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Note: This article is part of the Growing Knowledge series in Digger magazine. This series is provided by Oregon State University in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture and in partnership with the Oregon Association of Nurseries.

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 […]

Pest management tools for minor crops

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How IR-4 and OSU are working for you With a 2018 farm gate value just shy of $1 billion, it is no secret that the ornamental plant industries in Oregon (nursery and greenhouse) are important and viable enterprises that contribute greatly to the state’s economy. Controlling insect, disease, and weed pests is an important part […]

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 […]

Seeing the light on powdery mildew

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Testing the efficacy of using ultraviolet spectral lights to protect greenhouse tomatoes By Kristine R. Buckland, Cynthia M. Ocamb, Lloyd Nackley and Ann L. Rasmussen Widespread outbreaks of powdery mildew have been occurring in fresh market tomato crops in western Oregon over the past decade. Disease incidence and severity tend to be greater in tomatoes […]

Scouting for boxwood blight

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These tips make it easier to spot and mitigate this highly infectious disease By Jerry E. Weiland and Jay W. Pscheidt The 2019 growing season was a big year for boxwood blight in Oregon. The disease, caused by the pathogen Calonectria (Cylindrocladium) pseudonaviculata, has caused substantial damage to boxwood shrubs in U.S. nurseries and gardens […]

Vole control

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These tiny, burrowing rodents can cause problems for nursery crops As we anxiously wait for the first breeding-season birds to arrive and signal winter’s end, most vole species are also gearing up to produce more young. Voles are small, native rodents that are often called “meadow mice.” Oregon is home to a total of 13 […]

Fire blight in the plant nursery

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How did it arrive here, and what can be done? Fire blight is a disease that can kill apple and pear trees. It is especially dangerous in a nursery setting, for reasons we will explain. The disease can result in the direct loss of plant material, which in turn can necessitate a costly and difficult […]

The generational cycle of success

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Proper farm transition planning, including timing, protects the viability of the business going forward Agriculture, with its continuous cycle of planting and harvest rooted in valley soil, becomes a way of life. Leaving that rhythm behind to retire from the farm can be difficult. Farm leadership brings prominence and identity in an important profession, often […]

The continuing battle against nasty Nostoc

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Additional treatment methods are tested against this nursery nuisance By Heather Stoven and Jennifer Parke Slimy colonies of the cyanobacterium Nostoc are increasingly noticeable in nurseries and sports infields throughout the country. They appear as green-to-brown-colored globby mats, which, in nurseries, grow on multiple surface types within container yards and greenhouses.  What is referred to […]