Digger magazine

March 2018

By Bill Goloski — Posted February 28, 2018

Growers and retailers are tapping into a renewed interest in indoor houseplants. For them, deciding what products will meet customer demands takes a bit of study. In this issue: A houseplant awakening: Many businesses are making smart, interesting choices for choosing houseplants to sell. Plus, ten helpful tips for business owners who wish to target customers looking […]

A houseplant awakening

By Dawn Hummel — Posted February 27, 2018

Growers and retailers tap into a renewed interest in indoor plants Lisa Eldred Steinkopf is addicted to houseplants and has a huge collection to prove it. She recently published a 272-page hardback book on the subject, Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing and Caring for Indoor Plants. “If I had only paid a dollar […]

Heroes and villains

By Jerry Weiland — Posted February 27, 2018

Research identifies harmful and beneficial microbes in nursery soil Four years ago, we received funding from the Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative to study the interaction of soil-borne pathogens and environment on nursery plant health and disease control (Digger, July 2015). Since then, we have made significant progress in identifying the beneficial and pathogenic microbes […]

Excitement in the air

By Jeff Stone — Posted February 27, 2018

The nursery and greenhouse industry is known for adopting new technology. When it comes to exploring advanced production technologies, we’re not exactly wallflowers. OAN members have invested their time in the development of smart-sprayer technology by serving as testers. They’ve embraced the OAN’s Nursery Guide, a searchable hub that brings buyers and sellers together online. […]

When simplicity beats creativity

By Ian Doescher — Posted February 27, 2018

At Pivot, the marketing agency where I work, I have the enviable (at least I think so) position of being on a creative team tasked with dreaming up creative campaigns for our clients. We’re the group that sits around bringing every resource to bear — clever plays on words, less clever puns, cultural references, eye-catching […]

Christmas is here

By Josh Zielinski — Posted February 27, 2018

From the looks of this title, you may be wondering if it’s a misprint or if December’s article somehow crept its way into the wrong issue. By now, even the discounted holiday decoration aisles have all been put away, right? It’s not a mistake. For many of us in the nursery business, March is harvest […]

InstantHedge introduces ready-to-plant hedges

By Bill Goloski — Posted February 23, 2018

Brent Markus, owner of Rare Tree Nursery in Silverton, Oregon, has introduced a new line of conveniently packaged, pre-formed hedges under the brand name InstantHedge. The new line has been in the works since 2014, after Markus was inspired by a visit to QuickHedge farm in the Netherlands. Markus then planted rows of evergreens and […]

February 2018 — Membership Issue

By Bill Goloski — Posted January 31, 2018

The value of membership The North American Green Industry is made up of companies in all 50 states plus Canada and other countries. Whether large or small, family owned or corporate, those companies rely on interaction with others, and thrive on the strength in numbers that can only come from participating in trade groups. In […]

OAN Green Industry Networking Calendar

By Bill Goloski — Posted January 30, 2018

Make connections with OAN The Oregon Association of Nurseries is the community dedicated to the long-term success, profitability and excellence of Oregon’s nursery and greenhouse industry. Below are opportunities to connect with the industry, build your network and pursue your business success. Denotes OAN Event Download a print version of OAN’s Green Industry Neworking Calendar […]

Green trade groups adapt to the changing landscape

By Jon Bell — Posted January 30, 2018

Nonprofit nursery associations continually adapt to help their members succeed Like many large nursery associations in the United States, the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association (MNLA) has a big, broad spectrum of members it represents: nursery stock growers, commercial flower companies, landscape design firms, irrigation companies, arborists, lawn care business, mom-and-pop shops, massive agriculture operations […]