This flowering tree is on the upswing, thanks to disease resistance and all-season beauty Crabapples have enjoyed a bumpy history. Originating in the mountains of Kazakhstan, crabapples’ spring flowers landed in Chinese palace gardens and were carried along the Silk Road to Europe. Beyond their beauty, crabapples can act as a blanket pollinator for an […]
Plant Features
Unsung perennials
A treasure trove of options is available for those who want to go beyond the staples Thousands of books are written about them, as are poems, and there are even songs sung about the flowers we know as perennials. Perennials are the backbone of most garden designs and some container gardens, as well. Consumers adore […]
Nature is in the house
A back-to-earth ethic fuels the lust for new, classic and collectible house plants In the 1970s, it seemed like everyone decorated their indoor space with a pothos (Epipremnum aureum) winding around the ceiling and a dusty-looking Coleus on the windowsill, but houseplants fell out of favor during the more technology-driven ’80s. Now they’ve come roaring […]
Nursery Operations
Green practices and silver bullets
Integrated pest management, or IPM, has continued to improve and deliver benefits for growers While integrated pest management (IPM) has been an accepted best practice for growers since its introduction in the 1960s, it hasn’t always been growers’ first choice when looking for a fast, efficient answer to their crop dilemmas. The field of study […]
A growing appetite for superfoods
Retailers and growers can fill the demand for nutrient-rich berries, fruits and vegetables A show of hands for those who think “superfood” when loading bananas in the supermarket shopping cart. No takers? No surprise. Even though bananas are touted as a good source of fiber and potassium, folate, vitamin C and B6, and other antioxidants and […]
Certifiably successful
Sustainability-minded certification programs can help nurseries grow and improve Scholls Valley Native Nursery sits on 60 lush acres just outside Forest Grove in the eastern foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. To the west of the nursery, Roderick Creek rolls by before merging with Gales Creek, which borders Scholls Valley’s western edge on its way […]
Oregon Is Nursery Country
GK Machine Inc.
Founded: 1976 by Gary and Keith Grossen OWNER: Gary GrossenKNOWN FOR: Branded agricultural equipment, and custom manufactured equipment.PEOPLE: Gary Grossen, CEO and outside sales; Keith Grossen, co-owner (retired); JoAnn Agee, Vice President and CFO, Connie Lindsay, marketing; Mike Mader, equipment sales, Brent Selnau, equipment sales; Derrick Bratton, greenhouse sales.CONTACT: P.O. Box 427, Donald, OR 97020-0427503-678-5525clindsay@gkmachine.comONLINE: […]
Yoshitomi Brothers Inc.
Founded: 1960 by Ed, Fred, Robert and Kay Yoshitomi OWNERS: Don and Mariah KondoKNOWN FOR: Growing a wide variety of perennials (40%), annuals (40%) and vegetable starts (20%) wholesale, for delivery to retail garden centers.PEOPLE: Randy Gettel, production, logistics and maintenance manager; Gilbert Baltazar, head grower; Dan Bamberger, landscaper sales and production manager; Josh Stenson, […]