Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

Reblooming is booming

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Consumers are drawn to new annuals, perennials and shrubs offering easy, continuous interest When many consumers approach a garden designer or visit a garden center, they know two things for sure: They want low maintenance, and they want color from spring till fall. “I’m looking for successive bloom,” said Jenna Bayer, owner of Jenna Bayer Garden […]

Nurseries, COVID-19 and the economy

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Earlier this spring, all signs suggested that the nursery industry might be in for a rough ride. In early March, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 had become a global pandemic. Soon thereafter, states began declaring emergencies, closing schools and limiting large gatherings. Then came the stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses, […]

Meet the Leader: Tom Brewer

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HC Companies OAN member since 1991 1991-2010 Greenhouse Chapter 2010-2013 Sunset Chapter 2013-2020 Clackamas Chapter OAN 2013 “Distinguished Member of the Horticultural Allied Trades Industry” Award OAN roles/positions: OAN Board of Directors, 2013–present (current Associate Member representative) Member, Government Relations Committee, 2013–present President, Clackamas Chapter, 2014 Vice chair, Government Relations Committee, 2016–2017 Chairman, Oregon Nurseries’ […]

COVID-19 testing site locator goes live

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The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has published a COVID-19 Test Site Finder map to help people find local information about where testing is available, according to a release by the agency. The OHA is partnering with Google, Castlight and local public health authorities to update the site which is available in both English and Spanish. […]

An important partnership

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In 1888, the Oregon Agriculture College (OAC) established a horticulture department with sights on building a single greenhouse and creating its own laboratories to conduct experiments. In the subsequent 132 years, OAC became Oregon State University (OSU) and the horticulture department has grown. When I graduated from OSU in horticulture 20 years ago, there were […]

OAN postpones Hawaii convention to 2021

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The Oregon Association of Nurseries has postponed this fall’s planned OAN Annual Convention in Hawaii. The get-together had been planned for November 12–14, 2020 at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui, but with travel to Hawaii uncertain at best due to COVID-19, holding the convention in Hawaii this year was untenable. A one-day virtual version […]

July 2020

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Open this issue to discover a diverse range of crape myrtle options, as well as pest management tools for minor crops. We also have a basic introduction to search engine optimization, and the president of the OAN updates the readership on changes at the OAN. In this issue: Creative crape myrtles: Covering many climates and […]

Nurseries report a profitable spring despite pandemic

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The greenhouse and nursery industry continues to predict high profits during the pandemic, according to the latest market snapshot by Northwest Farm Credit Services. In a straw poll, container and B&B growers in the Northwest reported a 12.05% increase in sales in 2020, although most of the gains were reported by the container growers — […]

Pest management tools for minor crops

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How IR-4 and OSU are working for you With a 2018 farm gate value just shy of $1 billion, it is no secret that the ornamental plant industries in Oregon (nursery and greenhouse) are important and viable enterprises that contribute greatly to the state’s economy. Controlling insect, disease, and weed pests is an important part […]