The U.S. Department of Agriculture appears to have responded to nursery industry concerns about the proposed Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), according to Craig Regelbrugge, vice president of government relations and research at the American Nursery and Landscape Association (ANLA). The program, first announced in the spring, would provide farmers with incentives for growing certain […]
New Products Showcase is added to the 2010 Farwest Show
By
— PostedLooking for a way to help your target customers find your best and newest products? The 2010 Farwest Show in Portland, Ore. is adding a new feature this year – the New Products Showcase. Think of it as just like the show’s longstanding (and much anticipated) New Varieties Showcase, except that logically enough, this one […]
Horticulture classes this fall
By
— PostedChemeketa Community College has announced several classes in horticulture, landscaping and agribusiness on its fall schedule. Among them are classes on growing media, green roofs/green walls, ecological design for water treatment, urban applications in ecological horticulture, and more. Check out the offerings on Chemeketa’s Hort Department Web page (scroll down to see fall classes).
A P. ramorum breakthrough
By
— PostedResearchers probing linkages between the two North American strains and the European strain of Phytophthora ramorum – the pathogen that causes Sudden Oak Death – say they have found important clues to their origins. According to a USDA Agricultural Research service press release: Their evidence showed that the European lineage may be older than the […]
Soil quality made easy
By
— PostedThe Oregon State University Extension Service has created a new tool that helps gardeners and farmers in the Willamette Valley assess their soil quality. And best of all, it’s free. The Soil Quality Card can be downloaded from www.tinyurl.com/goodsoil. PDF copies are free; physical sets of 25 can be ordered for $8 each. According to […]
High Desert Green Industry Conference
By
— PostedThe High Desert Green Industry Conference will be Wednesday-Thursday, Feb. 11-12, at the Deschutes Fair & Expo Center, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, Ore. The event is for green industry professionals who supply, design, maintain or manage landscapes. About 250 people are expected to attend. There will be a trade show featuring products, equipment and […]
Chemeketa offers native plant class among winter offerings
By
— PostedChemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore., has announced its winter term offerings in horticulture, landscaping and pesticides. Registration begins Dec. 8, and classes run Jan. 5-March 21, 2009. The offerings include a new class titled “Native Plant Propagation and Use.” Others cover plant propagation, greenhouse production/management, woody plant identification, soils/media/nutrition, viticulture, landscape design, landscape irrigation, […]
Compost rule changes are on forum agenda
By
— PostedNick Andrews, extension agent at NWREC, wrote (via Robin Rosetta) to tell us about an upcoming forum that will be of interest to nursery growers who do composting: As you know, DEQ is drafting new Rules for Composting Facilities in Oregon that will impact on-farm composting. In response to critical public comments after they released […]