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OAN president responds to pesticide issue

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In his column for the September issue of Digger, OAN President Carson Lord has responded to the recent rush to regulate neonicotinoid class pesticides. Although the misuse of these chemicals caused the deaths of honeybees, the chemicals were the subject of extensive review prior to approval. They are safe if used properly. In his column, […]

Officials keep an eye on invasive Japanese beetle

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Photo by Randy L. Rasmussen / The Oregonian Presently, Oregon remains officially Japanese-beetle free, thanks to the efforts of the state’s insect pest prevention and management program. According to an in-depth story recently published by The Oregonian, workers for the Oregon Department of Agriculture use pheromone and scent traps to catch any adult beetles, and […]

Azalea lace bug arrives in Oregon

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Azalea lace bug (Stephanitis pyrioides) There is a relatively new pest in Oregon that can damage azaleas, rhododendrons and pieris (Ericaceae): The azalea lace bug (Stephanitis pyrioides) was first confirmed in Oregon in 2009 by Oregon State University (OSU) researchers after it was found in Washington in 2008. The pest becomes active in mid- to […]

Putting greenhouses in a new light

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We already mentioned LED lighting in nursery environments last December (PDF). But if you’re looking to operate your greenhouse with more efficiency and less cost, rapidly-developing LED technology is getting to where it’s worth more than a cursory glance. Researchers at Penn State University have studied the idea extensively, using grant funds secured in 2010. […]

Impatiens downy mildew gets attention

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Impatiens downy mildew, which kills any Impatiens walleriana plants that it infects, has been a huge topic of discussion this year. When a pathogen kills entire beds of a plant that swiftly and dramatically, people tend to notice. The American Nursery and Landscape Association and OFA have put together a couple of resources to help […]

Oktoberpest lineup announced

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Oregon State University and the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (NWREC) have announced the lineup for this year’s Oktoberpest series of pest management workshops. A workshop on beneficial insects will be taught in English on Oct. 4 and Spanish on Oct. 11. That will be followed by a workshop on reducing the risk of […]

Dwarf conifers highlight the May issue of Digger

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Dwarf conifers (PDF) are on the cover of the May issue of Digger magazine. This issue has an unmistakable greenhouse focus. Go here to read the entire issue as a flipbook — fast connection recommended — or download the individual articles as PDF files. Additional articles in the May issue include: Leader Profile (PDF) — […]

Begonias are big in the April issue of Digger

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A feature article on the re-emergence of begonias (PDF) is the cover story for the new April issue of Digger magazine. This issue has an unmistakable greenhouse focus. You can read the entire issue page-by-page as a flipbook here — fast connection recommended — or download the individual articles as PDF files. Additional articles in […]

Friday webinar will bring update on boxwood blight

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The American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA) will hold a webinar at 8 a.m. Pacific time, Friday, March 23, updating growers on the latest developments with boxwood blight (Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum). Growers who wish to participate must register in advance. The disease was first confirmed in the United States last fall, and causes defoliation and branch […]