Research points to certain practices for minimizing invasive annual bluegrass By Alec Kowalewski, Clint Mattox, and Alyssa Cain Desirable turfgrass species in western Oregon include, but are not limited to, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. Perennial ryegrass will produce a dense, dark green lawn when regularly mowed, irrigated, and fertilized. Tall fescue, on the other […]
The solitary life of pocket gophers
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These territorial animals can cause major problems in nursery production Both moles and gophers can be a menace to nursery production fields. As these animals look to survive a lack of available food during summer heat or winter cold, they often look to nursery crops, killing them or causing severe damage. The difference between gopher […]
Villains of the greenhouse II
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When seedlings fail, Fusarium damping-off or wilt could be another cause Part two of a series. Part one of Villains of the greenhouse, published in the April 2021 issue of Digger, covered Rhizoconia damping-off, root rot and stem rot. It can be viewed at www.diggermagazine.com/villains-of-the-greenhouse. There are many fungi that live and survive in the […]
A bee’s eye view
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Testing for UV reflectance to gain insight into the benefits of nativars compared to native plants Market demand for native plants in ornamental landscapes has drastically increased since the early 2000s, as consumers, landscapers, landscape designers and landscape architects are increasingly aware of the environmental benefits provided by native plants. But despite their popularity, native […]
Knowing your cedar pests (Part 2)
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Part 2: Thuja, Juniperus and Cupressus It’s important to be aware of issues in the landscape and forest, as these can become problems in the nursery or for your customers. On the flip side, problems not detected in the nursery can become big issues when planted out at the customer’s end. Cedar trees have a […]
Know thy enemy
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Expert insect pest identification resources are available in Oregon The foundations of a good integrated pest management (IPM) plan are scouting, monitoring and identification — knowing where and when you have pests, and knowing exactly who those pests are. Scouting and monitoring techniques are straightforward. One can use tools like sticky cards, traps, bait plants, […]
Testing tolerance with Marengo
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Herbicide’s label allows growers to experiment with various plants and levels Herbicides are an important weed control method in container-grown ornamental plants. Knowledge of crop tolerance to herbicides is essential for a safe and effective weed control program. Tolerance to a specific herbicide application method depends on the crop species and the cultivar. Thus, developing […]
A fine, low input turf
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Researchers look into the helpful properties of fine fescue turgrasses By Alec Kowalewski, Emily Braithwaite and Ruying Wang Fine fescue is a group of different cool-season turfgrasses in the Festuca genus with narrow or fine leaves (Image 1). These grasses are generally known for excellent shade and cold tolerance, as well as persistence when maintained […]
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 […]
Native plants, bees, and microbes
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The OSU Garden Ecology Lab studies the health of garden environments The Garden Ecology Lab at Oregon State University (OSU) studies the plants, insects, animals, people, decisions, and management practices that either improve or degrade a garden’s ability to promote environmental and human health. An underlying premise of our work is that gardens are important […]
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