Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

Becoming a Zoom Jedi master

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The COVID-19 pandemic has forced me to work at home, isolated in what I have started calling “the 64th Avenue Bunker.” As a result, my family has gained a deeper understanding of my severe technological deficits. They commonly hear me uttering phrases like, “I just want it to work!” I am not quite to the […]

Guides along life’s journey

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Throughout life, we run across people who affect us in positive ways. Teachers, coaches and friends can all have an influence upon us that lasts a lifetime. Within the nursery industry, mentors can be found just about anywhere. They can be bosses, co-workers, or even competitors down the road. They can also be family members […]

2020 Farwest Show canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

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The 2020 Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to show producer the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN). The show, for nursery and greenhouse operators and professionals, had been scheduled for August 26–28 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. “We are very disappointed not to be […]

HRI accepting grant proposals for 2021

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Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), the foundation of AmericanHort, is now accepting research project proposals for the 2021 grant cycle. Applications are due no later than June 1. Each year, the institute funds projects that are designed to improve green industry efficiencies and profitability. Grants of between $5,000 and $35,000 may be awarded to research projects […]

May 2020: Coping with COVID-19

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The COVID-19 pandemic has upended business-to-business relationships and the entire retail marketplace for the green industry. From navigating social distancing requirements on the worksite to offering services to quarantined customers, nurseries and greenhouses explain how they are doing their best in this issue. Plus, researchers describe how mycorrhizae amendments add to plant efficiency, and scientists […]

Michigan nurseries can resume operations

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has modified that state’s stay-at-home orders from March 23 and 30 with a new order issued April 24, thereby allowing the state’s green industry businesses to resume operations immediately — provided they follow “enhanced” social distancing rules, as required by the state. Although the state’s stay-at-home mandate was extended through May 15, […]

A helper for plant roots

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Mycorrhizae use in nursery and greenhouse production can enhance nutrient absorption and plant growth Mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial microscopic soil organisms that have evolved in a symbiotic relationship with approximately 95% of the world’s plant species over the past several hundred million years. These fungi predate the evolution of terrestrial plants, and it was the […]

Up and running — online

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For retailers, an unfortunate pandemic accelerates the trend towards online ordering It’s May, the month of Mother’s Day and, typically, the peak season for garden centers and nurseries in Oregon and around the Northwest. It’s the month when Americans usually spend close to $1.9 billion on flowers to honor their moms and when pastime gardeners […]

The first employee people see

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Imagine you hired an employee who, when asked about your inventory, could only tell people what you used to sell. Or when asked where an item could be found, could only inexplicably point to empty space or not answer at all. Simply put, a single interaction with this employee might lead your customers to assume […]