeting planning and decision making.
• Ability collaborate on cross functional team and with outside stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and data management skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday 40 hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.