savage garden

In case you’re not in the know, Greenhouse Product News (GPN) Magazine has a great plant health webinar series (sign up for it using this link! ). This month, I recorded a webinar for them taking a deep dive into predator-prey interactions between thrips and their natural enemies. If you’ve ever wondered why IPM specialists like myself recommend multiple biocontrol agents at once for optimal thrips control, or why rates of natural enemies need to be so high , then this webinar is for you. GPN Plant Health Management Series What: Predator-Prey Interactions in the Greenhouse: Secrets of Biocontrol When: Watch on Demand now (free). Recorded August 2024. Description: Biocontrol is not a one-and-done option for effective pest control in the greenhouse. In this on-demand session, the greenhouse floriculture IPM specialist at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA), Sarah Jandricic, goes deep into the predator-prey interactions that occur when using biocontr...

Originally published on the ONgreenhousevegetables blog on  October 15, 2024  by  Cara McCreary A spotted lanternfly adult. Photo by APHIS. They may be pretty, but they aren’t our friends. Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive sap-feeding planthopper with potential to harm agriculture and forestry in Ontario. But I  only  grow greenhouse fruits and vegetables, so why does it matter to me, you ask? Read on to learn more about why this pest matters to everyone. SLF: The Issue Although not considered a huge threat to our greenhouse crops, we can still do our part in our communities. If you enjoy the benefits of orchards, vineyards, agroforestry or nurseries or you have neighbours, friends or family that produce these commodities, then you are part of this community. There are currently NO ESTABLISHED POPULATIONS of SLF in Canada, but interceptions have occurred at several border crossings, so this is an imminent threat. Spotted lanternfly is a quarant...

Going to the Canadian Greenhouse Conference this week? Still unfamiliar with Ontario’s Crop Protection Hub (fondly referred to as “Crop Hub”) and want to know more about it? Then join me both days of the conference from 12-1:30 at the OMAFA booth if you want a live, one-on-one demo! This user-friendly tool helps you look up things like: Quick access to rates and REIs of floriculture pest-control products Current efficacies of pesticides and fungicides to Ontario pests Compatibility of chemical products with natural enemies Quick link to the legal label Keep reading to see other new features of the Greenhouse Floriculture module in Crop Hub that can also be demonstrated on Wednesday and Thursday ! Note that this demo is applicable to floriculture, vegetable and nursery crop growers, as the Greenhouse Vegetable module will be going LIVE at CGC and a Nursery and Landscape module is slated for Spring. See you all at CGC! Making it Easier to Compare Products When you c...

This is a guest post by Avery Johnson (former OMAFA summer student and current M.Sc. student studying Thrips parvispinus) and S. Jandricic. Having difficulty identifying thrips on sticky cards and need clear photos to send to your consultant or extension agent? Don’t want to invest in a microscope? Well, you’re in luck, because we’ve done the legwork to find some good alternatives to get high quality photos. Thrips Identification to Species: Why is this Important? Why Owning a Microscope is Useful: Alternatives: Camera Phone Attachments Lens Option #1: CiCiglow 0.45x Wide Angle Lens with 12.5x Macro Lens Lens Option #2: Apexel 12-24X 2-in-1 Macro Lens. Lens Option #3:  200X Clip On Microscope Magnifier Lens with LED light The Final Verdict Thrips Identification to Species: Why is this Important? Recently, thrips species other than western flower thrips have become a significant problem in Ontario greenhouses, likely due to reduced pesticide use, global trade, and ...

Announced on September 16th , the governments of Canada and Ontario are investing an additional $9 million in the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative (ASI) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership to help farmers enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of their farms. Funding will be used to help with the adoption of new technologies and best management practices to support soil health, water quality, and energy efficiency while increasing on-farm productivity. The ASI programing will be delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). The program intake opens on October 16, 2024 (9 am ET) and closes on October 29, 2024 (5 pm ET). Quick Facts: Farmers will be able to submit up to two applications to the program , depending on their needs, with successful recipients receiving up to $90,000 depending on the project category. There are several program categories as part of the ASI program, but four project categories are...

Lewis mite.  Photo from University of California. Lewis mite is one of those pests that seems to go in cycles – some years we don’t see it at all, and some years I get reports as early as August. This year there seems to be scattered reports. Given that Lewis mite populations can ramp up in a warm fall and rear their ugly heads in October, it seemed like a good time for an update on what’s working, and what’s not. Lewis Mite Symptoms and Scouting: Lewis mite is closely related to spider mites ( Tetranychus urticae ) but are an entirely different species ( Eotetranychus lewisi) .  For side to side comparisons of the two species, see this article by UCANR. Lewis mites are exclusively a pest of poinsettia crops in the greenhouse (unless you’re also growing strawberries.)  Early detection is difficult, since the symptoms are rather subtle at first: faint speckling and chlorosis (see picture below), which can resemble nitrogen deficiency . Additionally, the mite is a...

Poinsettia cuttings are here again, and pest issues are already popping up! Read on to see what pests growers in Ontario are seeing, and what to do about them.   Bemisia Whitefly Issues Some years we see relatively few whitefly come in on the cuttings, which generally means biocontrol will be successful all the way through till sale.  Years with heavier pest pressure means you need to be extra diligent with scouting .  If whitefly pressure passes the “tipping point” (talked about in this post ), you might need to consider pesticide applications starting in late September/October . This year I’ve been hearing reports of generally higher whitefly numbers than last year , with whitefly populations especially concentrated in some pink varieties .  So now is a good time to brush up on your whitefly monitoring skills – see here for best management practices when it comes to scouting Bemisia whtiefly in poinsettia. An 8-inch poinsettia plant with new growth infes...