savage garden

Flowers Canada Growers (FCG) has recently been hosting a webinar series on Thrips parvispinus . This series goes over what we’ve uncovered about this pest here in Ontario during a joint project by the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agri-business (OMAFA) The first webinar covered the Start Clean approach for cuttings infested with Parvispinus (that recording will be made available shortly). The next webinar will be held on Thurs, July 16th , and will go over interesting behaviors and ecology we’ve learned about Parvi that could help us better manage this pest. Read on for more details. Flowers Canada Growers Webinar Series What: “Getting to Know Parvispinus To Better Manage This Pest” Biocontrol programs developed for western flower thrips do not appear to be effective against Thrips parvispinus . This webinar will examine what ...

This post was originally published on ONgreenhousevegetables.ca on  June 22, 2026   by  Averie Mastronardi The governments of Ontario and Canada are investing an additional $12 million through the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (ASI) to help farmers adopt practical improvements that increase efficiency, reduce costs and build long-term resilience. This initiative delivers on the government’s plan to protect Ontario’s farmers and agri-food sector by making strategic investments in cutting-edge solutions needed to support modern farming and help the sector remain resilient and competitive in the global marketplace. Read on for program details and key dates. Background Program Details Key Dates Background As part of the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative, the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (ASI), provides cost-share funding to support farmers to accelerate the adoption of best management practices (BMPs) supporting soil health, water q...

Yellow or blue – that is the question. Photo by A. Summerfield. Part 1 last week covered WHY to trap and WHEN to it’s best to put up your cards. This post goes over trap colour and placement to optimize thrips catches while reducing effects on natural enemies. Although I’ve talked about this in older posts, I’ve put this data in context of what we know now, in terms of the various thrips species that invade Niagara greenhouses . I’ll also be sharing some data on card duration . If that isn’t exciting enough for you, next week’s Part 3 will discuss whether or not using lures is worth it to increase thrips catches . Choosing the Right Trap Colour Western Flower Thrips – It’s Complicated Onion Thrips Know What They Want Will Mass Trapping Cards Trap My Bios? Optimal Trap Placement – What Kind of Greenhouse do You Have? How Long are Sticky Cards Sticky? Summary: Using Cards Effectively Choosing the Right...

Sometimes your thrips biocontrol program is working great. Other times, it seems to get completely overwhelmed.   Thrips can get out of control in Summer , when fall crop production is ramping up. This is where mass trapping can really help. This post will cover where thrips come from, which species we find on cards, and when the best time is to add mass trapping to your thrips IPM program. And stay tuned for Part 2, which will cover ways to optimize your mass trapping ! Where Do Thrips Come From? Outside Pressure = Inside Problems? Preventing Onion Thrips Infestations What About Western Flower Thrips? When to Start Trapping Take Home Messages Where Do Thrips Come From? Figure 1. Thrips numbers and species were monitored directly outside the greenhouse of both side- and top-venting facilities. Although we know that thrips come in on plant material, including cuttings and whole plants, this is only half of the story. (For more info on thrips on cuttin...

This post was originally published on the ongreenhousevegetables.ca blog on  May 21, 2026  by  Averie Mastronardi Energy management information systems (EMIS) can reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions, lower utility costs, improve operational performance, and strengthen decision‑making. Receive funding of up to $50,000 or $250,000, depending on your annual energy consumption, for the installation of an EMIS through Save On Energy’s  Expanded Energy Management program . The EMIS funding ends March 31, 2027, and incentive payments must be made by this date. To ensure your incentive is available, we recommend that organizations aim to complete approved projects by the end of 2026.  What Funding Can you Receive Through the EMIS Program? Facilities with an annual baseline energy consumption of less than or equal to 400,000 GJ (all fuels) are eligible to receive $50,000. Facilities with an annual baseline energy consumption of gr...