Head Grower | Production Manager

Cherrylake•Groveland, FL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a key leadership position within Cherrylake’s Horticulture and Production team, supporting operations across more than 1,200 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 Cherrylake’s 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 Cherrylake’s 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.

Requirements

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.

Responsibilities

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..).