Business

Terra Nova Nurseries heads to plant expo in China

By Bill Goloski — Posted March 28, 2019

Oregon-based Terra Nova® Nurseries Inc. will showcase their plant breeding and genetics at the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019, which runs from April 29 through October 7 in the Expo Park of the Yanquin District of Beijing, China. Terra Nova will be the only American company to exhibit at China’s largest horticultural expo in nearly 10 […]

The value of influence

By Jon Bell — Posted February 25, 2019

Nurseries strategically seek influence and recap the rewards About 10 years ago, Costa Farms launched a campaign called “O2 for You,” which was designed to play up the valuable role that houseplants can play in cleaning pollutants out of indoor air. The Miami, Florida-based horticultural grower — now one of the largest in the world — compiled […]

A corner of the market

By Kym Pokorny — Posted February 25, 2019

The path of the specialty nursery has unique challenges and rewards There are many Oregon wholesale growers that offer something for everyone. For them, it’s all about variety — growing and shipping as much of what their customers need as possible. Specialty growers, by contrast, are a whole different breed. They pick one plant and […]

Start here: your marketing budget priority list

By Ian Doescher — Posted February 25, 2019

Wouldn’t we all love to have the advertising budgets and marketing teams of Nike or Apple? Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards for most of us. Generally, small- and medium-sized business owners must prioritize their time and money. Are you wondering where to start, or whether you’ve covered the most important things? Here is my […]

February 2019

By Bill Goloski — Posted January 30, 2019

As some nurseries begin building relationships with gardening groups, columnist Mike Darcy shares what many homeowners have planned for their yards this season. Growers also consider how recent tariffs are impacting Oregon’s nursery industry, or how to use grapes in their production line. In this issue: Garden clubs: Cultivating buzz: Growers benefit by building relationships with […]

Oregon Lean Consortium launches 2019 program year

By Rick and Elizabeth Peters — Posted January 25, 2019

The Oregon Lean Consortium welcomed two new companies as it launched its 2019 program year with a planning workshop on January 15. Seven diverse horticulture businesses will work together on process improvement for the next 12 months: Bailey Nurseries, Yamhill Eshraghi Nursery, Hillsboro JLPN Liners, Salem Marion Ag Service, Saint Paul Peoria Gardens, Albany Robinson […]

Flowers, hearts and decapitations

By Jeff Stone — Posted January 25, 2019

Valentine’s Day is a day to show affection for our loved ones, but it also happens to be one of the most profitable holidays of the year. Although the giving of flowers makes up only a small part of the spending, far behind Christmas or Mother’s Day for our retailers, it still brings in customers […]

Don’t fall into the trap of history repeating

By Mike Hiller — Posted January 25, 2019

The holidays and the grueling trade show season are over. Sports are in a lull. The days of cold, wet and dark are getting tiresome. We are all waiting on better weather — or at least seeing the sun. Depending on your segment within the nursery industry, you have either completed your digging for the […]

Working assets

By Chris Waetzig — Posted December 28, 2018

Educating workers on personal finance helps both the employer and the employee Articles seem to be published every day about how individuals will have to work well past retirement age because they haven’t saved enough for retirement and Social Security soon won’t be sufficient to meet their income needs. “Saving more” isn’t the simple solution […]

Does your customer’s experience match your marketing?

By Ian Doescher — Posted December 28, 2018

Imagine this scenario: you see Apple’s commercials. They’re full of young people having fun, living their best lives (we’ve all seen them). You see Apple’s advertising — slick, smooth, promising technology that changes your life and leads you into the future. You hear about Apple’s products and how innovative and game-changing they are for the […]