Refrigerated trucks are key to spreading the Oregon nursery industry far and wide When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing that, say, a young Autumn Blaze® red maple tree (Acer × freemanii ‘Jeffersred’) that starts its days here in Oregon can end up all the way across the country in a backyard in Boston. […]
Assessing consumer demand after COVID
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After two banner years and still going strong, the nursery industry faces some headwinds Nearly three years in, and the story about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the nursery industry has become well worn. Forced to stay, work and learn at home because of COVID, people started to pay a lot more attention to […]
Certifiably successful
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Sustainability-minded certification programs can help nurseries grow and improve Scholls Valley Native Nursery sits on 60 lush acres just outside Forest Grove in the eastern foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. To the west of the nursery, Roderick Creek rolls by before merging with Gales Creek, which borders Scholls Valley’s western edge on its way […]
When you know what to grow
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When considering which trees to produce, several factors are important, but profitability is king What’s the recipe for becoming a successful grower of trees? Try one part climate and weather, another part land and inputs. Add in a solid team of employees and loyal customers, some business acumen and a dash of forecasting magic. Don’t […]
Loyal legions
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Building repeat business and loyal customers isn’t easy – but it works wonders Brenda Powell’s great-grandparents started Garland Nursery in Corvallis, Oregon, 84 years ago. The retail nursery, which sits on six peaceful acres in the country, has passed down through four generations and is now owned by Powell and her siblings, Lee Powell and […]
Now hiring — hopefully
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The lingering pandemic finds nurseries getting creative to fill vacancies Jonathan Pedersen, chief executive officer (CEO) and president at Monrovia Nursery Co. (Azusa, California), has watched as the labor market in the nursery industry has changed over the years. But this summer, with the global pandemic still overshadowing everyday life, vaccine mandates throwing in wrenches […]
Keep on trucking
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The booming nursery industry has put big demands on the shipping sector About a year ago, Gary “Bert” Bertelson was lamenting a lost summer. Before last year, Bertelson, head of nursery over-the-road sales for Wilsonville shipping broker Integrity Logistics, would take a month off every summer during the seasonal slowdown of the nursery shipping business. […]
Springing forward
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COVID-19 has meant two banner years for nurseries, but the future’s a little foggy Over the decades, Grace Dinsdale’s Blooming Nursery has enjoyed a fairly steady path of gradual growth. The past few years, the Cornelius-based wholesale nursery has seen solid sales increases, often between 5% and 10% each year. For Dinsdale, who founded Blooming […]
Hired help
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What it takes for nurseries to find the workforce talent they need Working in the nursery industry is not easy. Laborers in the fields endure harsh weather conditions and strenuous work that can test their physical endurance. Drivers spend long hours on the road away from their families. Growers and production staff have to constantly […]
Feeling the heat
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Greater efficiency in greenhouses can reap big rewards Jay Cushman has been in the nursery and horticulture industry for a long time. Not only did he graduate from Oregon State University with a degree in ornamental horticulture and spend more than 15 years with companies such as Sun Gro Horticulture and McConkey Company, but he’s […]