savage garden

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $3 million and launching the third intake of the  Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (ASI)  to help farmers implement projects to improve the energy efficiency of their farming operations. To support the province’s plan to protect Ontario, this funding will help local agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products businesses across the province enhance their competitiveness, put more money back into their pockets and keep workers on the job. Funding program details: This initiative is being funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Successful applicants can receive between  $10,000 to $90,000  for energy efficiency improvements, including the replacement of inefficient on-farm technologies, installing geothermal heating and adopting high efficiency motor, ventilation, heating, cooling, refrigeration, grain drying and lighting systems. This third intake of the ASI builds on the u...

Lewis mite damage on poinsettia. Photo by OMAFA. Let’s face it: although Lewis mites ( Eotetranychus lewisi ) used to be more of a cyclical pest, this mite has been consistently bad in poinsettia the last few years . As regular Lewis mite infestations now seem to be the new normal in poinsettia, this week is the time to to start thinking about your pest control plan for Lewis mite . Whether you choose the preventive route or the wait-and-see approach, knowing which strategies and chemicals are working is critical. Read on for tips on dipping to prevent mites along and what we learned from last year ‘s chemical approaches.  Lewis Mite Symptoms and Scouting: Lewis mite is closely related to spider mites ( Tetranychus urticae ) but are an entirely different species. If you need a refresher on symptoms or their biology, check out these posts: https://onfloriculture.com/2024/09/16/lewis-mites-2024-updates-in-poinsettia/ https://www.ontario.ca/page/mite-pests-greenhouse-crops...