Digger magazine

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Species rhododendrons offer unusual alternatives

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Species rhododendrons may not always have the spectacular flowers that many hybrids do, and while a species can give color interest with their flowers, they can also offer other features for garden interest such as colored or variegated foliage, indumentum (fine hairs), and variable growth habits.

Making progress towards sustainability

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When I first saw that this month’s issue of Digger was focused on sustainability, I was apprehensive. I reactively thought about how my small nursery hasn’t reached a scale that would let us focus on sustainability. I thought about what larger nurseries are doing, such as Robinson Nursery. They have stopped shipping 600,000+ pounds of […]

Charting a course through a perfect storm

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The political process can be aggravating, and most of the population is disconnected from it at an alarming rate. This column has consistently warned of the clear and present danger to our system of government and nation due to the lack of understanding of how things happen at a state and national level. It is […]

U.S. Department of Labor issues new guidance for the ever-evolving ‘employee or independent contractor?’ determination

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On January 10, the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor Department) published new guidance for determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Why it matters As most employers are aware, the misclassification of an employee can expose the business to liability, including employee wage claims, […]

Getting in ship shape together

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My main thought as we start March and the beginning of shipping season, is simple — good luck. This is what we are all here for; to sell plants. That’s true whether you provide necessary items such as fertilizer, soil, or the plants themselves. Maybe you are the grower. Maybe you sell the containers. Or […]

The short and long game

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February is here! The shortest month of the year still packs a big punch. Scrambling to finish our winter grafting, harvesting spring orders, and trying to keep up on our current short Oregon legislative session makes for an exciting February here at Columbia Nursery, as well as for many of my fellow members, I am […]