CNN reports on the spike in gardening this year, as people grow more edibles to save money on their grocery bills.
The real dirt on what’s hot
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To paraphrase an old McDonald’s tagline, “Did someone say edibles?” Lest anyone doubt that edibles are going to be THE hot seller at garden centers this year, consider this. We received word from Patty Howe that Al’s Garden Center of Sherwood has already filled up “Getting Down in the Dirt,” an upcoming seminar on vegetable […]
Retailers share outlook for 2009
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The Retail and Greenhouse chapters of the Oregon Association of Nurseries held a joint meeting last night to talk about current retail trends, and the relationship between growers and garden centers. And as seen in the above photo, the turnout was huge. People filled a large greenhouse at Little Prince of Oregon Nursery just south […]
Uptick in attendance
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We received this bit of information from the Northwest Flower & Garden Show: In a year where consumer and trade shows alike are reporting double-digit percentage drops in attendance, the Northwest Flower & Garden Show actually grew, according to show founder Duane Kelly. The show, which ran February 18-22 at the Washington State Convention & […]
Seattle, San Francisco garden shows ending
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Duane Kelly, chairman of Salmon Bay Events, made an announcement this morning that surprised many people in the industry — that the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, and the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show, will both end with their 2009 editions, unless he can find a buyer for them. From the official […]
Forced to innovate
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Medill Reports (Chicago, Ill.) has this article on what nurseries are doing to cope with the tougher economic climate this year. As we’ve been saying in Digger magazine, times are tough, but it helps to market your business wisely, and look for the opportunities present in a down economy.
‘Less care’ … not ‘no care’
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Gardening columnist Carol Savonen’s newest installment in the Salem, Ore. Statesman Journal concerns native plants, and how they can make a garden more attractive and easier to care for at the same time. But there’s an important bit of advice in there: This doesn’t mean that you can just plant them and walk away. “Many […]
Nurseries more affected by recession than most
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One resource for good information on agricultural markets is the quarterly Knowledge Center Market Snapshots, which are reports by Northwest Farm Credit Services. As one might expect, the latest batch of snapshots indicates that demand is softening, or at best, level, for nearly all agricultural commodities: beef, wheat, dairy, fruits, forest products, wine, hay and […]
Sean Hogan interviewed
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Sean Hogan, co-founder of Cistus Nursery (Portland, Ore.), has a new book out called Trees for All Seasons: Broadleaved Evergreens for Temperate Climates. Kym Pokorny, garden writer at The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) recently interviewed him in conjunction with that book release. I particularly liked his answer to the question, “Why plant trees?”: An 88-year-old man […]
Nurseryman a finalist for Clackamas County Commission
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Jim Gilbert was named as one of five finalists for a vacant position on the Clackamas County Commission. Gilbert is the owner of wholesale grower Northwoods Nursery and its retail/online arm, One Green World, both located near Molalla. Gilbert has twice run for the Oregon House of Representatives as a Democrat, but lost. The commission […]