Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

July 2024 Digger

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Columns: Growing Knowledge, an ongoing series provided by Oregon State University in collaboration with the USDA and in partnership with OAN. Download a PDF of this issue.

OSU Ornamental Plant Breeding Program developing new cultivars for city settings

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Lloyd Nackley and Carolyn Scagel Since 2009, the The Oregon State University Ornamental Plant Breeding Program has been dedicated to developing seedless varieties of resilient plant species that were previously considered invasive. This approach is crucial because when we introduce plants to urban and suburban areas, we need them to thrive despite facing challenging conditions […]

Subsurface drip irrigation tape emerges as an effective option

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Twenty-five years ago, subsurface drip irrigation was little more than a niche concept in the nursery industry. It was being used in a select number of ornamental tree operations, according to Kevin Stewart, director of marketing for Rivulis, a leading manufacturer of subsurface drip irrigation systems. Today, as water resources have become scarce and energy […]

Farwest seminars cover a range of topics

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There’s a little something to pique everyone’s interest this year at the 2024 Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon, August 21-23, as far as seminar topics go. “We’ve lined up a wide cross-section of speakers to reflect our member’s specialties and interest,” said Director of Events Allan Neimi. “Attendees will find sessions to help them run […]

A pledge to America and a call to action

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I find myself sentimental toward our nation and its promise to the world. I feel pride and apprehension for our daring experiment of a form of government, which is powerful and yet at the same time fragile every four years as we pick a new president. Elections matter. You as voters matter even more. While […]

Helping others succeed distinguishes our industry

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One of my favorite things about this association and this industry in general, is everyone’s willingness to help and guide one another. As my husband, Wayne, started Columbia Nursery, he called countless people — truly too many to mention. There was always someone to answer his questions on grafting, business planning, where to buy nursery items, […]

Nursery supplier McConkey shuts down 

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McConkey, a manufacturer and distributor of horticultural goods based in Sumner, Washington, has shut down operations and closed, according to Eric Wyland at McConkey. No additional details were provided by the company. According to its LinkedIn profile, the company employed between 50-200 workers. The company was established in 1964 by Jack McConkey and at one time […]

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.