EF Nursery, nestled in a Pacific Northwest valley, is churning out trees that survive and thrive from the cold of Alaska to the heat of New Mexico, thanks in part to a combination of “ideal soils and weather,” owner Tom Epler said.
“We have the best growing area in the country. From our climate to our deep rich soils, there is no better area in the country for growing trees,” he said.
The nursery grows more than 100 varieties of shade and flowering trees, and conifers -- from ash to zelkova -- ranging from 1 3/4- to 10-inch or more in caliper. EF Nursery sells trees all over the U.S. and Canada, but its primary sales area is from the West Coast to the Midwest. EF Nursery sells to landscape contractors, landscape designers, developers and rewholealers.
The nursery has an enviable growing area of 450 contiguous acres. This setup helps with efficiency all over the nursery. Epler employs 25 full-time workers and brings in five seasonally.
Epler sees his job as “growing the future.” He enjoys knowing his trees are “making a difference in people’s lives, whether directly in their yards or indirectly in their parks and cities.”
Skilled pruning
EF Nursery conducts an intense pruning program. The nursery begins by planting a 6-foot, bare-root tree, which isn’t available for sale until it’s at least a 1 3/4-inch caliper.
“That gives us a few years to start a well-balanced head,” Epler said. “We feel by starting at planting time we can prune them back to allow a stronger development from the trunk outwards. Many companies wait until later to develop the head.”
Summer digging
EF Nursery has been summer digging trees since not long after the nursery’s inception.
“We started summer digging very simply because we were running out of time with our spring digging,” he said.
This is another area where Oregon’s summer climate is beneficial, he said. “We found that more trees could be dug and held under shade,” he said.
The biggest advantage to summer digging for Epler is keeping the holding area free and clear of varieties that may not move before fall.
“Being able to dig trees within one week gives us flexibility,” he said.
Nursery outlook
While Epler hasn’t had trouble finding a good labor force, he’d still like to see some relief for the industry.
“Labor is always a challenge for our industry. The government just needs to make up its mind and make decisions that are fair and equal for everyone,” he said.
Fortunately, most of Epler’s workers have been with the nursery at least five years, and a handful have been there since the beginning.
Epler has also seen a lot of growth in Oregon.
“Other people are recognizing what a beautiful area we have. People are moving in from all over and land prices are rising,” he said.
More growth will likely fuel water problems, and Epler is considering more efficient ways to irrigate.
“While water has never been a problem for us, we are seeing municipalities trying for a larger share of our reservoir water. In the future we are going to have to make hard decisions in watering.”
For more: EF Nursery Inc., (800) 574-5141; www.efnursery.com.
EF Nursery Inc.
Founded: In 1980 by Robert and Thomas Epler as EF Nursery. Robert retired in 2000 and Tom formed EF Nursery Inc.
Location:
Crops: Shade and flowering trees from 1 3/4- to 10-inch or more in caliper.
Production space: 450 acres.
Market:
Employees: 25 full time and 5 seasonal.
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- Kelli Rodda
June 2008