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IPM in Mandevilla: Part 3 – Reducing Costs in Early Production.

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Over the past few months, I’ve posted a series on IPM in Mandevilla – now one of our more challenging crops, thanks to Thrips parvispinus ! This week I’ll be going over strategies we’ve used at a few farms to decrease costs of IPM in Mandevilla NOW , in early production, which can creep up under weekly spray programs. I’ll also be incorporating some case studies from growers, to better illustrate what’s working in the real world. I’ve included an updated chart for IPM of Mandevilla pests in this post that is a bit cleaner. Lastly, stay tuned for Part 4, which will cover how to save money in late production. In This Post (or Novella?): Reducing Costs in Early Production A NEWER New Mandevilla IPM Chart Treating Propagative Material to Reduce Starting Populations Systemic Pesticides Early in the Crop Choose Chemicals that Target More Than One Pest Make Use of Cultural Controls Handling Susceptible Varieties: Clean up...
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Rose Export Rules to the U.S. – CORRECTION

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In a post that went up on Tues this week, I erroneously stated that an Additional Declaration was required for roses being exported to the U.S. from Canada. Please note that you do NOT need an A.D. under the GCP program for roses. It is up to each country to determine if RS R3bv2 is present. Additionally, a specific pest module for RS R3bv2 is NOT required under the Greenhouse Certification Program (GCP), as roses are asymptomatic for this disease. You can read the UDSDA-APHIS and CFIA notification surrounding this issue here. Read on for the full blog post about RS R3bv2 and the new export regulations that came into effect in May 2026. In the efforts to prevent a quarantinable strain of Ralstonia from entering the United States, USDA-APHIS has changed importation rules for rose material for planting. This includes rose material coming from Canada. Under the new federal order, roses (Rosa spp.) grown in Canada must now have been grown entirely within Canada or...
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Growing Roses? Export Rules to the U.S. Have Changed – September 2026 UPDATE

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In the efforts to prevent a quarantinable strain of Ralstonia from entering the United States, USDA-APHIS has changed importation rules for rose material for planting. This includes rose material coming from Canada. Under the new federal order, roses (Rosa spp.) grown in Canada must now have been grown entirely within Canada or the U.S. . This includes root stock and graft material. This is to reduce a potential pathway for Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 biovar 2 (Rs R3bv2) into the U.S., which can devastate solanaceous crops such as potato and tomato, as well as geraniums. Note that as of September 16th 2026, UDSDA-APHIS and CFIA have released a notification that a specific pest module for RS R3bv2 is NOT required under the Greenhouse Certification Program (GCP), as roses are asymptomatic for this disease. Only an Additional Declaration (AD) specifying the origin (Canada or U.S.) of the plant material is needed. Read on for more details about RS R3bv2 and the new...
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Going to the Canadian Greenhouse Conference in October? Check out the “Mite Murder Mystery” Workshop Wednesday Afternoon!

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What is it? Not sure what pest mites you have in your greenhouse, or which of your predators are establishing? Join us for the Mite Murder Mystery to help you identify the victim and the perpetrator! You’ll learn different sampling methods for mites and how to identify important mites in Canadian greenhouses using a simple illustrated key. We’ll also cover strategies for managing mite pests. Read on for more details, including how to register ! Who will be there? This workshop will be run by: Dr. Omid Johardchi , Ph.D. Agricultural Entomology and Acarology (the study of mites!) and IPM Specialist at Anatis Bioprotection, running their taxonomic lab. Mika de Silva Lima , Ph.D. Candidate in Biology at Western University, studying spider mite biology in the Grbic Lab. How to Register: You MUST register to attend, as microscopes are limited. Registration will be capped at the first 25 people to sign up. Note this workshop is only open to ...
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Interested in New Greenhouse Tech? Or Interested in Learning What Growers Need? Then Check out the Greenhouse Critical Tech Forum in Vineland Sept. 10th!

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The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre , in collaboration with industry and government groups, is hosting an event geared specifically for greenhouses looking for innovative technology. This year’s forum will bring together leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from across the horticulture sector to explore how commercial greenhouses are strengthening Canada’s horticultural industry and shaping its future through cutting-edge technologies . There is no cost to attend and lunch is provided! Read on for the details and how to register. When/Where is it? The event will be on the Vineland Campus – 4890 Victoria Avenue North, Vineland Station, ON LR 2E0, from 10am-6pm, Thursday September 10th. What to expect: Hear directly from leading greenhouse growers  as they share their biggest operational challenges, technology priorities, and honest perspectives on what drives adoption—and what doesn’t. Learn from technology implementation case studies...
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Thrips parvispinus: Know Thy Enemy‘s Behaviour

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This post written by Jessie deHaan (M.Sc.), Research Technician in the Biocontrol Lab at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. Recent collaborative research from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agri-Business (OMAFA), Agriculture & Agri Food Canada (AAFC), and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) has helped reveal some key components of Thrips parvispinus ecology and behaviour. This has helped us to develop monitoring approaches for this pest in greenhouse floriculture , and is helping to point us towards optimized control strategies. This research was covered in a recent webinar hosted by Flowers Canada Growers (linked to in the post below). But if you’d rather read than watch, t his post summarizes our findings! Why Study Pest Behaviour? Professional athletes study their opponent’s match videos to learn about them and anticipate their moves; chess players and strategy game enthusiasts play to their opponent’s stren...
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Excellence in Ag Awards – Nominate Someone You Know!

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Do you know someone making an impact in Ontario’s agri-food sector? Nominations are now open for the 2026 Excellence in Agriculture Awards! These awards recognize the individuals and organizations that are driving excellence, sustainability and long-term competitiveness in Ontario’s $53 billion agri-food industry . Ontario’s agriculture and food industry is full of exceptional people, businesses and organizations driving innovation, sustainability and leadership. With 10 award categories including Youth, Women’s Farming Excellence, and Family Farm Excellence, there are many opportunities to recognize yourself, your organization, or someone you know. If you know someone making a difference, or if that someone is you, nominate them today!  Applicants and nominees must demonstrate how they have met at least 1 of the priority agriculture excellence outcomes: strengthening Ontario’s agriculture and food supply chain; attracting, growing and retaining Ontari...
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