In case you missed it, earlier this week we talked about nutrient management and growth regulation/tracking for garden mums.
This post will focus on which pests most often affect garden mums in Ontario, and preventative actions you may want to take. Keep reading to learn more.
It’s that time of year again, when Million Bells (Calibrachoa) are being started in the greenhouse.
This post will discuss common insect and disease pests, such as aphids, thrips and black root rot and viruses.
Stay tuned for an upcoming post about production tips and tricks for this popular spring favourite.
Continue reading “Managing Million Bells: 2025 Updates”
For those of you relying on chemical control for aphids in spring crops, some of you might have observed that Beleaf (Aria in the U.S.) has not been working as well recently, especially in green peach aphid (Myzus persicae).
This post will fill you in on what we know about potential resistance to flonicamid in aphids, and which chemicals are working.
Continue reading “Is Beleaf Still Working for Aphid Control? What We Know So Far and Alternative Chemicals for Spring 2025.”This post was contributed to by Abigail Wiesner, Drs. Sarah Jandricic, and Chevonne Dayboll.
As we feel temperatures rising, summer is on its way – and so are garden mums! This post has updated information to help you optimize your irrigation, fertilizer, pest management programs and more in garden mum production.
Continue reading “Garden Mums 2024 – Tips, Tricks, and Production Bits”This guest post was written by Ashley Paling, a research technician at the Horticulture & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) and part-time instructor at Niagara college.
Using biological controls to control aphids as part of an IPM strategy is a popular choice among growers (Jacob, 2023). Aphid parasitoids can, of course, be purchased weekly from suppliers. However this is an expensive option that leaves you at the mercy of waiting for weekly deliveries to control your greenhouse pests.
Enter the Banker Plant System: a relatively inexpensive option that provides you with a constant supply of beneficial biological controls. This article covers the ins and outs of how to use a banker plant system properly, and what you need to consider if you are going to set up a banker plant program in your greenhouse.
Continue reading “Saving “Bank” with Banker Plants”This post was jointly written by Dr. Chevonne Dayboll and Dr. Sarah Jandricic
It’s hard to believe, but as the first snow hits the ground here in Niagara, that means its time to think about spring crops again!
This post gathers some of the most important things to plan and prep for in the greenhouse, including ordering inputs, preventative maintenance, and your pest management and PGR plans!
Think of this post as your “to-do” check list for the month of December, as the time to plan all this is NOW, before your spring production begins.
We’ve also linked to some helpful videos we’ve recorded from our GrowON webinar series that are relevant to spring crops. They’re worth a re-watch – or a first watch – if you haven’t seen them before!
Continue reading “Looking Ahead to 2023: Preparing for Spring Crops”This post was jointly written by Dr. Chevonne Dayboll and Dr. Sarah Jandricic
It’s time to think about spring again! This post gathers some of the most important things to plan and prep for in the greenhouse before your spring production begins in earnest.
1. Make sure your inputs are ordered
We can’t emphasize this one enough. COVID-19 and container boat issues are still causing shipping delays that are affecting many industries including greenhouses. Make sure you order potting mixes, plastic trays and pots, fertilizers, and production inputs well ahead of when you will need them. If you are planning on doing greenhouse upgrades in between seasons make sure you confirm delivery and installation timelines with your contractors. Many of them are facing delays too!
2. Now is the time for preventative maintenance
Now is a great time to schedule preventive maintenance for your boiler, irrigation and shading systems. Make sure that all motors and alarms are working before you need to rely on them. No one wants to find out that their temperature alarm failed on a cold February morning! Ensure you are getting the pressure you expect all along your irrigation system. If you rely on propane heaters for early spring production make sure they are venting properly. Damage from improper venting can present as stunted growth or leaf burn.
Take some time to inspect the greenhouse for wear-and-tear. Repair cracked poly and broken glass to keep heat from escaping. Make sure old torn energy curtains are replaced. A heat sensitive camera can help to identify areas of energy loss and help you plan for energy efficient upgrades in the future.
Continue reading “Time to Prepare for Spring 2022”
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.
Continue reading “NEW: Free Online IPM Training for Greenhouse Staff”
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.
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:
Continue reading “Garden Mums – 2021 Production and Protection Tips”
With the holiday season almost upon us, it’s time to turn our attention to Spring bedding crops. Although here for a brief window, the diversity of these crops means you’re bound to encounter some sort of disease and insect problems.
One way you can head off issues is to plan and prepare now. This post from January 2020 has important tips on sanitation for common spring crop diseases, dips and early sprays to prevent key pests, as well as tips on where to spend your biocontrol dollars.
Continue reading “Preventing Issues in Your Spring Crops: Sanitation, Dips and Bio Tips.”
