August 19, 2016
CapitalPress.com
5
Fessler Nursery branches out
For the Capital Press
The modest azalea nursery
Ken and Marie Fessler start-
ed on their Woodburn, Ore.,
farm in 1960 has grown to
over 500,000 square feet of
greenhouse space with 35-45
employees.
Though the azaleas upon
which Fessler Nursery was
founded will be cut from pro-
duction this year, lush fuchsia
plants and baskets are still a
mainstay at the second-gener-
ation business. Some 20,000
fuchsia baskets leave the gates
each year.
Ken and Marie’s sons Dale
and Marvin run the nursery;
sister Debbie Farrell heads
propagation and Katy Fessler
manages seasonal retail and
special projects.
Though “retired,” Ken is
there nearly every day plant-
ing, pruning or irrigating.
The linchpin of the nurs-
ery’s staying power is its di-
versiication and mastery of
four distinct markets — hang-
ing baskets, bedding plants,
houseplants and propagation.
In addition to their own veg-
etative cuttings, the nursery re-
ceives up to 100,000 cuttings
in a day from Selecta One, a
subsidiary of Ball Horticultur-
al Co. and a leader in breeding,
producing and marketing veg-
etatively propagated ornamen-
tal plants. The cuttings come
from all over the world.
“We stick over 3 mil-
lion cuttings,” Katy Fessler
said. “It’s hard to say how
many plants and baskets we
sell; Marv estimates around
700,000 4-inch pots and about
80,000 baskets a year.”
The nursery has also be-
come a wide area’s go-to for
plant sale fund-raisers, wheth-
er Mother’s Day hanging bas-
kets or Christmas poinsettias.
Last year the nursery add-
ed a new section of green-
houses dedicated to the spring
fund-raiser baskets.
Poinsettias join the vast
array of tropical plants the
Fesslers propagate and grow
in more than 30 greenhouses.
The houseplants are shipped
all over the Western United
States.
April through June Fessler
Nursery opens its doors to the
public, generating a brisk retail
trade that includes a crush for
Mother’s Day hanging baskets.
“Since we are the grower
and reseller, we can charge less
and sell in mass quantities,”
Katy Fessler said. “It’s a Cost-
co model: low margin, high
quality, low price, self-service
for the most part and a high
volume of product. Where else
can you go and ind 10 full beds
of geraniums?”
Retail season ended June 30
and with the premises clear staff
is redoubling its improvement
efforts, starting with replacing
old greenhouse siding and roof-
ing with more energy-eficient
materials.
The nursery is also continu-
ing its ive-year exploration
into the use of beneicial soil
microbes and predatory insects
toward cleaner and more spe-
ciic pest control.
“Our baskets are on drip
and fertilizer injectors,” Katy
Fessler said. “A new lat-iller
sticking line improved eficien-
cy in our cutting division and a
programmable watering boom
lets us custom water our cutting
beds.
“Though managing labor,
keeping up and putting up with
government-mandated regu-
lations and inding the fami-
ly-work balance is a continual
challenge, we love being able
to provide a product people re-
ally enjoy,” Katy Fessler said.
“We also like being able to
stay close to home — there’s no
commute.”
Brenna Wiegand/For the Capital Press
Debbie Wiesner of Silverton, Ore., gathers lowers for a summer
landscape. The lowers are among 700,000 4-inch annual plants
Fessler Nursery produces per year.
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