A Grower’s Guide to On-Farm Trials

*An on-farm trial comparing different brands, types and colours of sticky traps done by OMAFA.*

This is a guest post written by Jessie deHaan (M.Sc.; Research Technician, Biological Crop Protection at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre).

Now that it’s halfway through spring bedding plant season, you may be considering changing some of your current IPM or production practices for next year that just aren’t working as well as they could. Conducting on-farm trials is an easy way to evaluate how well a new product, process or technology will work in your operation.

Before making any large-scale changes, it is important to test things on a small scale first. Read on to learn how you would go implementing a small on-farm trial to get you results that are meaningful.

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Upcoming Greenhouse, Nursery & Floriculture Biosecurity Workshop in March

OSCIA is offering a free two-part webinar will explore practical steps growers can take to strengthen biosecurity in greenhouse and plant production operations.

A technical expert will highlight key practices that help reduce risk and protect plant health.

Participants will also learn about potential cost-share opportunities and will receive a Greenhouse Biosecurity workbook to help develop a biosecurity plan.

Workshop details

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 – 7:00 to 9:00 PM
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 – 7:00 to 9:00 PM

Participation in both sessions is required.

Growers can register here:
https://workshops.osciaportal.org/workshop/registration/48?workshopEventId=2225

To help with planning, we encourage participants to register by March 17.

Questions can be directed to Jenn Nash, East Central Region Field Representative. You can reach her at 705-991-3909 or jnash@ontariosoilcrop.org

Controlling Parvispinus, Oleander Aphid and Spider Mites in Mandevilla: Part 2 – Spider Mite Resistance Management.

Last week, I posted an updated IPM plan for Mandevilla that balances Thrips parvispinus (“Parvi”) control while taking into consideration other pests, as well as costs. The last post covered propagation in detail, including biocontrols and chemicals.

This week I’ll be going over the best way to balance control of Thrips parvispinus (“Parvi”) and two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) in production. I’ll provide a working Parvi spray program that gives you high-quality plants by sale, but also makes sure spider mites don’t walk away with your crop (or your wallet!).

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How To Manage Parvispinus, Oleander Aphid and Spider Mites Effectively in Mandevilla: Part 1 – Propagation.

When Thrips parvispinus first came on the scene in Ontario, our one goal was to knock back this pest any way we could. Four years later, we are suffering the effects of an all-chemical program. This includes high costs, along with insecticide resistance developing in two-spotted spider mite, which used to be managed biologically before Parvipsinus came along.

Based on OMAFA’s work with commercial farms, along with input from technical reps from biocontrol companies, we’ve come up with a more refined IPM program for Mandevilla that balances Parvispinus control while taking into consideration other pests, as well as costs.

I’ll be going over this program in detail over a 3 part series, so buckle up!

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Join our LAST Thrips Identification Workshop on March 4th in SIMCOE!

As control measures differ depending on the thrips species you’re dealing with, the very FIRST step in learning how to manage thrips effectively is proper species identification.

If you’re interested in having someone in your greenhouse operation learn how to do this (so you don’t have to rely on technical reps or government specialists), then keep reading!

This will be our LAST in-person workshop, so make sure to take advantage of this free learning opportunity!

Read on for more details and how to register.

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REMINDER: GrowON Webinar Feb 11th at Noon: Managing Mealybugs

A reminder that on Wednesday, February 11th, GrowON will host Dr. Raymond Cloyd of Kansas State University, for an hour-long exploration of mealybugs and their management.

To attend, click on the registration link in the webinar poster or at the end of the post.

Webinar Description

Who: Dr. Raymond Cloyd, Professor, Kansas State University

What: Mealybugs are a challenge to manage in greenhouse production systems. In this webinar, Dr. Raymond Cloyd (Kansas State University) will discuss the biology, behavior, and feeding damage affiliated with mealybugs. He will then address plant protection/pest management strategies, including cultural, physical, insecticidal, and biological that greenhouse producers can implement to keep mealybug populations below plant damaging levels.

When: Wednesday, February 11th, 12-1pm EST (11-12 CST)

Where: on Zoom. (The recording will also be made available on the ONFloriculture blog at a later date). Please register for this FREE webinar using this link.

More Info: Questions regarding the webinar can be directed to sarah.jandricic@ontario.ca.

Upcoming GrowON Webinar Feb 11th: Managing Mealybugs

Mealybugs, which have long plagued tropical plants, are now appearing in a wider variety of crops, from chrysanthemums to poinsettia. On Wednesday, February 11th, please join Dr. Raymond Cloyd of Kansas State University, for an hour-long exploration of mealybugs and their management.

To attend, please continue reading and click on the registration link in the webinar poster or at the end of the post.

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Information on Health Canada’s Pesticide Compliance Program: What You Need to Know

Heath Canada’s Pesticide Compliance Program (PCP) is responsible for promoting safe use of chemicals, as well as monitoring and enforcement, to make sure registered fungicides, insecticides and other agricultural chemicals are used according with their legal label.

As several greenhouses (both vegetable and ornamental) have undergone random inspections in 2025, it’s good to be aware of this federal program, and what an inspection could look like.

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Not Familiar with AFE’s Grow Pro Webinar Series? You Really Should Be!

While chatting with various growers and IPM technical reps this year, I realized some in Ontario aren’t familiar with the American Floral Endowment’s (AFE) Grow Pro Webinar Series. This is an excellent series that shares floriculture research funded by AFE, as well as other topics.

Previous webinars have focused on things like thrips and botrytis control, biostimulants, growing in reduced-peat substrates, and more.

A webinar I’ll recommend for January is one on oomycete pathogens, like Pythium and Phytophthora:

Ruh Roh, Root Rot! Managing Oomycete Pathogens in Floriculture Production

Speaker: Dr. Johanna Del Castillo, UC Davis
Tuesday, January 20th at 1PM EST
Oomycete pathogens remain a persistent threat in floriculture production, causing significant losses when conditions tip in their favor. In this webinar, Dr. Del Castillo will dive into the biology of Pythium and Phytophthora, how to diagnose root rot issues, and the most effective management approaches. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to improve root-zone health and reduce disease pressure in their operations. When you’re thinking “ruh roh,” it’s already too late—join us to get ahead of root rot and outsmart oomycete pathogens.

You can find out more about previous webinar recordings, upcoming webinars and registration (it’s free!) using this link: https://endowment.org/growpro

REMINDER: GrowON Webinar TOMORROW on Nematode Application and Efficacy!

On Wednesday, December 17th, please join Greg Bryant , Technical Lead at Beneficial Insectary, for an hour-long exploration of what nematodes can do, if you treat them right.

To attend, please continue reading and click on the registration link in the webinar poster or at the end of the post.

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