Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

A hotter trend

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Widespread wildfires prompt greater demand for fire-safe plants and landscaping As the wildfires of Labor Day 2020 tore through Oregon, the impacts on homes and forests were sevbere. The flames devoured a million acres of forestlands, and destroyed more than 4,000 homes. The impacts are something foresters, landscape professionals and nursery operators must pay attention […]

Catching eyes — and customers

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An engaging trade show booth, with attentive staff working it, is a lifeline for businesses The Farwest Show is back in 2021, and for exhibitors, that means one thing — time to prepare your “A” game. Whether the booth is offering plants, supplies or something else, anyone involved in nursery trade shows knows a good booth […]

A summer of reconnection

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It felt like home. Last month, the nursery and greenhouse family came together to golf at the Duffers Classic, our annual tournament to raise funds for the Oregon Nurseries’ Political Action Committee (ONPAC). Although some displayed a rusty golf game, that could not hamper the tremendous feeling of reconnection we all shared. Our long national […]

June 2021

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In our annual Sustainability Issue of Digger, we explore how growers, retailers and landscapers can provide what consumers need for the healthy and sustainable landscapes they desire. Readers will also meet Joe Dula of Moana Nursery, and learn what it takes for nurseries to find the workforce talent they need. In this issue: Let’s keep […]

Native plants, bees, and microbes

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The OSU Garden Ecology Lab studies the health of garden environments The Garden Ecology Lab at Oregon State University (OSU) studies the plants, insects, animals, people, decisions, and management practices that either improve or degrade a garden’s ability to promote environmental and human health. An underlying premise of our work is that gardens are important […]

Lessons from an ice storm

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Widespread tree destruction highlights the importance of proper selection and maintenance The northern Willamette Valley in Oregon was hit by a once-in-a-generation ice storm on February 12 and 13 of this year. In the small town of Silverton, where the valley meets the Cascade Range foothills, freezing rain fell for more than 30 hours. Trees […]

A hearty appetite for edibles

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Growers find they can’t grow enough edible plants, and retailers can’t keep them in stock In March 2020, U.S. governors began rolling out stay-at-home orders, including in Oregon, because of the coronavirus known as COVID-19. Not long after, Americans in lockdown turned their attention to edible gardening any way they could — in containers, in […]

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 […]

Meet the Leader: Joe Dula

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General ManagerMoana Nursery, Canby, Oregon OAN member since 2012 OAN roles/positions:• Farwest Show committee member.• OAN Board – Container Grower Position #3• Clayton W. Hannon Distinguished Service Award, 2019 Tell us about yourself I grew up in the nursery business. My parents, Joe and Judy Dula, started Dula’s Nursery in Canby, Oregon, in the late […]