Introducing OMAFA’s New Acting Floriculture Production Specialist

*Kyle Hendricks, the new Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist at OMAFA.*

Some of you may be aware that Kathryn Russell, OMAFA’s Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist, is on leave. She’s working on a little propagation project of her own 😉

Please join me in welcoming Kyle Hendricks as the Acting Greenhouse Floriculture Specialist for the next 12 months, starting October 5th. He’ll be moderating at CGC this year (on his 3rd day on the job!). If you see him running around the conference centre, make sure to say hi and make him feel welcome.

Kyle will be handling all things related to ornamental production, including nutrients, lighting, substrates, and the greater greenhouse environment. He will also be contributing to policy and programming behind the scenes.

Read on for more information about Kyle’s experience and how to get in touch with him.

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IPM in Mandevilla: Part 3 – Reducing Costs in Early Production.

Over the past few months, I’ve posted a series on IPM in Mandevilla – now one of our more challenging crops, thanks to Thrips parvispinus!

This week I’ll be going over strategies we’ve used at a few farms to decrease costs of IPM in Mandevilla NOW, in early production, which can creep up under weekly spray programs. I’ll also be incorporating some case studies from growers, to better illustrate what’s working in the real world.

I’ve included an updated chart for IPM of Mandevilla pests in this post that is a bit cleaner. Lastly, stay tuned for Part 4, which will cover how to save money in late production.

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Rose Export Rules to the U.S. – CORRECTION

In a post that went up on Tues this week, I erroneously stated that an Additional Declaration was required for roses being exported to the U.S. from Canada. Please note that you do NOT need an A.D. under the GCP program for roses. It is up to each country to determine if RS R3bv2 is present.

Additionally, a specific pest module for RS R3bv2 is NOT required under the Greenhouse Certification Program (GCP), as roses are asymptomatic for this disease. You can read the UDSDA-APHIS and CFIA notification surrounding this issue here.

Read on for the full blog post about RS R3bv2 and the new export regulations that came into effect in May 2026.

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Growing Roses? Export Rules to the U.S. Have Changed – September 2026 UPDATE

In the efforts to prevent a quarantinable strain of Ralstonia from entering the United States, USDA-APHIS has changed importation rules for rose material for planting. This includes rose material coming from Canada. Under the new federal order, roses (Rosa spp.) grown in Canada must now have been grown entirely within Canada or the U.S.. This includes root stock and graft material.

This is to reduce a potential pathway for Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 biovar 2 (Rs R3bv2) into the U.S., which can devastate solanaceous crops such as potato and tomato, as well as geraniums.

Note that as of September 16th 2026, UDSDA-APHIS and CFIA have released a notification that a specific pest module for RS R3bv2 is NOT required under the Greenhouse Certification Program (GCP), as roses are asymptomatic for this disease. Similarly, an Additional Declaration (AD) is NOT required by facilities under the GCP program. It is up to each country to determine if RS R3bv2 is present.

Read on for more details about RS R3bv2 and the new export regulations that came into effect in May 2026.

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Going to the Canadian Greenhouse Conference in October? Check out the “Mite Murder Mystery” Workshop Wednesday Afternoon!

What is it?

Not sure what pest mites you have in your greenhouse, or which of your predators are establishing? Join us for the Mite Murder Mystery to help you identify the victim and the perpetrator!

You’ll learn different sampling methods for mites and how to identify important mites in Canadian greenhouses using a simple illustrated key. We’ll also cover strategies for managing mite pests.

Read on for more details, including how to register!

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Interested in New Greenhouse Tech? Or Interested in Learning What Growers Need? Then Check out the Greenhouse Critical Tech Forum in Vineland Sept. 10th!

The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre , in collaboration with industry and government groups, is hosting an event geared specifically for greenhouses looking for innovative technology.

This year’s forum will bring together leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from across the horticulture sector to explore how commercial greenhouses are strengthening Canada’s horticultural industry and shaping its future through cutting-edge technologies.

There is no cost to attend and lunch is provided! Read on for the details and how to register.

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Thrips parvispinus: Know Thy Enemy‘s Behaviour

This post written by Jessie deHaan (M.Sc.), Research Technician in the Biocontrol Lab at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

Recent collaborative research from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agri-Business (OMAFA), Agriculture & Agri Food Canada (AAFC), and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) has helped reveal some key components of Thrips parvispinus ecology and behaviour.

This has helped us to develop monitoring approaches for this pest in greenhouse floriculture, and is helping to point us towards optimized control strategies.

This research was covered in a recent webinar hosted by Flowers Canada Growers (linked to in the post below). But if you’d rather read than watch, this post summarizes our findings!

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Excellence in Ag Awards – Nominate Someone You Know!

Do you know someone making an impact in Ontario’s agri-food sector? Nominations are now open for the 2026 Excellence in Agriculture Awards! These awards recognize the individuals and organizations that are driving excellence, sustainability and long-term competitiveness in Ontario’s $53 billion agri-food industry.

Ontario’s agriculture and food industry is full of exceptional people, businesses and organizations driving innovation, sustainability and leadership. With 10 award categories including Youth, Women’s Farming Excellence, and Family Farm Excellence, there are many opportunities to recognize yourself, your organization, or someone you know.

If you know someone making a difference, or if that someone is you, nominate them today!

Applicants and nominees must demonstrate how they have met at least 1 of the priority agriculture excellence outcomes:

strengthening Ontario’s agriculture and food supply chain;
attracting, growing and retaining Ontario’s agriculture and food workforce;
enhancing food safety, traceability and/or stewardship practices in the Ontario agriculture and food sector;
increasing or maintaining access to high-quality, local and nutritious food;
supporting agriculture and food market development and trade (intra-provincial and international trade);
increasing public engagement and support for agriculture, local food and knowledge of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector; or
building leadership capacity and increased involvement of women and youth in the agriculture and food sector.

More details can be found at ontario.ca/excellenceinagriculture. Submit the application to excellenceinagriculture@ontario.ca by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 4, 2026

July, 2026 DLI Report

Figure 1. Picture by Julie Jocsak (St. Catharines Standard)

Welcome to the Vineland DLI report for July 2026. What a month it has been with lingering smoke from wildfires up in Northern Ontario and hurricane’s worth of rain in the Niagara region! How will these weather events effect the DLI levels from this past month? Read on to find out more!

In July 2026, Vineland received 4% more than in June 2026.

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Upcoming Greenhouse Biosecurity Courses in Aug., Sept. and Oct.!

Want to brush up on your biosecurity awareness, so you can help PREVENT pests from entering your greenhouse BEFORE they become a problem?

Need a certificate to demonstrate you’re building your IPM learning for career advancement?

Then these FREE courses from the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) might be for you. Read on for more details.

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