Hornbeams (Carpinus) may be lesser-known trees, but their toughness and versatility makes them suitable in a variety of landscapes, including as street trees or for screening. It’s no surprise more and more Oregon nurseries are growing them.
-
May 2024: Sustainability issue
The May issue of Digger is our annual focus on sustainability. Columns: Growing Knowledge, an ongoing series provided by Oregon State University in collaboration with the… Continue Reading…
-
Researchers at Oregon State University are testing pots made from recycled materials
The industry needs sustainable solutions to reduce plastic waste and an alternative is the use of plantable biopots without separating biopots before planting, which favors microbial biodegradation.
-
Energy Trust rebates can help nurseries switch to LED lighting and lower power bills
Nursery owners might still be in shock at their electricity bill since rate increases approved by the Oregon Public Utilities Commission took effect in January. But there’s still a way to quickly trim electricity consumption: update lighting.
-
Growers hope to get credit for sequestration value of plants they grow
The nursery industry is comparably light on the environment, and many of its products are some of the most effective tools at sequestering carbon.
-
Green roofs are growing business for cities and the green industry
Green roofs are not a new idea, but experts say they have powerful implications in an era of climate change.
-
Oregon nurseryman spearheads documentary on farmland preservation
Jim Gilbert is passionate about Oregon’s unique land use planning system, which prioritizes the preservation of farmland. That’s why the 80-year-old nurseryman collaborated with filmmaker Joe Wilson to create a documentary, “An Oregon Story: Saving Our Beaches, Farmland and More.”
Plant Features
People and nurseries can benefit from healing powers of plants
People benefit simply from being in gardens and nature, which can, in turn, benefit nurseries as well
Variegated plants add variety and texture to gardens
Heucheras were once known for their flowers. Now, they’re regarded for their flashy foliage in different shades of red, purple and yellow. Dan Heims, president of Terra Nova Nurseries Inc. in Canby, Oregon, is known for introducing many variegated plants to the market, including variegated Heuchera. “I’ve always had a fascination with variegated plants,” Heims […]
Nursery Operations
Energy Trust rebates can help nurseries switch to LED lighting and lower power bills
Nursery owners might still be in shock at their electricity bill since rate increases approved by the Oregon Public Utilities Commission took effect in January. But there’s still a way to quickly trim electricity consumption: update lighting.
Growers hope to get credit for sequestration value of plants they grow
The nursery industry is comparably light on the environment, and many of its products are some of the most effective tools at sequestering carbon.
Green roofs are growing business for cities and the green industry
Green roofs are not a new idea, but experts say they have powerful implications in an era of climate change.
Oregon Is Nursery Country
Welcome to Nursery Country 2023
With a record $1.37 billion worth of sales in 2022, Oregon’s nursery industry continues to grow. And if you want to know why, you can ask the families that are driving the growth.
John Holmlund Nursery
Nathan and Angie Holmlund continue their dad’s recipe for success: focus on people and plants.
Drakes Crossing Nursery
Jan Hupp and his wife Cindy use a team approach to nourishing his mother’s thriving dream.
Bentwood Tree Farm
Laura and Tom Dufala have taken their passion for cloud-pruned trees and turned it into a thriving business
Recent Columns
Making progress towards sustainability
When I first saw that this month’s issue of Digger was focused on sustainability, I was apprehensive. I reactively thought about how my small nursery hasn’t reached a scale that would let us focus on sustainability. I thought about what larger nurseries are doing, such as Robinson Nursery. They have stopped shipping 600,000+ pounds of […]
Charting a course through a perfect storm
By Jeff Stone
The political process can be aggravating, and most of the population is disconnected from it at an alarming rate. This column has consistently warned of the clear and present danger to our system of government and nation due to the lack of understanding of how things happen at a state and national level. It is […]
Artificial intelligence: Friend or foe?
By Jeff Stone
Farming has never been easy, but the staggering technological advancement since that time produced equipment that not only grew in size, but in complexity.
Growing Knowledge
Researchers at Oregon State University are testing pots made from recycled materials
The industry needs sustainable solutions to reduce plastic waste and an alternative is the use of plantable biopots without separating biopots before planting, which favors microbial biodegradation.
Update on flatheaded borer management in specialty tree crops
In 2020, a multi-state research project led by Drs. Karla Addesso and Jason Oliver of Tennessee State University was funded by the USDA-Specialty Crop Research Initiative to coordinate research on this pest group.
Exploring stratified substrates and soil hydraulics in agricultural science
Stratified substrates involve arranging potting media of varying textures in layers within a single container. This structured layering entails placing coarser-textured substrates at the bottom and finer-textured ones on top, mimicking natural soil layers.