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Keeping our world ‘Wonderful’

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SpaceX recently conducted an orbital test flight of their Starship spacecraft. The tallest, most powerful spacecraft ever constructed, “designed to both carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond,” according to SpaceX. The test lasted four minutes and the starship self-destructed before it was able to make it into orbit. Was […]

Nursery industry tops list of Oregon ag commodities

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The nursery industry retained the top spot on the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s updated list of the top 20 most valuable agricultural commodities statewide. Greenhouse and nursery plants earned approximately $1.3 billion in 2021 — an increase of 10% over their value in 2020 and representing 22% of the total value of all Oregon agriculture. […]

May 2023: The Sustainability Issue

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The May 2023 issue of Digger explores the myriad ways the nursery and greenhouse industry of today is implementing sustainable measures and building on the legacy of pioneers in sustainability, such as Mahonia Nursery owner John D. Miller and agricultural inventor Heping Zhu, who developed the technology that would become the Intelligent Spray Control System. […]

Member Profile: Mahonia Nursery

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Founded: 1983 by John D. Miller Mahonia is a native plant species that plays an important role in Oregon’s ecosystems. These hardy, evergreen shrubs were used extensively by Native American tribes ­— as a food source, as a natural dye for textiles, and as medicine to treat a variety of human aliments, from digestive problems […]

Natives shine on

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Thanks to climate change, sales of drought-tolerant, pollinator-loving native perennials are enjoying their time in the sun Concern for the environment and pollinators is inspiring gardeners to add native plants to their landscape. At the same time, climate change is driving an ongoing increase in demand for heat- and drought-tolerant natives. Sustainable landscaping with native […]

Remixing soil mixes

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More sustainable alternatives to carbon-sequestering peat moss are entering into the planting media equation Amid growing international concerns about the environmental impacts of depleting and permanently damaging peat bogs, a movement is underway to ban or restrict the sale and use of peat moss — a nonrenewable resource that takes thousands of years to form. […]

Learning, connecting, engaging

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Oregon’s Integrated Pest Management Center serves as an innovative pest management hub for growers Article and photos By Silvia I. Rondon Since the early 1960s, the Oregon Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center has accumulated a rich history of leading and coordinating multistate research and outreach programs to help a broad audience in the agricultural and […]

Going with the flow

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Research on plant hydraulics helps explain the effect of drought stress on shade trees By Sadie Keller, Rebecca Sheridan, Scout Dahms-May, Carolyn Scagel and Lloyd Nackley In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the heart of the nursery industry, rainfall is scarce during the summer and humidity is low. The plant stress resulting from the low soil moisture, […]

The tribulations of big trees

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Growing bigger trees that will flourish in a changing climate takes a long-game approach For decades, tree-lined streets across the country — largely in the Southeast — would erupt in the bright white blossoms of Callery pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) every spring. Affordable, fast-growing and easily shipped, the trees had become the darlings of landscapers, […]