Head Grower | Production Manager
 

COMPANY OVERVIEW 

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 1,500 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.

JOB SUMMARY 

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.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES 

• 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..).

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• 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.

HOURS OF WORK 

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.

NOTICE 

CHERRYLAKE, INC. RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND/OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DUTIES AT ITS DISCRETION.

DFWP, EOE & E-VERIFY