Try these 10 labor-saving ideas

Too much work and not enough time. This is what all growers face as the busy spring season approaches. If you don’t keep up, your plants may suffer.

Here are a few ideas that I’ve seen used over the years that will increase work output with less labor input.

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1. Improve workstation layout.

A workstation is an area where an employee does a series of repetitive tasks such as transplanting, potting or readying plants for shipping. The layout of this area can have a large influence on efficiency. A good layout where everything is within easy reach can decrease the labor needed by as much as 50 percent over a poor layout that requires walking to get materials or to set down plants.

The workstation tabletop should be at elbow height. Height adjustment should be provided for short to tall workers. It is best to provide for both standing and sitting positions as greater efficiency is achieved when a worker changes position from time to time.

The reach from the normal arm rest position to get materials should be limited to a 24-inch radius to the side and front for women and 27 inches for men. The portion of the work area where most of the activity takes place is usually within 20 inches of the resting elbow position.

Space to the sides of the worker can hold prefilled containers or carts for placing transplanted containers. Provide 40-60 footcandles of light, adequate heat and dry footing underneath. Try setting up a station in your transplanting area and observe the difference.

2. Install an assembly line.

You can take the workstation one step further by incorporating conveyors for moving materials. Flats or pots can be supplied directly from a container-filling machine to the workers with a belt conveyor.

The system can be set up so that the containers can be moved past a transplanter’s station at a rate to keep a continuous flow of plants coming off the end of the belt. It could also be set up so workers remove a pre-dibbled flat from the conveyor, transplant into it and then return it onto a separate conveyor where it travels directly to the greenhouse or to carts to be transported to the greenhouse. Incorporate a dibble, label machine and watering tunnel into the assembly line to save further hand labor.

3. Make greater use of carts.

Carts speed up plant handling by carrying 30-60 flats at a time. This reduces walking time, the greatest cost in moving plants. Most carts can be pulled in tandem by a garden tractor. A concrete or asphalt aisle down the center of the greenhouse makes movement easier.

Purchase carts; usually 22 inches wide for standard flats, that fit through access doors. Larger wheel sizes reduce the energy needed to move them. Pneumatic tires are best for outdoors on unpaved surfaces. Select a cart with a strong steel frame and lightweight shelves that can be adjusted to fit plant sizes.

4. Improve pallet handling.

Most materials in greenhouse operations arrive on pallets. Having an efficient way of unloading can save time and effort. The easiest is a dock built on a side hill or adjacent to a shipping area.

Low-cost manual pallet trucks work well on concrete surfaces and handle loads of 3 tons or more. For larger loads or where a dock cannot be installed, a fork lift is usually the best choice.

5. Reduce breakdowns with preventive maintenance.

A maintenance program along with a good supply of common equipment components can prevent frustrating down time during the busy season. Keep a record of equipment maintenance to help to time when service is needed. There are good software programs to track when service is needed and what has to be done. Assigning one or two persons to these tasks will provide better results.

6. Improve material storage.

An organized storage area reduces the time and labor needed to retrieve items. Store growing media as near as possible to the point of use. Provide all-weather access. A low-cost pole building may be a good choice. Just-in-time delivery of materials, such as growing media and containers, reduces the amount of space needed.

Bin shelving works well for many growers for storing tags/labels, hardware and small parts. Labeling the bins reduces looking time. Place the shelving in a separate room to keep things more organized.

7. Install automatic irrigation.

Watering is a large labor used during the busy spring. It also requires employees with a higher skill level.

Most irrigation systems are low-cost and can be installed to fit any size area. Automatic systems, both overhead and drip, are available to water almost all types and sizes of plants. Irrigation controllers can be programmed to supply plant needs. Separating the growing areas into zones will allow automating with a limited water supply.

8. Let controls make decisions.

Considerable savings in labor can be achieved by not having to run around adjusting environment control equipment, watering systems and materials-handling equipment. A large selection of controls is available for both large and small operations. The payback is short considering the cost of 10 to 20 cents for every 100 feet you have to walk to check on things.

9. Reduce shipping labor.

Select a team of experienced employees to gather and prepare plants for shipment. Install a plant location identification system that can also be used for inventory and invoicing.

Market plants by full carts to reduce errors in both assembly and delivery. Shrink-wrap carts and pallets to contain plants and reduce plant damage.

10. Improve employee comfort.

Consideration of employees’ personal needs is important. Supplying cold-weather gear and rain protection for outside work can help keep workers warm and dry.

Having the right tools available makes jobs go smoother.

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Providing clean break room facilities, lockers, vending machines, a refrigerator and microwave oven allows workers to relax and get recharged during the busy shipping season.

- John W. Bartok Jr.