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Smart sprayer becomes commercially available

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After years of research, nurseries looking for a machine to selectively apply fertilizers and chemicals to their plants — and only their plants — finally have what they wanted. The USDA Agricultural Research Service has licensed its smart sprayer technology to Smart Guided Systems LLC, the agency and the company announced. Orders are being accepted […]

The next generation of green minds

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Seed Your Future launches BLOOM!, a vibrant national campaign which packages a discovery quiz, short videos and a library of educational materials from Scholastic that even businesses can use Retailers and wholesale businesses alike know that launching a new marketing campaign comes standard with a certain number of uncertainties. Will your audience like your message? […]

Where plant demand is headed

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Nurseries navigate a new landscape as consumer demand evolves Americans love their pets. A lot. In 2017, they spent nearly $70 billion on their animal companions, and that number’s expected to rise to $100 million by the end of the decade, according to the American Pet Products Assocation. They also, it seems, love their smartphones, […]

Excellence on display

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Is it worth the trouble of creating a display or trial garden at your nursery? We spoke to several growers about the challenges and benefits Many wholesale and even retail nurseries establish a display garden on their premises. These gardens can impress, instruct and inspire customers, while showing them what the plants look like in […]

Money efficiency

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These tips will help growers spend their business dollars wisely As a business owner, you want to spend your money on what provides true, long-term business value. Because nurseries can rely heavily on cash flow to keep their operations running, it’s important to understand where your money is going and plan for your capital investments. […]

Your efficient nursery business

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Nursery profitability is always a challenge. We talked to more than a dozen growers and industry colleagues who have become more efficient, and increased their bottom line, by improving their management, workflows, inputs and workspaces. Whether it’s a daffodil or a giant sequoia, a plant is a relatively simple closed system. Its ultimate growth is driven by basic environmental factors such as light, water, soil and accessible nutrients. The nurseries that produce these plants, however, are much more complicated.

Managing for efficiency

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Efficiency begins at the top. It starts with company leadership setting an expectation and empowering employees to contribute their ideas and expertise. It’s about encouraging dynamic, back-and-forth conversations in the workplace. Companies such as wholesale propagator JLPN Inc. in Salem, Oregon; wholesale grower Skagit Horticulture in Mount Vernon, Washington; Eshraghi Nurseries in Hillsboro, Oregon; wholesale […]

Creating an efficient workflow

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Although setting the tone for innovation is important, the production process is where the action takes place. Companies like Alpha Nurseries of Salem, Oregon; Robinson Nursery of Amity, Oregon; Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas of Woodburn, Oregon and others have realized great savings from revising their production processes to make them more efficient. At Alpha, manager […]

Using your inputs efficiently

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Although labor is the largest expense for many nurseries, it isn’t the only expense. Inputs such as water, fertilizer, growing media and even artificial light also impose significant costs for the grower. Entire books could be written on saving water and electricity in a nursery. The Oregon Association of Nurseries and the Oregon Environmental Council […]

Arranging the workspace

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In the nursery world, there’s a fine line between having too much space and not enough. Ben Verhoeven, president and general manager of Peoria Gardens, has found the secret to walking that line. “Lots of sleepless nights and coffee,” he said. “Deep breaths. Colorful language.” In all seriousness, though, utilizing a nursery’s space in the […]