Christmas in July? Not quite, but poinsettias are making their way into greenhouses across Ontario, and they always arrive at the hottest time of the year. Nutritional issues, environmental stress and PGR mistakes can all be costly in this high-value crop. Read on for production tips and how to manage this seasonal favourite in the greenhouse.
Continue reading “2025 Poinsettia Refresher: Practical Tips for a Tough Crop”Don’t miss the opportunity to apply for 1:1 cost-share funding up to $100k through the Critical Industrial Technologies Initiative (CIT)! The application deadline is May 30th, 2025.
This program is geared towards small and medium-sized Ontario-based companies developing a solution or product that incorporates at least one of these six critical technologies: 5G & advanced networks, AI, Blockchain, Robotics, Cybersecurity or Quantum.
Some examples of greenhouse-specific projects that would fall under this program: robotics for planting or harvesting, AI for sorting on a production line, or 5G connected sensor systems for greenhouse monitoring.
Continue reading “Are you developing a Product for the Agri-food Industry that uses Innovative Tech? Learn more about the CIT Cost-Share Initiative!”In case you missed the recent GrowON presentation on July 22nd, by Dr. Youbin Zheng (University of Guelph) we’ve now uploaded to YouTube!
Continue reading “In Case you Missed it, GrowON Presents: How to use Light Spectral Combinations to Steer Plants”
Join Save On Energy, offered through the Independent Electricity System Operator (ISEO), for an upcoming webinar exploring the safety of battery energy storage systems on May 14th 2024 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. Keep reading to learn how to register.
Continue reading “Save On Energy Webinar: Battery Energy Storage System Safety for Greenhouses”ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON ONGREENHOUSEVEGETABLES.CA on by Fadi Al-Daoud
Learn how light abatement curtains can be used and their effect on the greenhouse environment.
Click the image below to access the article on Ontario.ca.
The winter months can always be a challenge for floriculture producers. But have you found this winter to be unpredictably dark? Has this affected your crop?
Read on to see if this year is unusual, or part of a trend, and how this may influence your production decisions (and energy costs) in years to come.
Continue reading “A Dark Start to 2023”Spring is almost here…we hope! We’re reposting this article on poor air quality damage on spring bedding crops as we’ve seen some damage again this year. Symptoms, solutions and preventative measures are listed below. If you think you have a problem, please contact a licensed contractor to inspect your heating system.
Natural gas and propane are popular choices when it comes to heating a greenhouse. The products of burning fuel are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H20); both compounds we know are good for your plants. However, combustion is often (if not always) incomplete, and impurities such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ethylene (C2H4) are also released leading to poor air quality if your heater is not properly vented.
Typically symptoms from ethylene damage and sulfur dioxide damage can been seen fairly quickly after exposure.
In the short term (a few hours to a few days), ethylene damage results in leaf curling, epinasty (leaves bending downwards from the petiole) and flower drop. If the stress continues over a longer period (several days to a week or more), plants can take a long time to flower, or not flower at all. Ethylene levels as low as 0.01 parts per million (ppm) can create symptoms in sensitive species. Levels are usually highest near the heater and can be diluted by air circulation.
Continue reading “Improperly ventilated heaters & ethylene damage”
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.
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.
Oedema, that physiological disorder that appears during periods of low light and high humidity. There’s been quite a bit of it reported in Ontario greenhouses this spring, and unfortunately it’s related to the long rainy (or snowy!) spring we’ve been having. If you’ve noticed salt-like crystals, odd tumour-like growths or water-soaked spots on either side of your plant leaves this disorder might be the culprit.
The disorder affects a wide variety of greenhouse ornamentals. It’s usually noticed in spring crops like sweet potato vine (ipomea), geranium, begonia and/or petunia. Continue reading “Oh dear! It’s Oedema.”