Digger magazine

Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

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We exist to serve members

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It is easy to get disconnected from your trade association during the sprint of shipping, not to mention dealing with weather and labor challenges. However, we all know the great unseen threats that loom over the industry, starting with state and federal regulations. Your volunteer leaders on the OAN Board of Directors and Government Relations Committee serve as your voice and your defense.

August 2023: Farwest Show Edition

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In addition to the 50th Anniversary Farwest Show Guide (PDF), which will help all Farwest attendees get the most out of their show experience and visit to Oregon, the August issue of Digger covers the latest news and trends in the nursery and greenhouse industry. Let’s dig in! Columns: Download a PDF of this issue. […]

50 years of growing Oregon’s brand

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As I write this column, I am at Cultivate’23 in Columbus, Ohio, where Oregon is well represented. More than 60 OAN member companies are exhibiting, dozens of them are walking the show floor, and Oregon’s own Nancy Buley (J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.) and Ryan Contreras (Oregon State University) are cornerstones of the educational […]

Researchers roundup

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Get to know the horticultural researchers at OSU and USDA Many programs focus on nursery, greenhouse, landscape and related crops at Oregon State University (OSU) and the Horticulture Crops Research Laboratory at the Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. Here are some of the […]

Plant purchases gain momentum

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E-commerce sales of plant material as a percentage of total plant sales exploded over the pandemic and have continued to grow. According to research funded by the Horticultural Research Institute, the growth of plant e-commerce sales is here to stay and will continue to substantially increase. I had the opportunity to view a presentation on […]

Seeding the next generation of horticulture specialists

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The Oregon Nurseries Foundation announces the 2023 ONF scholarship recipients The Oregon Nurseries Foundation (ONF) supports incoming or continuing college students who are preparing for careers in horticulture or related fields. Students were evaluated based on academic achievement, nursery industry commitment, financial need and OAN affiliation. Scholarships are applied for during winter term and awarded […]

The (not so) big chill

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Plant sales have cooled off since the highs of the COVID era, but 2023 is shaping up strongly so far for the green industry It got cold in Atlanta this past winter. One day in December, the mercury topped out at a frigid 7 degrees. “I can’t ever remember a single-digit day since I moved […]

Open season for open gardens

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Visiting gardens is a great way to see how other gardeners use plants in unique combinations, and also for socializing with other gardeners. But probably my favorite reason to go is to see and learn about plants that are new to me. Fortunately, the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon (HPSO) offers members like me the […]