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A billion-dollar bounty

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Several factors explain Oregon’s robust plant sales figures, particularly in woody material When Rich Bailey of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. in Boring, Oregon, relocated to Oregon from Chicago several years back, he was struck by the wide diversity of plant materials produced by Oregon nurseries. “This state grows so many different types of […]

Springing forward

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COVID-19 has meant two banner years for nurseries, but the future’s a little foggy Over the decades, Grace Dinsdale’s Blooming Nursery has enjoyed a fairly steady path of gradual growth. The past few years, the Cornelius-based wholesale nursery has seen solid sales increases, often between 5% and 10% each year. For Dinsdale, who founded Blooming […]

Walla Walla Nursery Co. Inc.

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Founded in 1992 by Lorne Blackman PRODUCTION: Perennials: 50%, Shrubs: 35%, Annuals: 10%, Tropicals: 5%KNOWN FOR: Wholesale grower of perennials, grasses, shrubs, vines, herbs and tender/hardy succulents delivered throughout the Northwest. Ornamental grass, perennial and succulent plugs shipped throughout North America.PEOPLE: Lorne and Auralea Blackman, owners; Kevin Brunot, general manager; Kris Gonzales, production manager; Alex Ramos, […]

The impervious barberry

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These top-selling shrubs are durable, beautiful and deer resistant Oregon is the number one producer of barberry, selling $7.7 million worth in 2019, according to the USDA Census of Horticultural Specialties. That’s 39% of a nearly $20 million national market, mostly attributed to Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), a plant that has taken a hit with […]

In the heat of the garden

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It is definitely time for a reprieve from the events of the past year and a half. That’s true for garden centers, customers, the plants they buy and grow, and the plants in our gardens. We are living through a pandemic; we suffered devastating forest fires with smoke conditions that were hazardous to our health; […]

Weathering the storm

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August has always been a month I look forward to. As summer draws toward an end, it’s a big time of transition for our family. Between football practices, trying to squeeze in one more trip to the lake, and scrambling to find last-minute school supplies, there is much to accomplish before Labor Day hits. On […]

Setting up for spray success

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Growers of variable crops can reduce chemical waste and ensure coverage by systematically adapting their approach By Brian Hill and Lloyd Nackley We can’t all mount lasers on our air-blast sprayers,” a Willamette Valley grower said recently in a conversation with researchers. It’s true that some growers actually can mount lasers. Lasers are now a […]

A hotter trend

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Widespread wildfires prompt greater demand for fire-safe plants and landscaping As the wildfires of Labor Day 2020 tore through Oregon, the impacts on homes and forests were sevbere. The flames devoured a million acres of forestlands, and destroyed more than 4,000 homes. The impacts are something foresters, landscape professionals and nursery operators must pay attention […]

Catching eyes — and customers

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An engaging trade show booth, with attentive staff working it, is a lifeline for businesses The Farwest Show is back in 2021, and for exhibitors, that means one thing — time to prepare your “A” game. Whether the booth is offering plants, supplies or something else, anyone involved in nursery trade shows knows a good booth […]