On May 14, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) updated the regulated area of Canada to reflect recent box tree moth detections east of Ontario. The expanded regulated area includes Ontario and all provinces east of Ontario except Prince Edward Island.
We had some unseasonably warm days this March and April here in Ontario which resulted in a few instances where box tree moth (BTM) were coming out of their hibernaria during the day to feed, but quickly retreat back when temperatures drop overnight.
With some warmer days ahead and accumulation of growing degree days, box tree moth are more consistently becoming active, feeding on leaves, and no longer retreating to their hibernaria in the evening in some areas of the province. This means it’s time to scout and implement management if necessary!
Continue readingThe Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), has produced a number of videos demonstrating important greenhouse IPM practices that will be posted throughout the season on the ONfloriculture blog.
These videos are based on current information and best practices, and are in an easy-to-follow format. Better yet, they are all under 10 minutes long!
Each week, a new video will be posted on the ONfloriculture blog. (Make sure you subscribe to the ONfloriculture blog to get these weekly releases delivered straight to your inbox). All videos in the series are applicable to both greenhouse floriculture and vegetable pest management and will include some helpful tips that nurseries and propagators may also find useful.
Keep reading to find the link to the video and further reading for successful IPM!
Continue readingCalling anyone who deals with oak trees including nurseries, garden centers, homeowners and tree professionals! Let this be your friendly reminder: now that April is upon us, you should hold off on pruning your oaks until November to protect trees from oak wilt.
As the pathogen that causes oak wilt (Bretziella fagacearum) is now present in the Ontario environment, this is a reminder that prevention is your best form of defense against oak wilt. All ages and size of oak trees are susceptible to oak wilt.
Continue readingLast week at the nursery growers IPM workshops, we heard from speakers who covered topics related to biological controls in nursery crops and how to ID and promote natural enemies to help with insect pest issues.
With that at the top of everyone’s mind, I wanted to highlight some work from a local PhD candidate at the University of Guelph and the fantastic Syrphid (also commonly known as flower fly or hover fly) ID resource she has put together. The ID sheets are linked at the end of this blog post and available to download.
Continue readingWhat an amazing turnout we had at the Nursery Growers Short course on February 7th. The event sold out in record-time and we had a packed venue.
For those who couldn’t make it (or those who maybe accidentally dozed off into a food coma after the delicious and filling lunch) I wanted to share some of what I thought were key highlights and take-home messages from each of our speakers.
Last week, David Weales from the University of Guelph presented at the Nursey Grower’s Short Course and provided an update to growers on the status of a project that was started in 2020 to develop an automated system for measuring tree caliper in nurseries.
The following article was written by David Weales, Research Assistant at the Robotics Institute at the University of Guelph to summarize the results of the project to date
Measuring tree caliper is an essential part of tree nursery management since trees are typically sold based on their caliper measurement. However, collecting these measurements by hand is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and prone to human error. For nurseries that may have hundreds of thousands of trees, this process can take months and nurseries may only be able to do inventory once per year.
Since 2020, researchers at the University of Guelph (including myself) have been developing an automated system for measuring tree caliper. The research has two main goals: to automate the actual measurement process and to store all the data in a digital library that can provide immediate status of the nursery inventory. This will not only allow nurseries to collect measurements much faster but also visualize and manage their inventory in a more accessible way.
Continue readingOMAFRA is pleased to announce the new Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative, with $25M in funding to support growth and productivity for producers and processors. Read about the program below or sign up for one of the virtual webinars to learn more.
The Initiative will be delivered under three funding streams. Intake opens Feb 15th 2024 and closes March 28th 2024. Across the streams, cost-share funding ranges from 35-50% of total eligible project costs. For nursery producers, learn more about streams 1 and 2 and how you can apply. For full application guidelines visit the Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative webpage and review their PDF Guidelines package.
Continue readingIntended audience: Nursery staff, agri-businesses/consultants, and other IPM specialists
I’m very happy to announce the return of IPM workshops for nursery crops! Register by filling out the following form: Click here. These half day, in-person only workshops are geared towards nursery staff/commercial producers and IPM specialists and will be held in three different locations on the following dates:
Continue readingThis year’s short course will have topics for everyone including presentations on professional development and partnerships, soil and substrate testing, cover cropping, on farm composting, automation, and new technologies. Plus, we’re excited for the return of Grower Ideas! Growers from local nurseries will be sharing tips, tricks, techniques, trials & tribulations, and more!
Registration is now live for the nursery grower’s short course on February 7th. Registration and the detailed agenda can be found on Landscape Ontario’s webpage.
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to attend the most anticipated grower education and networking event of the year! Space is limited so register soon. Early bird pricing is in effect until January 30th – use the code EARLYBIRD at checkout. Click here to register.
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