A federal court has put on hold the EPA’s new “waters of the United States” rule, which was announced back in the spring and was widely criticized by leaders from both major political parties as a case of federal overreach. Opponents, including most agricultural groups, fear the rule, if implemented, could subject marginal waterways to […]
Preserving precious water
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Growers put a variety of practices into place to save this valuable resource
Season forecast calls for milder temps, more rain
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Phil Volcker of ERF Weather Inc. is expecting that Western Oregon will see a milder winter this year, with above-average rainfall. He shared his thoughts with members of the OAN’s Willamette Chapter during their late November meeting in Salem. “I’m confident we’re going to see a very good water year this year,” he said. Volcker […]
Customers will pay more for the green label
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Will retail customers pay more for plants that are labeled “water conserving” or “disease free?” According to Dr. James Pease, professor of agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, the answer is yes. Dr. Pease conducted a survey and found that the difference, in fact, could vary from 9 percent to as high as 60 […]
Putting greenhouses in a new light
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We already mentioned LED lighting in nursery environments last December (PDF). But if you’re looking to operate your greenhouse with more efficiency and less cost, rapidly-developing LED technology is getting to where it’s worth more than a cursory glance. Researchers at Penn State University have studied the idea extensively, using grant funds secured in 2010. […]
Scientists discover quick drought tolerance test
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Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, working with a botanical garden in Yunnan, China, have come up with a new method to quickly predict the drought tolerance of plants. According to a UCLA press release: It is based on an important trait known as “turgor loss point.” During drought, the leaf cells’ water […]
Begonias are big in the April issue of Digger
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A feature article on the re-emergence of begonias (PDF) is the cover story for the new April issue of Digger magazine. This issue has an unmistakable greenhouse focus. You can read the entire issue page-by-page as a flipbook here — fast connection recommended — or download the individual articles as PDF files. Additional articles in […]
Energy incentives available for nursery, greenhouse owners
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New business energy tax credits (often known as BETC) are available for nursery and greenhouse owners based in Oregon. The incentives are part of the Oregon Department of Energy’s new Simple Premium Projects program, which has $1.7 million in funding. According to officials, the paperwork is much simpler than past BETC programs. Business owners may […]
Webinar series teaches all about irrigation
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The Water Education Alliance for Horticulture is offering an upcoming series of nine free, 45-minute webinars on various irrigation-related topics. The webinars begin Nov. 29, and run every Tuesday at 9 a.m. Pacific time (noon Eastern) through Feb. 7, 2012. Several experts at universities and companies will give presentations on topics to help growers conserve, […]
Nursery receives grant to study sandbed fertigation
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Oregon Small Trees Nursery recently was chosen to receive a Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grant. The nursery, based in Wilsonville, Ore., will use its grant funds to evaluate a little-used, but highly efficient, growing practice involving sandbeds. “The grant allows us to introduce new practices to further minimize our environmental footprint,” Oregon […]