Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

EPA plans more stringent evaluation of chemicals

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Tuesday that it will strengthen its assessment of pesticide risks, particularly to farmworkers and children. Per the press release: Under the policy, EPA risk assessments for children, farmworkers and others, would consider aggregate pesticide exposures from all sources in addition to the cumulative effects from multiple pesticides that […]

Have you incurred damage from the cold?

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It’s been pretty unbelievably cold in Oregon the last two nights. Last night in Aurora, it was down to 10 degrees. Has your nursery operation sustained any damage? Leave a comment and let us know, or send a tweet. Our Twitter account is @diggermag.

Federal program compensates farmers for conservation easements

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In Oregon, applications are now being accepted for the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP), which protects productive agricultural lands against being converted to other uses. The program is offered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. In Oregon, applications must be turned in no later than Feb. 1, 2010 to be considered […]

Nursery temps drop to as low as 11 degrees

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As we warned you on Monday, an Arctic cold front has invaded the Pacific Northwest, bringing record cold temperatures in the teens to Oregon. For one particularly chilly example, Pleasant Hill Nursery near Eugene reported a temperature of 11 degrees this morning. Forecasters say this cold snap will continue until Friday, when warm, moist air […]

Willamette Nurseries suffers damage in fire

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Willamette Nurseries in Canby, Ore. was hit by a fire over the weekend that caused at least $500,000 in damage. The Canby (Ore.) Herald and The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) have the details. The nursery provides rootstock as well as bare-root shade and fruit tree liners, shipping them to all parts of the United States. Firefighters […]

Tuesday, Wednesday expected to be even colder

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That’s the forecast according to Rufus LaLone. Since his previous updates, the weather pattern has changed, snow is now possible Friday or Saturday rather than Wednesday. Then it will warm up a bit. So, if you haven’t already, protect any plants that are tender, and bundle up yourself.

Edibles and green walls combine to form new trend

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You’ve heard how hot edibles have been in the nursery industry over the last year. Thanks to the sour economy and a desire for sustainability, more and more gardeners are motivated to grow their own food. You’ve also probably heard of green walls, which offer ecological as well as aesthetic benefits. Well, now here’s a […]

Christmas trees better for the environment

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Oregon-grown real Christmas trees are a better environmental choice, according to the Hillsboro (Ore.) Argus. This is something all of us in the industry already knew, but it’s worth passing along to your friends and neighbors this holiday season.

Winter weather may be headed for the Willamette Valley

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It’s early, but weather forecasters are beginning to raise the possibility that in a worst case scenario, the next few weeks could see something resembling the winter assault that pummeled the Northwest last December. According to forecaster Rufus LaLone of The Weather Café, the time period to keep an eye on would be the middle […]