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You are here: Home / Archives for Nursery Operations

Where are the shrubs?

By Erica Browne Grivas — Posted May 31, 2023

Growers face recession and inflation concerns after pandemic depletes stock and strains availability The pandemic brought unexpected havoc to the nursery trade, just as it did to the rest of the economy. Strong sales volumes caused shortages and supply chain issues in all nursery sectors including shrubs. That in turn drove wide-ranging ripple effects that […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, OAN Members, Plants, Wholesale Nurseries

Spraying sustainably

By Jon Bell — Posted April 20, 2023

An intelligent spraying system can help growers reduce pesticide use, save money and better manage their crops Until about six or seven years ago, Hans Nelson and Sons Nursery in Boring, Oregon, would apply standard pesticides to its roughly 150 acres of shade and flowering trees using traditional air-blast sprayers. The sprayers, used throughout the […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Pesticides, Wholesale Nurseries

Remixing soil mixes

By Tracy Ilene Miller — Posted April 20, 2023

More sustainable alternatives to carbon-sequestering peat moss are entering into the planting media equation Amid growing international concerns about the environmental impacts of depleting and permanently damaging peat bogs, a movement is underway to ban or restrict the sale and use of peat moss — a nonrenewable resource that takes thousands of years to form. […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Plants, Retail Nurseries, Wholesale Nurseries

The tribulations of big trees

By Jon Bell — Posted March 24, 2023

Growing bigger trees that will flourish in a changing climate takes a long-game approach For decades, tree-lined streets across the country — largely in the Southeast — would erupt in the bright white blossoms of Callery pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) every spring. Affordable, fast-growing and easily shipped, the trees had become the darlings of landscapers, […]

Filed Under: Beetles, Borers, Emerald Ash Borer, Insects, Nursery Operations, Plant Pests and Diseases Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Plants, Wholesale Nurseries

Finding your flow

By Mitch Lies — Posted February 24, 2023

Today’s technology can automate every aspect of irrigation, saving labor and water, but it comes with a price With irrigation controls at your fingertips and data on soil moisture levels and plant stress a click away, today’s nursery producer has more control over plant health than at any time in history. And with labor and […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Water, Wholesale Nurseries

Ponds with new purpose

By Peter Szymczak — Posted February 24, 2023

Capturing more “free” water, containing runoff and reusing costly fertilizer are benefits of keeping nursery ponds in tip-top shape Like all irrigation systems, nursery ponds require maintenance for continued smooth operation. In addition to routine inspection, testing and maintenance of pipelines, pumping plant components and other mechanical components, most ponds will require periodic cleaning, regrading […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Water, Wholesale Nurseries

Water, water everywhere?

By Jon Bell — Posted February 24, 2023

Western nursery associations team up to tackle the rising tide of water woes Glenda Mostek, executive director of the Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association, has a colorful way of sizing up one of the bigger issues facing the Centennial State’s nursery industry. “Whisky is for drinking, water is for fighting,” she said, quoting a phrase […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics, Wholesale Nurseries

Throttling back the burn

By Curt Kipp — Posted January 30, 2023

Efficiency improvements can help nurseries mitigate natural gas costs Whether you’re talking annuals, perennials, houseplants, veggie starts or other tender plants, it takes a variety of investments to get greenhouse-grown plants out the door and delivered to paying customers. Property expenses, labor, pots, other supplies, plant material, taxes and fees, and finally, freight are among […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Wholesale Nurseries

Stretched to the limit

By Mitch Lies — Posted January 30, 2023

Extreme weather wreaks havoc on greenhouse poly film With 15 acres of greenhouses under his management, Jeremy Dewar at North American Plants in McMinnville, Oregon, replaces polyethylene (poly) film on a recurring basis. Lately, however, he is replacing it at a higher rate than usual. Like other greenhouse operations in Oregon, the greenhouses at North […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN Members

OAN Member Profile: Oregon Flowers Inc. 

By Emily Hoard — Posted January 30, 2023

The Meskers family comes from generations of bulb producers in Holland. Since Martin Meskers emigrated from Holland to Oregon, he has grown a wholesale cut flower business called Oregon Flowers Inc. The business ships approximately 6.5 million stems per year to nearly all 50 states, mostly to the West Coast and the Northeast. Company president […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations, OAN Members Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Plants, Wholesale Nurseries

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NURSERY NEWS

In Memoriam: Melvin John Steffenson

New USDA Census of Hort arriving in mailboxes this month

Oregon Association of Nurseries honors the industry’s best at 2024 Convention

Eason Horticultural Resources is now employee-owned

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

Building trust is key to establishing clientele base for new nurseries

Five owners share their experiences on what it takes to start a nursery businesses

Bailey hires new CFO and chief HR officer

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

May 2025: Sustainability Issue

April 2025: The Tree Issue

March 2025: The Perennial Issue

February 2025: The Greenhouse Issue

January 2025: The Retail Issue

More issues of Digger

Pests and Diseases

Prioritizing nursery pest challenges

New tools in the battle against thrips

Aiming for precision in pest control

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

$250,000 shifted to P. austrocedri research

More articles

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

Sense of excitement prevailed at Farwest as nursery industry ‘Meets the Future’ 

Farwest Show attendees select favorites for the Retailers’ Choice Awards

Starway to Heaven™ Japanese Snowbell wins People’s Choice balloting at Farwest Show New Varieties Showcase

Hopper Bros. wins Best in Show booth award at 2024 Farwest Show   

Starway to Heaven™ Japanese Snowbell wins Judges’ Best in Show at Farwest Show New Varieties Showcase

More Updates from Farwest

The Value of Membership

Meet the leader: Sam Pohlschneider

OAN honors the industry’s best

Oregon Association of Nurseries honors the industry’s best at 2024 Convention

More member stories

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