This guest post was written by Jessie deHaan, Research Technician at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland).
Four chrysanthemum varieties growing side by side at 75ppm (left side of benches) and 250ppm of N (right side of benches) of N in a Vineland trial.
Economical and high quality plant production has always been a balancing act between fertilizer, light, irrigation and other input costs.
Unfortunately, supply chain issues caused by the pandemic slow-down, and exacerbated by the subsequent war in Ukraine, have negatively affected the global supply of fertilizer and plant nutrients. These supply issues are leading to rising fertilizer prices for growers.
As input costs rise, how can growers respond and save money, while still producing first-rate products?
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!
If you missed our presentation by Dr. Neil Mattson (Cornell University) on November 18th, fear not! There’s a few ways to still watch his presentation!
You can either register for the original webinar here, which will then give you access to the recording on Zoom.
Or, you can check out the recording on our ONFloriculture YouTube Channel! An added bonus? By subscribing to the channel, you’ll always be notified when we post new videos. A direct link to Dr. Mattson’s talk can be foundhere.
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
Heat loss from an older (left) and newer, more efficient boiler (right). (Photo credit: OMAFRA)
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.
Remember to tune in for our webinar with Dr. Neil Mattson this Thursday, November 18th, at noon. This webinar will be of interest to any spring bedding plant producers planning for the 2022 season!
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!
The next application intake for cost-share funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) will be November 15 to December 6, 2021. This is good timing if you are looking to implement improvements in your greenhouse for the 2022 season.
Adopting innovative automation to improve labour productivity is an eligible project area. (Image of an automatic cutting transplanter; AutoStix)
Here at OMAFRA, we’re always happy to promote work done by our colleagues in floriculture extension, including Michigan State University Extension!
The Fall edition of their popular Bug Bites! Webinar Series features talks on onion thrips and thrips identification (by yours truly), as well as talks on nematode application, biopesticide interactions with beneficals, and supplemental nutrition for bios! It’s jam packed! Keep reading for all the details.
This post was contributed to by Drs. Sarah Jandricic and Chevonne Dayboll.
Summer is in full swing, and so too are garden mums. As you get ready for the next few months, here are a few tips to keep your crop on track.
Drip line irrigation can be a more efficient way of delivering water and nutrients to outdoor crops.
Irrigation method matters!
There are plenty of options for irrigation in potted outdoor crops, but not all are created equal if you are trying to maximize your water efficiency. Overhead irrigation by boom, or sprinkler is not efficient if your pots are not spaced tightly. Canopy sizes in the later months of production may make this impossible, especially if you choose to go with final spacing when pots first move outside. These methods of irrigation can also lead to pots that are too dry (not watered) or too wet (over watered). Plants can only use water that makes it into the pot, so low volume drip line or tape is a more effective way to delivering usable water to your outdoor crops.
Our floriculture research friends over at