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You are here: Home / Archives for Mitch Lies

Terra Gardens owner’s gesture for his mother opens the door to other wheelchair-bound gardeners

By Mitch Lies — Posted January 23, 2026

Salem nursery is now a destination for many wheelchair-bound gardening enthusiasts.

Filed Under: Nursery News, Nursery Operations, Retail Garden Centers

Communication with the destination will help plants arrive without disruption

By Mitch Lies — Posted October 21, 2025

Often the receivers of nursery shipments play a critical function in keeping schedules on track.

Filed Under: Nursery Operations, Retail Garden Centers Tagged With: Shipping, Transportation

Four Oregon nursery owners find fulfillment in selling their businesses to key employees

By Mitch Lies — Posted September 26, 2025

In multiple cases, nursery owners said they could have made more money selling to outsiders, but were more interested in maintaining the culture of an operation than reaping profits from a sale.

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Succession

Success comes from reading the future

By Mitch Lies — Posted March 25, 2025

An accurate read on coming market conditions and a balanced strategy are critical to weathering ups and downs of tree-growing business 

Filed Under: Nursery Operations

Nurseries shift production seasons to meet demands, save costs

By Mitch Lies — Posted February 24, 2025

Growers adjust production schedules due to changes in labor laws, labor shortages, plant varietal advancements and market factors.

Filed Under: Nursery Operations

Nurseries save by making the switch to LEDs

By Mitch Lies — Posted January 27, 2025

With energy costs soaring, nurseries are tapping into an Energy Trust of Oregon program to reduce the financial burden of installing LED lighting.

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Greenhouses, Lighting

Profile: Gold Family Farms

By Mitch Lies — Posted November 21, 2024

Steve and Joe Gold are focused on providing value and quality for their customers through efficiencies and scale.

Filed Under: Oregon Nursery Country

Sound planning and strong communication helps complex loading processes run more smoothly

By Mitch Lies — Posted October 24, 2024

Careful planning, good communication and loading efficiency are critical steps to getting a truck in and out of a nursery and back on the road as quickly as possible.

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Transportation

New boxwood varieties shore up defense against spreading boxwood blight

By Mitch Lies — Posted September 10, 2024

As boxwood blight was spreading in the U.S. in the 2010s, executives at Plant Development Services in Loxley, Alabama, and Saunders Brothers Nursery in Piney River, Virginia, were looking for solutions. Plant Development Services looked to Europe, where blight had been a major issue since 1998, while Saunders Brothers looked to germplasm it had on […]

Filed Under: Blights, Boxwood Blight, Plant Features, Plant Pests and Diseases

Subsurface drip irrigation tape emerges as an effective option

By Mitch Lies — Posted June 24, 2024

Twenty-five years ago, subsurface drip irrigation was little more than a niche concept in the nursery industry. It was being used in a select number of ornamental tree operations, according to Kevin Stewart, director of marketing for Rivulis, a leading manufacturer of subsurface drip irrigation systems. Today, as water resources have become scarce and energy […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Irrigation

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NURSERY NEWS

Terra Gardens owner’s gesture for his mother opens the door to other wheelchair-bound gardeners

OAN announces 2025 Friends of Nurseries award winners

OAN leads grower-driven Japanese beetle solution

AmericanHort president and CEO to step down

In memoriam: Bill Van Belle

Longtime employee buys Heritage Seedlings and Liners

In Memoriam: Melvin John Steffenson

New USDA Census of Hort arriving in mailboxes this month

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

March: The Perennials Issue

February: The Greenhouse Issue

January 2026: The Retail Issue

November 2025: The Transportation Issue

October 2025

More issues of Digger

Pests and Diseases

OAN leads grower-driven Japanese beetle solution

Prioritizing nursery pest challenges

New tools in the battle against thrips

Aiming for precision in pest control

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

More articles

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

2026 Farwest Show issues calls for speakers

Excitement, optimism prevail at 2025 Farwest Show

Dazzling plants, products garner Retailer’s Choice Awards

Youngblood Nursery wins Best in Show booth honors at the 2025 Farwest Show

Glow Sticks Fescue wins top honors from judges at Farwest Show’s New Varieties Showcase 

More Updates from Farwest

The Value of Membership

AmericanHort president and CEO to step down

OAN honors industry leaders at 2025 Convention

Meet the Leader: Patrick Peterson

More member stories

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