Upcoming Webinar – Staying Alive: Strategies to Improve Shelf Life of Spring Crops

It’s almost November, there’s a chill in the air, leaves on the ground and spring is right around the corner! We’re sure that many of you are planning for 2022, and the next webinar in our series should help with your spring preparations.

Dr. Neil Mattson joins us to share his tips for spring production based on his extensive research in ornamental plant production. Dr. Mattson is a familiar face to many in the floriculture sector, and we are looking forward to his insights. Check out the details below, and don’t forget to register!

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The Whitefly “Tipping Point”and Testing Pesticides in Poinsettia

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.

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Comparing Biocontrol to Pesticides for Bemisia Whitefly Control in Poinsettia

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T’is poinsettia sticking season once again, and the question always comes down to the same thing: do I use chemicals to control Bemisia whitefly and hope it works this year? Or do I switch to biological control? Here we show some head to head comparisons that can help you decide.

An in-depth discussion of this topic was also captured by MSU’s “Bug Bites” last year, and I’ve included the video below.

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Poinsettia Production Tips: 2021

Poinsettias on Cruise Control | Greenhouse Industry Roundtable of ... — *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, and for some great video resources on poinsettia production.

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Poinsettia Problems: Your Monthly Scouting Guide, 2021

JF14 — *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.

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NEW: Free Online IPM Training for Greenhouse Staff

Need a refresher on specific pests of floriculture, and what to do about them? Want to see how Canada – a world leader in biological control in ornamental crops – does things?

Then the following IPM training videos, made by specialists and consultants in Ontario, are for you!

Keep reading to learn how to access these videos, and the topics they cover.

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Garden Mums – 2021 Production and Protection Tips

This post was contributed to by Drs. Sarah Jandricic, Andrew C. Wylie and Chevonne Dayboll.

Summer is getting underway, 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 updated information to help you optimize your irrigation, fertilizer and pest management programs in garden mums.

New Resources for Mum Production

Hit your exact ship size on your ship date using Graphical Tracking

Track and even out the growth of your mums using a graphical tracking tool with a few easy steps:

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OMAFRA Controlled Environment Agriculture Series — Cannabis Potency and Horticultural Management Strategies

OMAFRA’s webinar series dedicated to optimizing production in environmentally controlled agroecosystems continues. This time, they’ll be addressing how horticulture practices impacts the quality of cannabis characteristics. Share with anyone you know might be interested!

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Can We Reduce Pest Pressure in Floriculture by Adjusting Plant Nutrition?

Subirrigation in a dutch tray of gerbera plants

Producing high-quality ornamentals while decreasing pesticide use requires finding creative ways to reduce pests across your whole production system.

Are you interested in learning more about the role fertilizers and biostimulants can play in plant health — both in terms of plant quality and pest levels?

This upcoming and FREE webinar provides and overview of a current project between the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, OMAFRA and industry partners on this unique topic.

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Diversifying your Greenhouse Crops with Hothouse Strawberries

Fresh, delicious, hothouse strawberries in the dead of winter…can’t you just taste them? We would ALL love to see more local strawberries in our grocery stores, wouldn’t we?

Perhaps you’ve thought about growing strawberries in your greenhouse. Or you’ve dabbled in production already. Maybe you are a well-seasoned strawberry grower but eager to stay connected and continue learning.

If any of these sounds like you, you’ll want to check out an upcoming course on hydroponic strawberry production by Hort Americas.

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