Will retail customers pay more for plants that are labeled “water conserving” or “disease free?” According to Dr. James Pease, professor of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, the answer is yes. Dr. Pease conducted a survey and found that the difference, in fact, could vary from 9 percent to as high as 60 […]
Consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly plant containers, study says
Previous studies conducted by the Horticultural Research Institute have shown that consumers are willing to pay a bit more for eco-friendly plant containers. Now, a new study recently published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture puts some numbers on how much consumers value sustainability and the environment. Plant buyers were willing to pay: 16.7 cents […]
Governor declares ‘Fall is for Planting Month’ in September
September will be “Fall is for Planting Month” in September, according to a proclamation by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber. The proclamation was announced at the 2013 Farwest Trade Show by the Oregon Association of Nurseries, the state’s 800-plus-member organization comprised of wholesale growers, retailers, nursery service and supply providers, and others engaged in the nursery […]
Farwest Week is next week!
It’s been quiet around here on the Daily Digger blog, but that’s just because we’ve been getting ready for the 2013 Farwest Trade Show, in Portland, Ore.! Farwest is the biggest nursery industry trade show in the West, and it’s still the place where buyers can overcome developing shortages and find the material they need. […]
Anna Ball on the future of horticulture
Anna Ball spoke to the Oregon Association of Nurseries Retail and Greenhouse Chapter last week about current and future trends in horticulture. We have compiled several of the highlights from her speech into a video, which you can view right here:
2013 Garden Media Group trends report
If you haven’t seen the new 2013 Garden Trends Report from Suzi McCoy and Garden Media Group, it’s out and available. According to McCoy, 2013 is shaping up to be “The Year of Bliss”: In these times of economic uncertainty, consumers are searching for a little bliss in their everyday lives. From global consumer trends […]
Putting greenhouses in a new light
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. […]
Incentive available for thermal greenhouse curtains
Ulrike Mengelberg at the Energy Trust of Oregon dropped us a note to let us know they’re offering an incentive for growers who install energy-saving thermal curtains in their greenhouses. Qualifying growers can receive 9 cents per square foot of heated greenhouse (or square feet of curtain, but the former number in most cases will […]
Ecotrust reports economic boost from restoration projects
Watershed and fish habitat restoration jobs provide benefits for more than just fish and wildlife, according to Ecotrust. These projects created 6,483 jobs in the state from 2001–2010 and generated $977.5 million in economic activity over that same time period, according to the Portland-based nonprofit, which works on a variety of environmental and restoration projects […]
Native Grounds Nursery becomes certified for sustainability
Kudos to Native Grounds Nursery and owners Mike Nehls and Keli Gunning! The wholesale nursery, based in Brownsville, Ore., has become the first nursery and greenhouse operation to earn a sustainability certification (PDF) — and the official seal that goes along with it, shown — from the Food Alliance. Despite the name, the Food Alliance […]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- …
- 11
- Next Page »