Thanks in large part to social media, the market for indoor succulents is larger, more varied and more popular than ever before Ann Patterson, houseplant buyer at Portland Nursery, said she has been collecting succulents for a long time. She called them lovely, intriguing little plants. “They’re interesting looking with lots of different textures,” Patterson […]
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January 2023: The Retail Issue
The New Year’s issue of Digger tracks the trends steering sales for retail nurseries and garden centers: A string of succulent successes: Thanks in large… Continue Reading…
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A string of succulent successes
Thanks in large part to social media, the market for indoor succulents is larger, more varied and more popular than ever before Ann Patterson, houseplant… Continue Reading…
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Taking your plants to market
Farmer’s markets, gardening events and open houses bring plant growers and shoppers together What makes a person go to local plant sale events and farmer’s… Continue Reading…
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Events to bring in the masses
In a post-pandemic world, retailers can use classes and events to establish new traditions and spur repeat customer interactions Retail garden centers and nursery operations… Continue Reading…
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Boxing out boxwood blight
Growers must work vigilantly to keep the fungus that causes boxwood blight out of their nurseries Boxwood is one of the most popular landscaping plants… Continue Reading…
Plant Features

Trendy shade trees, part two
In a prior installment regarding shade tree trends, published in the August issue of Digger, we talked about flowering shade tree trends. This time, we will discuss shade trees that don’t necessarily have prominent flowers, from Acer to Zelkova, and we’ll also include some columnar and native options.

Hot, hardy hydrangeas
The historic heat dome of June 2021 left homeowners panicked about their crispy hydrangeas and wondering how the plant can thrive as climate change continues to bring unprecedented weather events. Even before last year’s record-breaking temperatures, breeders saw the effects of climate change and began selecting for better heat and
cold tolerance.
Nursery Operations

Taking your plants to market
Farmer’s markets, gardening events and open houses bring plant growers and shoppers together What makes a person go to local plant sale events and farmer’s markets? Is it the thrill of the plant hunt or a chance to mingle with fellow gardeners? Perhaps it is because it is a place to pick up plant treasures […]

Events to bring in the masses
In a post-pandemic world, retailers can use classes and events to establish new traditions and spur repeat customer interactions Retail garden centers and nursery operations looking for more customer traffic often turn to in-store special events and classes. These give customers an added reason to drop in. While there, they may be tempted to buy […]

Boxing out boxwood blight
Growers must work vigilantly to keep the fungus that causes boxwood blight out of their nurseries Boxwood is one of the most popular landscaping plants around. It’s evergreen and pretty, it provides natural privacy, it’s easy to maintain and it can be shaped into attractive ornamental topiaries. In fact, so popular is boxwood that it’s […]
Oregon Is Nursery Country

Obersinner Nursery Inc.
Joe Obersinner in one of the unheated greenhouses maintained by Obersinner Nursery Inc. The nursery processes 100,000 rooted cuttings every fall and winter, and most of their rhodies are grown that way. They only have one propagation house that is heated; otherwise, all other greenhouses are unheated. Obersinner container-finishes 65% of its catalog. Photo by […]

North American Plants Inc.
Key employees at North American Plants Inc. include (back row, l-r) Shufu Dong, Clayton Moore Jr., Jeremy Dewar, Michael Remmick, William Wang, Calxia Li, (front row, l-r) Ella Olague, Jan Young, Yongjian Chang, Nicholas Michels, Georgina Madrigal and Emily Steadman. Photo by Curt Kipp HUNDREDS OF SHELVES OF SEALED GLASS JARS fill large warehouse-like buildings […]

Evans Farms LLC
Cindy Lou Evans Pease, owner of Evans Farms LLC, stands in front of the barn designed by her father, Eldon Evans, when he was just 17 years old. Photo by Peter Szymczak IN 1857, A DETERMINED IMMIGRANT from Germany found his way to the lush land around Oregon City. Every day, Christian Frederick Vonderahe walked […]

Motz & Son Nursery
IF THEY WERE GROWING FRUIT TREES IN OREGON, it’s very likely your great-great-grandparents were customers of the Motz family nursery. A true family legacy, Portland’s Motz Brothers began in 1921 with Theodore (Ted) and John Motz, joined by Ted’s son Donald (Don) in 1957, when it became Motz & Son Nursery. Today, the nursery is […]
Recent Columns
Reviews fuel your reputation online
By Ron McCabe
We all have experienced the exhilaration of a great review. We have also had to deal with that person who decides to take their anger out on our company. As we take care of live plant material, we have the added issue of addressing bad reviews for products the client killed. If you take a […]
Time to go big and green
By Jeff Stone
Look around us. There are so many exciting innovations and breakthroughs happening all over the world. Many of these are happening in agriculture, which is no surprise. We are the stewards of working lands. We know from deep experience how to take what we have, and make something even better from it. It’s in our […]
Looking forward with impact
By Todd Nelson
The holidays are always a wonderful time. It all starts with Thanksgiving, a time for reflection. We pause our busy lives and take time to experience the power of gratitude. This clears the lens of how we view the world, allowing us to see more fully. With clearer vision, the holidays transition to Christmas, a […]
Growing Knowledge
How to catch a thrips
Rigorous scouting can help manage tip-feeding thrips before they cause irreparable damage By Lloyd Nackley and Melissa Scherr Thrips belong to the insect order Thysanoptera, of which there are several species that are damaging to nursery and ornamental crops. Whether there is only one or many, we call them thrips regardless, just like with other […]
A carbon balancing act
What effects do mowing, fertilization and irrigation have on carbon sink and sequestration in turfgrass ecosystems? Public concerns about climate change and a growing number of government and business commitments to emissions reductions have increased focus on carbon sequestration in vegetated landscapes as a nature-based climate solution. More specifically, landscapes dominated by plants could be […]
Don’t get burned by charcoal rot
Soilborne fungus can afflict hebes and a wide range of other host plants Hebes (pronounced heebees) are an interesting group of evergreen shrubs, mainly from New Zealand, although there are also a few from South America and French Polynesia. Botanically, they are now placed in the genus Veronica, but many will know them by their […]