Tracy Ilene Miller

About Tracy Ilene Miller

Tracy Ilene Miller is a freelance writer and editor who covers several topics, including gardening. She can be reached at [email protected].

Magnolia’s many colors

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted October 11, 2023

A rainbow of flowering deciduous hybrids makes this tree a perennial favorite

High demand for low-water shrubs

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted May 31, 2023

Growers and retailers capitalize on native and climate-adapted varieties for modern landscapes In the 1980s, the utility Denver Water coined the term “xeriscape” by combining the word “landscape” with the Greek prefix “xero” for “dry.” A niche movement was born. But the use of low-water shrubs and plants was at the time predominantly limited to […]

Remixing soil mixes

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted April 20, 2023

More sustainable alternatives to carbon-sequestering peat moss are entering into the planting media equation Amid growing international concerns about the environmental impacts of depleting and permanently damaging peat bogs, a movement is underway to ban or restrict the sale and use of peat moss — a nonrenewable resource that takes thousands of years to form. […]

High times for low-water plants

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted February 24, 2023

Retail garden centers increasingly turn to drought-tolerant varieties that beat the heat The summer of 2015 was a turning point in the Northwest, which suffered the longest heat wave in 75 years. Portland had more days above 90 degrees Fahrenheit than any other year in recorded history up to that time. That year marked a […]

Events to bring in the masses

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted December 27, 2022

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 […]

Obersinner Nursery Inc.

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted November 29, 2022

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 […]

Safe travels

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted November 2, 2022

Nurseries take steps to protect plants and reduce shipment risks Getting plants to market safely without any mishaps requires a variety of techniques to meet the needs of customers and plants. One must also consider the limitations of packing live products into motorized inert steel boxes, which bounce, for long trips. Here we explore approaches […]

Trendy shade trees, part two

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted October 3, 2022

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.

Retaining workers is more important than ever — and helping them progress is key

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted September 12, 2022

In the current work environment, where labor is short and positions are hard to fill, employee retention programs are just as important as recruitment, and have become a cornerstone of business longevity. Here we look at strategies to retain talent.

The shifting shade tree market

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted July 21, 2022

What people find useful can change with societal trends as well as improved genetics Shade trees are such a presence in everyone’s daily lives in so many ways, that many different factors can influence changing trends in terms of what’s grown and what’s sold. At home, the pandemic pushed people towards making their backyard spaces […]