Oregon Nurseries Foundation offers scholarships for 2010

Students interested in studying horticulture at the college level are eligible for scholarships being made available by the Oregon Nurseries Foundation.

The various scholarship awards are sponsored by individuals as well as OAN chapters, as a way to support the next generation of green industry professionals. High school graduates who will attend college in the fall, returning college students, and college graduates who will conduct research projects are all eligible for the funds.

Information on the scholarships available and the eligibility requirements can be viewed at http://scholarship.oan.org. A flier (PDF) and the application (PDF) also can be downloaded.

To be considered, completed applications must be brought to the OAN office, or mailed with a postmark, no later than April 1, 2010. Awards will be announced early in the summer. For more information, contact the Oregon Association of Nurseries at 503-682-5089 or info@oan.org.

State of Perfection Clip 5: Hans Nelson and Sons Nursery

Clip 5 in our State of Perfection videos features Hans Nelson and Sons Nursery in Boring, Ore. Company president Dan Nelson talks about the company's Korean dogwoods. You can read profiles of all of these nurseries by downloading our State of Perfection story (PDF) from the January issue. Next week we will post the final video, from a visit to Pohlschneider Nursery in St. Paul, Ore.

February issue of Digger features Daphne cultivars

The February issue of Digger is out and on its way to mailboxes! This month's main plant feature is on the many wonderful Daphne cultivars (PDF) that are grown in Oregon. We also have an article on greenhouse heating options (PDF), as well as the first article in our new OSU: Growing Knowledge series, produced by Oregon State University in partnership with the OAN. This first installment talks about recent OSU testing for Grevillea and Arctostaphylos cultivars (PDF). Digger magazine is mailed free to qualified nursery industry professionals. Subscribe online, or call Debbie at 503-582-2004 to be added to the mailing list. Also, you can check out our back archive of Digger articles here.

Correcting a mistake

As someone who has worked in journalism for more than 20 years, I've found that one of the worst places one can make a mistake is in an obituary. It's the story of someone's life. People keep them in scrapbooks and share them with friends and family. Unfortunately, upon receiving the new February issue of Digger back from the press, I discovered that we made a doozy of a mistake. The issue includes an obituary for Jim Schmidt, the well-known and well-loved collector of Japanese maples, and owner of Don Schmidt Nursery. Before getting into the nursery business, Jim served in the U.S. Navy until 1965, when he was honorably discharged. However, that's not what our article said. We were rather upset when we discovered this mistake, which managed to sneak through three drafts without being caught! We have created a corrected version of the obituary which sets the record straight. You can download it here (PDF). If you'd like a printed version of this corrected obituary, contact us at ckipp@oan.org and we will get it to you. We regret the error. One of my colleagues who knew Jim well said he is probably looking down from above and laughing at the whole thing. I hope so.

State of Perfection Clip 4: Bountiful Farms

Clip 4 in our State of Perfection videos features Bountiful Farms in Woodburn, Ore., which is known for its sculptured plants. Todd Nelson, co-owner, talks about the company's signature tree screens, which can be used to create outdoor "rooms" and other private areas. Check it out. We'll be back soon with two more videos – Pohlschneider Farms and Hans Nelson and Son Nursery. You can read profiles of all of these nurseries by downloading our State of Perfection story (PDF).

Oregon's urban forestry conference announces theme for 2010

An update on Oregon's forthcoming urban forestry conference from Paul Ries, the Urban and Community Forestry Program manager at the Oregon Department of Forestry:

"From Seed to City: The Journey of An Urban Tree" will be the theme of the 2010 Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Conference. Wednesday, June 2 will be a field day at J. Frank Schmidt & Son Company nursery in Boring, and Thursday, June 3 will offer indoor educational sessions at the Oregon Garden Resort in Silverton. The early registration rate will be $99 for BOTH days! Look for a full program announcement and more details in March. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend this event. The conference expects to offer both ISA CEU and LCB CEH credits.

PNW charities helping in Haiti

Several folks have asked us how they can contribute to relief efforts in Haiti. So here, for your information, are several Northwest-based charities that are part of ongoing aid to earthquake victims.

• MercyCorps
  http://www.mercycorps.org/
  Dept W
  PO Box 2669
  Portland OR 97208-2669


• American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter
  http://www.oregonredcross.org/
  P.O. Box 4125
  Portland, OR 97208-4125


• Medical Teams International
  (Formerly known as Northwest Medical Teams)
  http://www.medicalteams.org/
  P.O. Box 10
  Portland, OR 97207


• World Vision
  http://www.worldvision.org/
  P.O. Box 9716, Dept. W
  Federal Way, WA 98063-9716


• World Concern
  http://www.worldconcern.org/
  19303 Fremont Avenue North
  Seattle, Washington 98133

State of Perfection Clip 3: Bizon Nursery

Clip 3 in our State of Perfection videos features Bizon Nursery and production manager Greg Anderson. In it, Greg talks about the company's signature Bizon Blue spruce (Picea pungens 'Bizon Blue'). We'll add another video on Friday, and every Friday thereafter, until all six are available for viewing. Up next: Bountiful Farms. Keep checking back!

Ag leaders speak out on the agriculture-conservation coalition's reserves map

Yesterday a coalition of agricultural and conservation groups announced they had developed an alternative to the most recent "Core 4" plan for the Portland metropolitan area. Here's video of the press conference:



The coalition developed the map based on the criteria in state law, and with an eye toward selecting the most suitable areas for urbanization while preserving the best farmland for the next generation. "It is our best effort to look at the next 50 years and how this region should grow," OAN Director of Government Relations Jeff Stone said.

According to Dave Vanashe of the Washington County Farm Bureau, agriculture has lost more than 140,000 acres of land to urbanization since 1960. "At this point in agriculture, we're at a point of critical mass," he said. "We can't afford to lose any more land in the metropolitan area, or we'll lose our suppliers and our agricultural infrastructure. We're at the point of no return here."

Stone said Metro and the county governments deserve credit for bringing a difficult process to this crucial point. "But right now is the time for agriculture and natural resources to talk about what we want, what we need and how we keep agriculture viable for the next 40-50 years," he said.

Watch the video to see what Stone, Vanashe and others had to say.

Landscape design awards program accepting entries

The Association of Professional Landscape Designers is now taking entries for the 2010 International Landscape Design Awards, which will recognize excellence in the field of professional landscape design. There are six categories: residential design, non-residential design, small gardens, planting design, specialty projects and show gardens. Entries are judged on project impact, overall design, technical merit, sustainability and planting design.Awards will be presented at an award banquet to be held in September during the 2010 APLD International Landscape Design Conference in Dallas, Texas. Entries are due no later than Feb. 1, 2010. For details and submission guidelines, browse www.apld.org or download the brochure(PDF).

Agriculture speaks on urban reserves process

The Metro regional government, which guides growth for Portland, Ore. and its suburbs, last month released its latest "Core 4" draft map of proposed rural and urban reserves. The map shows where urban-style development would be allowed, and where it would be off limits, for the next 50 years. Many in agriculture have been critical of the plan for not preserving enough farmland. Conservation groups have agreed, and this morning, a coalition of ag and conservation groups (including the Oregon Association of Nurseries) announced the release of an alternative to the "Core 4" map (PDF):

“Farmers and conservation groups have often disagreed in the past,” said Washington County Farm Bureau President Dave Vanasche, “but on this issue we strongly agree: urban sprawl destroys valuable farmland, streams, and wildlife habitat. Our proposal achieves a balance of protection for agriculture and natural resources while providing for common sense future growth in the region.”

Jeff Stone, director of government relations for the OAN, noted that agriculture in the tri-county area (Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas) around Portland are very valuable to Oregon's economy, and were responsible for more than $745 million in sales in 2008. “Protection of agricultural land is vital to a strong economy, keeping and creating local jobs," Stone said. Read the complete press release or coverage via the Capital Press (Salem, Ore.).

The coalition's proposal comes as Metro kicks off a series of meetings (Jan. 11 through Jan. 21) at various locations (Hillsboro, Gresham, Wilsonville, Sherwood, Portland) to gather input on rural and urban reserves. View the schedule here. The deadline for all input is Friday, Jan. 22, 2010.

UPDATE: Coverage also from the Portland Tribune.

Rogerson Clematis Collection attains National Collection status

Congratulations are definitely in order for the Oregon-based Rogerson Clematis Collection, which was recently awarded National Collection status. It's quite an honor:

The Rogerson Clematis Collection, the most comprehensive gathering of the genus clematis in the United States, has recently been granted National Collection status by the North American Plant Collections Consortium. Located at Luscher Farm in Lake Oswego, Ore., the Rogerson Collection has amassed over 650 species and cultivars of clematis, including a recent gift from Poland of rare and previously unavailable cultivars from the late clematis breeder Brother Stefan Franczak. The North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC) is a network of botanical gardens and arboreta working to coordinate a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation, promoting education and high standards of plant collections management. The NAPCC is administered by the American Public Garden Association.

Read more at the collection's Web site. We'll be carrying an article by Mike Darcy with even more information about this in the Febraury issue of Digger, out later this month.

State of Perfection Clip 2: Sester Farms

The new "State of Perfection" issue of Digger is now out. Featured are six nurseries that are representative of the state's climate, passion, diversity, insight, service and quality. We shot videos at each nursery in which the growers talked about a favorite offering. Here's Clip No. 2, featuring Tim Sester, sales manager of Sester Farms in Gresham, Ore., talking about the Sester Dwarf spruce. We'll add another video every Friday until all six are available for viewing. Keep checking back!

'Grower to Garden Center: An Industry Seminar' set for Jan. 20

"Grower to Garden Center: An Industry Seminar," will be presented all day on Jan. 20 by the Greenhouse and Retail chapters of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. The proceedings will take place from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (with a social hour afterwards) at Bauman Farms, 29898 Howell Prairie Road, Gervais, Ore. Topics will include grower and retailer marketing, beneficial insects, social media marketing, Phytophthora ramorum, and more. You can even get two pesticide credits by attending the sessions on beneficials and P. ramorum. Things will wrap up with a panel discussion of industry leaders. Speakers will include Kelly Feller of Armchair Marketing, Ed Hume of Ed Hume Seeds and TV/radio fame, John Maurer of Evergreen Growers Supply, plant pathologist Dr. Jennifer Parke of Oregon State University, Judy Sharpton of Growing Places Marketing, and Brian Spencer of Applied Bionomics. Lunch will be provided. The cost will be $40 per person in advance or three from the same company for $100. Cost at the door will be higher, at $50 per person and no meal guaranteed. The student rate is $30 per person with valid student ID. The deadline for pre-registration is Friday, Jan. 15. Register online at www.oan.org, or download the flier (PDF) and mail in the form. For details, call Jason Padden, 503-729-0655.

Owner of Don Schmidt Nursery passses away

We are saddened to report that longtime Oregon grower Jim Schmidt, owner of Don Schmidt Nursery, passed away last Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, of a heart attack, just weeks short of his 64th birthday.

Jim was among the world's foremost growers and collectors of Japanese maples. His nursery in Boring, Ore., was featured (PDF) in the January 2009 State of Perfection issue of Digger magazine. He purchased the nursery from his parents, Don and Helen Schmidt, in 1974. Over time, he amassed a collection of more than 350 Japanese maple cultivars – probably a lot more. He stopped counting after he reached that number. “I started out with just a few, and then I started collecting them, and then they started collecting me,” Jim said last year.

More recently, Jim was featured as a source for an article on Japanese maples (PDF) that appeared in the July 2009 issue of Digger. In addition to the maples, Jim grew several varieties of flowering cherry and dogwood, including the Heart Throb dogwood, which he patented.

Jim served as president of OAN’s Mt. Hood Chapter. His family connections to the nursery business ran deep. He was the nephew of the late J. Frank Schmidt, founder of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Nursery in Boring, Ore.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 7 at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, 520 W. Powell Blvd., Gresham, Ore. (directions). A reception will follow at Wink’s Restaurant, 3240 S. Troutdale Road, Troutdale, Ore. (directions). For a more detailed obituary, see the Bateman Carroll Web site. Another obituary appears on the Gresham Outlook Web site (scroll down).

In a State of Perfection Video from last year, you can see Jim talking about one of his favorite Japanese maples: Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku'.

Urban forestry conference is accepting speaker proposals

The committee that is planning the 2010 Oregon Urban and Community Forestry Conference is inviting potential speakers to submit a presentation proposal for possible inclusion in the conference program. The conference will be presented June 2-3, 2010 by the Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon Community Trees, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. On Wednesday, June 2, conferees will meet at J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. in Boring, Ore., for a field day. On Thursday, June 3, they’ll reconvene at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Ore., for an indoor educational session. This year’s conference theme will be, “From Seed to City: The Journey of an Urban Tree.” The focus will be on nursery production, species selection and planting of landscape trees in cities. Between 75-125 urban forestry professionals and advocates are expected to attend. For details, contact Paul Ries at paul.ries@state.or.us.

California closing its only reforestation nursery

California's state budget crisis has claimed another victim: the state's only publicly-owned reforestation nursery. It will be closed due to budget shortfalls. (Via Capital Press (Salem, Ore.).)

State of Perfection Clip 1: Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas

Next week, Digger will publish its annual "State of Perfection" issue, which profiles six Oregon nurseries that are representative of the state's climate, passion, diversity, insight, service and quality. Here is a sneak preview of the issue: a video clip featuring Rick Fessler of Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas. Enjoy!

Recent cold snap claims borderline hardy plants

Kym Pokorny, gardening blogger for The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) talks about what in her garden survived the recent cold snap, and what didn't.

Alaskan officials concerned about Christmas tree frogs

There have been several news reports the last few days about Pacific chorus frogs hitchhiking from Washington state to Alaska, including this AP dispatch. Officials in the Land of the Midnight Sun are worried that the frogs, not native to Alaska, could spread disease to native frogs. Reports indicate the offending trees (just two so far) are from Washington state. Some are blaming the fact that Alaska doesn't require that imported Christmas trees be shaken, either before shipment or after arrival. Alaskans who find the frogs are being encouraged to euthanize them, either with a dab of Orajel to the forehead, or by sticking them in a jar and placing them outside.