It’s that time of year again where you have to make a choice with your poinsettia. Do you stay the course with natural enemies, or abandon your bio program and spray for whitefly? And spray with WHAT?
This post has tips on how to test pesticides NOW, so that when it comes down to the wire, you’ll know what is – and isn’t – working.
Continue reading “Poinsettia Problems 2020: The “Tipping Point”and Testing Pesticides”
This post was written by Fadi Al-Daoud and Cara McCreary, greenhouse vegetable specialists with OMAFRA, and originally appeared on the ONgreenhousevegetables blog.
The quality of water and nutrient solution used in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) production systems, such as greenhouses and vertical farms, is one of the most important factors that affect plant health and yield. Growers monitor water and nutrient solution quality by sending samples for analysis to determine the levels of nutrients and salts. They also use sensors to monitor pH and electrical conductivity (EC) regularly to determine necessary adjustments for the nutrient solution. Growers may also analyze the microbiome, the genetic material of all the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in their water and nutrient solution, to evaluate levels of harmful pathogens, such as Pythium and Phytophthora species that cause root rot.
Continue reading “Nutrient Solution Analysis Projects for Greenhouses and Vertical Farms in Ontario (Flowers, Vegetables and Cannabis)”
Thrips got you down? Not sure what you can do to beef up your thrips-management program? Then this new webinar is for you!
Drs. Sarah Jandricic (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) and Rose Buitenhuis (Vineland Research and Innovation Centre) have combined their respective knowledge into a “systems approach” for thrips management.
Want to know what that means, and how it can work for you? Then keep reading!
Continue reading “In-Depth Webinar on Thrips Management: From Planning to Pesticides”
Do you want to play a key role in supporting the competitiveness of Ontario’s greenhouse floriculture sector? If so, consider a temporary job opportunity to work as OMAFRA’s Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist for up to 12 months while Chevonne goes on maternity leave.
In this role, you will:
For more details, please see the job ad. Applications are due on September 1st, 2020.
Poinsettia cuttings being rooted. Photo courtesy of Ohio State University.
Now that poinsettias are safely tucked into their prop trays and the threat of Erwinia (Pectobacterium) is almost over, it’s time to think about other Poinsettia issues.
Root rots, nutritional issues, environmental stress and PGR mistakes can all be costly in this high-value crop. Read on for common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
This post on poinsettia problems was contributed to by Drs. Chevonne Dayboll and Sarah Jandricic.
When poinsettias get problems, they always seem to hit hard and fast. Things like whitefly, Lewis mite, root rots, and nutritional issues can all quickly derail a quality crop. This is why scouting might be more important in this crop than any other.
Here’s a month by month guide on what you should be looking for to prevent small problems from becoming big issues.
Continue reading “Poinsettia Problems: Your Monthly Scouting Guide”
Dipping poinsettia cuttings to help lower Bemisia numbers was investigated and perfected by the Biocontrol Lab at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Ontario.
Although we’ve been talking for years here in Canada about dipping your poinsettia cuttings in low-risk pesticides, some growers have yet to take the plunge.
This preventive technique improves efficacy of BOTH biocontrol and pesticide programs for Bemisia, since it lowers your starting pest pressure.
If you’re still unsure of how or when to apply cutting dips, check out the rest of this post.
Continue reading “Dipping Poinsettia Cuttings to Reduce Whitefly 101: 2020 Edition”
On May 14, 2020 the ministry announced the launch of the Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program for Producers. However, many in the greenhouse sector had already made pro-active improvements to workplace safety in light of Covid-19.
If you fall into that category, the program is now accepting applications for changes made as far back as March 15 2020. Applications are being accepted until funding runs out.
The program has also been simplified to provide faster assistance by eliminating pre-approval. Growers can now submit eligible expenses up to the farm maximum ($7500). This now includes accommodation and/or transport costs related to outbreak prevention. More program details can be found below and on the OMAFRA website. Continue reading “Agri-Food Workplace Protection Program Accepting Applications for On-Farm Changes Made in March”
After reading the previous posts in this series, you’re now aware of WHICH pathogens can be spread through your irrigation water, WHERE they can accumulate, and WHY that’s important. We’re now moving on to posts covering WHAT you can do about it!
This post will walk you through how to sample water sources on your farm, and which tests you can run to determine if your water is helping – or hurting – your crop.
Continue reading “Is Your Water a Source of Plant Disease? How to Sample and Find Out.”
This post was contributed to by Drs. Sarah Jandricic and Chevonne Dayboll.
Summer is in full swing, and so too are garden mums! Although generally an easy crop, there several tweaks you can make to help save headaches AND money.
This post has information to help you optimize your irrigation, fertilizer and pest management programs in garden mums.
Continue reading “Garden Mums – 2020 Production and Protection Tips”