Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

Who is the hero of your ads, and why does it matter?

By — Posted

Have you ever noticed how most Internet companies advertise their services? One company has super-fast speeds, one has ultra-fast speeds, one has blazing-fast speeds, and another has lighting-fast speeds. What’s the difference between super-, ultra-, blazing-, and lighting-fast speeds? Your guess is as good as mine. These companies are making a mistake many advertisers make […]

Japanese Beetle eradication program to expand in 2018

By — Posted

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has completed year one of a proposed five-year eradication program for Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica), a nursery and garden pest that feeds on turf as well as more than 300 plant species. The beetles were found in the Cedar Mill area west of Portland in 2016. This past summer, the […]

December 2017

By — Posted

December’s issue is packed with smart solutions, including recommendations for utility-friendly trees to plant near powerlines, how to prevent water erosion on your property, and ways to reduce the risk of herbicide resistance. In this issue: Growing under the lines: Growers and researchers seek short, tidy and tough trees that can coexist with utilities. Maximizing your natural […]

Convention and the nursery family

By — Posted

Something special happened at this year’s OAN Convention, held in November at Salishan. Anytime there’s a large gathering of our membership, I find myself rejuvenated. The camaraderie is something to behold. You see titans of the industry interacting with up-and-comers and the future of the industry. They talk about trends, production and labor challenges as […]

Fighting the resistance

By — Posted

Weeds can become herbicide-resistant, but there are strategies to counteract it Evidently we hate weeds. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that expenditures on herbicides consistently accounted for the largest portion of total world pesticide expenditures at approximately 45 percent, followed by insecticides, fungicides, and other pesticides. Amazingly, in 2012, U.S. expenditures accounted for […]

Maximizing your natural resources

By — Posted

Soil and water conservation districts are here to help landowners, not regulate them What is an SWCD — and what can it do for you? Let’s start with the acronym. SWCD stands for “Soil and Water Conservation District.” The goal of conservation is to use resources efficiently, not prohibit their use. SWCDs help you make […]

Specializing in the unique

By — Posted

They would never be called a “garden center.” They would not be a place to go to for buying annuals in the spring. They have very few hard goods; it is unlikely that a customer would find garden chemicals, fertilizers, gloves and other items. Their locations are usually not in a metro area and they […]

A winter respite

By — Posted

Growing up on a farm and container nursery, I have always noticed a slight lull in the pace when fall and winter roll around. While many of my childhood friends went out of town for Spring Break and often went on numerous summer camping and fishing trips, it didn’t make sense for our family to […]