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You are here: Home / Archives for Efficiency

Arranging for efficient greenhouse production

By Mitch Lies — Posted February 22, 2022

The intentional, strategic use of space can determine how efficiently a greenhouse functions and how profitable it is Nursery operators tend to fill greenhouses to capacity, so that enough product is available when sales come knocking. But according to Rick and Elizabeth Peters of Lean consultants The Peters Company (Wilsonville, Oregon), a packed greenhouse at […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean

Making every drop count

By Emily Hoard — Posted February 22, 2022

Using water efficiently in the greenhouse One of the most vital elements for growing plants is becoming more and more scarce. With agriculture, municipalities, and environmental communities competing over limited water supplies, growers have every reason to use it deliberately and efficiently.  Greenhouse growers have several options to consider that could help them do that, […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, Irrigation, Water

Lean, but clean

By Rick and Elizabeth Peters — Posted April 21, 2021

Faced with a pandemic, Lean nurseries adapted to stay ahead of the curve Early last spring we sat in the office of an Oregon nursery client. As Lean consultants to this company, we were there as the owner faced a crisis. He worked through scenarios and pondered how to survive a possible massive interruption to […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, The Peters Company

May 2019 — The Lean Issue

By Bill Goloski — Posted April 30, 2019

In this four-part Lean Issue, we dive deeper with Oregon growers to share tactical examples of the new ways they are being efficient in their work. Learn how to identify process steps that add value and those that are wasteful, find the best work flows, read about 5S methodologies for storage and work space arrangement, […]

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, Issue

Building your Lean team

By Curt Kipp — Posted April 26, 2019

These analytical tools can help nurseries reach the next level of efficiency Last May, Digger presented the Efficiency Issue. We examined ways in which Oregon nurseries are making their operations more efficient, and we showed examples. Each nursery is unique. Our goal was to show off the ingenuity of some growers and inspire others to […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Identifying value and waste

By Curt Kipp — Posted April 26, 2019

The key is in knowing what the customer is actually willing to pay for The central concept of Lean is to identify process steps that add value and those that are wasteful, eliminating the latter to become more efficient. It sounds simple but isn’t. Rick and Elizabeth Peters own a Wilsonville, Oregon-based Lean consulting firm, […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Creating ‘standard work’

By Jon Bell — Posted April 26, 2019

Finding and reinforcing best work flows helps nurseries run a tighter ship Walk into JLPN Inc., a seeding operation and nursery in Salem, Oregon, and even if you’re not familiar with how to harvest or grade container seedlings, you’d soon be doing it like an experienced hand. How? Simply by looking at the laminated diagrams […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

Organizing spaces with 5S

By Bill Goloski — Posted April 26, 2019

The 5S methodology for storage and arrangement makes waste reduction far easier Many nurseries deploying Lean to make their processes less wasteful have found that organizing work spaces is a crucial part of their approach. To do this, they are deploying a Lean methodology called “5S.” The letters stand for 1) sort, 2) set in […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Operations, Wholesale Nurseries

Keeping things moving

By Jon Bell — Posted April 26, 2019

The Lean concept of continuous flow delivers big for Oregon’s nurseries Twenty people to five. A quarter-mile span to 20 feet. One week to 20 minutes. What do these all have in common? They are all some of the head-scratching efficiencies that individual nurseries across Oregon have realized since they’ve implemented one key Lean concept […]

Filed Under: Nursery Operations Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Operations, Wholesale Nurseries

Knowing our customers

By Mike Hiller — Posted April 26, 2019

Last fall, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Bridget Behe, a professor of horticulture at Michigan State University. She was giving a presentation on her research into the marketing of edible and ornamental horticultural crops, which is her area of expertise. If you are not familiar with Dr. Behe’s podcast, “Connect 2 Consumer,” I […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Business, Digger, Digger magazine, Efficiency, lean, Wholesale Nurseries

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NURSERY NEWS

In Memoriam: Melvin John Steffenson

New USDA Census of Hort arriving in mailboxes this month

Oregon Association of Nurseries honors the industry’s best at 2024 Convention

Eason Horticultural Resources is now employee-owned

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

Building trust is key to establishing clientele base for new nurseries

Five owners share their experiences on what it takes to start a nursery businesses

Bailey hires new CFO and chief HR officer

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

May 2025: Sustainability Issue

April 2025: The Tree Issue

March 2025: The Perennial Issue

February 2025: The Greenhouse Issue

January 2025: The Retail Issue

More issues of Digger

Pests and Diseases

Prioritizing nursery pest challenges

New tools in the battle against thrips

Aiming for precision in pest control

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

$250,000 shifted to P. austrocedri research

More articles

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

Sense of excitement prevailed at Farwest as nursery industry ‘Meets the Future’ 

Farwest Show attendees select favorites for the Retailers’ Choice Awards

Starway to Heaven™ Japanese Snowbell wins People’s Choice balloting at Farwest Show New Varieties Showcase

Hopper Bros. wins Best in Show booth award at 2024 Farwest Show   

Starway to Heaven™ Japanese Snowbell wins Judges’ Best in Show at Farwest Show New Varieties Showcase

More Updates from Farwest

The Value of Membership

Meet the leader: Sam Pohlschneider

OAN honors the industry’s best

Oregon Association of Nurseries honors the industry’s best at 2024 Convention

More member stories

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