As labor costs soar and the need for efficiencies increases, Oregon nurseries are embracing technology like never before.
May 2022 — The Technology Issue
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Check out the latest, high-tech inventions that were made to solve problems for nurseries, retailers and landscapers. Growers discuss the ups and downs of drone use in the field, lawn care equipment manufacturers share advancements in electrical options, and we even include a profile on GK Machine Inc. and its custom-built farming instruments. Plus, read […]
Meeting online customer expectations
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Prepare before jumping into online retail, lest the opportunity become a pitfall COVID-19 pushed many garden centers to catch the growing wave of online shopping. E-commerce sales are forecasted to account for nearly a fifth of all U.S. retail sales by 2025, according to Statista. Total retail e-commerce sales in 2021 increased 17.9%, according to […]
Power pact
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Nurseries and landscapers look at electric alternatives to traditional equipment Many garden retailers and nursery owners are starting to turn away from gas-powered equipment as technological advancements make it possible to go all-electric. In California, all new landscaping equipment will be required to be zero-emission by 2024 or as soon as the California Air Resources […]
Growth from above
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Nurseries explore new uses for drones, from inventory to scouting to spray treatment Initially a tool for the military and aviation hobbyists, unmanned aerial systems — better known as drones — have a wide range of applications. Filmmakers, search and rescue, farmers and ranchers, surveyors, even archeologists find uses for them. Will the nursery industry […]
Protect your business against cybercrime
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Over the last few years, the green industry has rapidly pivoted to online sales and customer service. Growers and retailers were increasingly forced to interact with clients without face-to-face contact as they switched to online ordering and delivery, curbside pick-up, and virtual or socially-distanced landscaping services. From wholesale growers to garden centers and landscape technicians […]
Sense and sensor ability
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NWREC’s Irrigation Classroom evaluates how to best use soil moisture sensors to improve water use efficiency Perhaps it goes without saying, but the millions of trees, vines and shrubs — growing on thousands of acres — require large amounts of water and fertilizer. As a large consumer of water, agriculture has been vilified for assumed […]
The smart greenhouse
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By Lloyd Nackley, Chet Udell and Alan Dennis OSU researchers look to repurpose and adapt high-tech trackers and sensors for plant production Greenhouses are critical for nearly all nursery operations. They enable greater control over the growing environment for plants, providing numerous advantages in the face of unpredictable weather and increasing droughts. That’s why many […]
The technology race
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On July 20, the nation will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Apollo 11, led by Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, set in motion a technology era with their successful mission in 1969. Less than eight years earlier, President John F. Kennedy had […]
SBI Software launches Analytics for growers
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SBI Software, a Portland-based software company that designs programs and mobile apps for wholesale nurseries and retail centers, created a new technology tool so business owners see an analytical report of their enterprise. The Analytics software allows growers to filter through their own data and research their past business activities. Users can render their orders, […]