This new session will feature breeders providing insights into new varieties for greenhouse vegetables and floriculture. New Variety Session Room 207/208 | Thurs. 2:00pm Top new introductions for Proven Winners 2026

This joint presentation from Svensson and Philips LED Lighting explores how combining greenhouse curtains with LED lighting can improve climate control, energy efficiency, and crop performance across food crops. It highlights the latest LED advancements and explains how pairing lighting with screening products can reduce energy costs, create uniform growing conditions, and support year-round production. Vegetable Production Ballroom D | Weds. 10:00am A Perfect Pairing: Enhancing Cultivation with Integrated LED Lighting and Screening

This talk introduces a novel sorption-based thermal platform that harnesses low-grade waste heat (60–90°C) to provide clean CO₂ enrichment, dehumidification, cooling, and heating for CEA. Developed in Dr. Bahrami’s lab at Simon Fraser University, the solution uses non-toxic materials and operates through advanced thermochemical cycles. Designed for modular integration with district energy systems, data centers, industrial facilities, this zero-emission technology significantly lowers energy costs and GHG emissions. The talk will share lab results and explore pathways for deploying this innovation to enable resilient, low-carbon food production across diverse climates. Harnessing Energy: Capture & Reuse Excess Heat Ballroom D | Wed. 9:55am Turning Waste Heat into a Food Security Solution for Canada

Learn the role of dynamic LED lighting in optimizing plant propagation. Attendees will gain insights into Philips GrowWise and its advanced Smart Spectrum system, which adapts light recipes to meet specific plant needs during different growth stages. By leveraging precise spectral control, growers can enhance root development, accelerate propagation cycles, and improve overall crop quality. Attendees will learn of research results and successful commercial applications with growers in North America and Europe. Dynamic Lighting for Dynamic Greenhouses Ballroom D | Wed. 2:30pm Learn the role of dynamic LED lighting in optimizing plant propagation

Presentation on the current state of the industry, current challenges, and ways to overcome these challenges with creative solutions that will make a difference to the grower. Innovation in Action: From Concept to Crop Room 201/202 | Thurs. 3:30pm Making Robotics Work For The Greenhouse Grower

Water is a very important chemical in the production of plants. Some basics of water will be explained in laymen's terms, such as pH, EC, hydrophilic vs hydrophobic, surface tension, bicarbonate control, physical and biological control options, oxygenation and volume etc. Floriculture Production (Back to the Basics) Room 207/208 | Wed. 10:00am The Q's of water

Data center power demand is projected to grow by approximately 16% annually, placing increasing strain on the electrical grid. At the same time, many regions are shifting toward intermittent renewable energy sources, creating new challenges for grid stability and resiliency. One innovative solution is the co-location of data centers with greenhouses, which can make productive use of waste heat that would otherwise be lost. By integrating sensors, advanced control systems, and optimization algorithms, such sites can function as dynamic grid assets. This timely discussion explores how Combined Heat and Power (CHP) can deliver efficient, sustainable, and resilient energy when strategically implemented in grid-connected agri-industrial parks. Harnessing Energy: Capture & Reuse Excess Heat Ballroom D | Thurs. 10:15am Colocation of Greenhouses with Data Centers, Organic Waste Management, Agri-Industrial Parks

Nematodes can be a valuable component for many Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, but proper utilization is critical for success. This presentation will provide guidance on proper quality control practices and application techniques, along with how to avoid common mistakes that can lead to poor results. IPM: Back to Basics (FL & Veg) Room 201/202 | Thurs. 9:30am Proper Use of Nematodes

Thrips parvispinus, a new invasive tropical pest, cannot survive Canadian winters outdoors. As a result, infestations in greenhouses occur only through imported plant material—such as cuttings—or from nearby crops within the same facility. This presents a valuable opportunity to break the transmission cycle before it begins. While cutting dips are a common preventative measure, alternative disinfection strategies are emerging. This presentation explores innovative approaches including cold and heat treatments, as well as a novel combination of UV-C light with vaporized hydrogen peroxide and ozone, offering greenhouse growers effective tools to start clean and stay pest-free. UV for You and Me Room 201/202 | 10:00am Thrips-Busters: Who you gonna call when cuttings are creepy (with parvi)

Spider mites are tiny plant-eating arachnids, measuring less than 2 mm, that feed on over a thousand plant species. They pose a significant threat to global agriculture due to their wide host range and ability to quickly develop pesticide resistance. Recently, new, unidentified mite species have emerged alongside the extreme generalist Tetranychus urticae, highlighting urgent knowledge gaps in pest management. These include challenges in species identification, understanding population dynamics, developing effective control methods, and assessing economic impacts. Here we provide an update on emerging species and their current status of pesticide resistance. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 2:00pm Spider mite complex in agriculture: Emerging species and pesticide resistance status in southeastern Ontario

In this talk, Dr. Dara will explore critical data privacy challenges in smart farming. She will outline effective strategies for protecting sensitive farm information and ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices. She will also share recent research findings on farm data agreements, offering insights into drafting robust legal data agreements. The session aims to promote privacy awareness, trustworthy practices for data collection and sharing, and provide practical guidance for developing legally sound farm data policies to support responsible innovation in agriculture. Wired to Grow: AI and Big Data Ballroom C | Wed. 10:00am Innovating Safely: Data Privacy and Legal Drafting in Smart Agriculture

What is considered good water, and how does its quality influence the physical and chemical properties of a growing media? During this presentation, we will review the characteristics of water as well as the different water sources and irrigation systems. We will then look at how all this influences how your growing media will behave, how you can mitigate some of these effects through proper management, and how selecting a compatible mix is critical to your success. Floriculture Production (Back to the Basics) Room 207/208 | Wed. 9:30am Water Quality and its Influence on Growing Media

This new session, introduced this year, will focus on key topics relevant to Garden Centres. Presenters will cover current trends, social media engagement, sustainability, and their future. Garden Centre Room 207/208 | Thurs. 9:30am Marketing & Trends

Using Digital Electricity to reduce carbon footprint and costs to sustainably utilize LED grow lights to increase procuction per m2 of Greenhouse area. Innovation in Action: From Concept to Crop Room 201/202 | Thurs. 2:00pm Digital Electricity for Greenhouse Tech

In this session, we will share the results of a day-long evaluation and calibration of a greenhouse pepper sprayer system. We'll walk through the steps, what we found, and what we did to improve matters. While every sprayer, greenhouse, and business is different, these steps are transferable and may help you improve your own crop protection practices. Smart Sprays & Safe Plays: Managing Pests without Collateral Damage Room 201/202 | Wed. 2:00pm Tweaking Your Sprayer - A Case Study for Improved Sprayer Performance in Greenhouse Peppers

This presentation explores the innovative collaboration between Truly Green Farms (TGF) and Greenfield Global, highlighting how industrial symbiosis drives sustainable greenhouse operations. Learn how TGF harnesses waste heat and CO₂ from Greenfield’s ethanol production to reduce environmental impact, enhance crop productivity, and support Canada’s circular economy goals. We'll discuss system design, operational insights, challenges, and future potential of this unique energy-sharing model as a blueprint for the future of agri-industrial partnerships. Harnessing Energy: Capture & Reuse Excess Heat Ballroom D | Thurs. 10:35am Heat, Hope & Heartaches "The real truth of going green, and why we're still committed to it!"

Like many sectors, Canadian greenhouses are undergoing tremendous change, driven by new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & the Internet of Things. As the fourth industrial revolution progresses, growers have to adapt to these new technologies, while also avoiding pitfalls, data security concerns and costly time sinks. This presentation examines the trends of the 2020’s so far, and looks forward to the future of autonomous greenhouse production. Wired to Grow: AI and Big Data Ballroom C | Wed. 10:30am Trends in Greenhouse Technology Development --- Plants can only convert small proportion of light energy to bio-energy or produce, and thus majority of light energy whether it is from sunlight or supplemental lighting eventually become heat. When there is strong light or under high greenhouse insulation, such as with the application of light abatement curtains, excessive amount of heat may be generated. Various heat pump technologies such as air to hot water heat pumps will be discussed to capture and reuse this heat for improving greenhouse energy efficiency. Harnessing Energy: Capture & Reuse Excess Heat Ballroom D | Thurs. 9:30am Heat capture & reuse with heat pump

A research consortium has tested an integrated waste valorization platform to separate and upcycle greenhouse residues. Organic materials were upgraded through biological processes (e.g., insect farming, anaerobic digestion, composting) and thermochemical processes (e.g., pyrolysis) into high-value products like biochar, fertilizing pellets and amendments, and biomaterials. Results from the consortium researchers and collaborators will be presented, along with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges in fostering industrial symbioses between greenhouse producers and bio-based industries. Waste Management Ballroom C | Wed 2:00pm From Waste to Value: Greenhouse Waste Upcycling Using Thermal & Biological Technologies

Pepper growers in Ontario controlled environment agriculture are experiencing significant wilt disease pressure. The goal of this OMAFA-OGVG funded project was to develop a baseline understanding of the microorganisms associated with plants experiencing these symptoms and identify any species or species interactions correlated with symptoms. Amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA, fungal ITS1) was used to characterize the microbiome of diverse pepper samples and genomes were sequenced for eleven pathogen isolates. This analysis led to a deeper understanding of pepper wilt dynamics as well as a rapid test for the pathogens involved. Innovation in Action: From Concept to Crop Room 201/202 | Thurs. 2:30pm Fusarium wilt in peppers: early detection, co-infections, & interventions

Learn how to ramp up your cut flower production with profitable varieties for both field and high tunnel production. Variety selection and production methods will be covered in this presentation. Cut Flowers Production – Inside and Out Room 207/208 | 2:45pm Increasing Cut Flower Production with Field and High Tunnel Flowers That Make Money

Grow plants, not pests! A refresher on resistance management practices for stewardship of insecticides used in the greenhouse IPM toolbox. Smart Sprays & Safe Plays: Managing Pests without Collateral Damage Room 201/202 | Thurs. 3:00pm Reach for the right tools in the IPM toolbox

This joint presentation from Svensson and Philips LED Lighting explores how combining greenhouse curtains with LED lighting can improve climate control, energy efficiency, and crop performance across food crops. It highlights the latest LED advancements and explains how pairing lighting with screening products can reduce energy costs, create uniform growing conditions, and support year-round production. Vegetable Production Ballroom D | Weds. 10:00am A Perfect Pairing: Enhancing Cultivation with Integrated LED Lighting and Screening

Grow plants, not pests! A refresher on resistance management practices for stewardship of insecticides used in the greenhouse IPM toolbox. Smart Sprays & Safe Plays: Managing Pests without Collateral Damage Room 201/202 | Thurs. 3:00pm Reach for the right tools in the IPM toolbox

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) has spread rapidly worldwide and severely disrupted greenhouse tomato production. Seed companies have responded through production of new resistant and tolerant varieties. How ToBRFV will respond to these unknown resistance genes is a major question for the future of tomato production. In order to better understand the evolution of ToBRFV, the genomic sequence of the virus from multiple greenhouses in Ontario was determined and analyzed. Multiple putative resistance breaking mutations were identified, suggesting ToBRFV will continue to be a major issue in the sector. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 2:15pm Past, present & future of ToBRFV in Canada

How to use greenhouse climate for better production results Floriculture Production (Back to the Basics) Room 207/208 | Wed. 10:30am Don't just keep your plants warm. How to use greenhouse climate for better production results

The greenhouse sector in the Leamington area landfills ~150 000 tonnes of material annually. Local landfills continue to increase tipping fees to disincentivize landfilling for the greenhouse sector as their capacity is becoming increasingly limited and decomposition of large volumes of high moisture material (e.g. greenhouse vegetables) poses significant material handling challenges. An update will be provided on Vineland’s research regarding opportunities for landfill diversion of greenhouse waste. The presentation will highlight findings of a review of greenhouse waste handling in other countries, grower interviews, local opportunities and new technologies under development to manage greenhouse vegetable, rockwool and vine waste. Waste Management Ballroom C | Wed. 3:00pm Greenhouse waste diversion: An update on new developments

Plants can only convert small proportion of light energy to bio-energy or produce, and thus majority of light energy whether it is from sunlight or supplemental lighting eventually become heat. When there is strong light or under high greenhouse insulation, such as with the application of light abatement curtains, excessive amount of heat may be generated. Various heat pump technologies such as air to hot water heat pumps will be discussed to capture and reuse this heat for improving greenhouse energy efficiency. Harnessing Energy: Capture & Reuse Excess Heat Ballroom D | Thurs. 9:30am Heat capture & reuse with heat pump

Data on improvements in yield and energy use efficiency over the past 40 years are presented. Latest findings on applying intra-canopy lighting and different supplementary light intensities and spectra, with an emphasis on far-red are discussed. Recent studies, perspectives, and challenges on the use of autonomous control and digitalisation of crop growth and development are presented. Autonomous greenhouse control is under development and objective and digital characterisation of crop parameters is essential. Digital twins of greenhouse and crop combined with machine learning can help to interpret information. Dynamic Lighting for Dynamic Greenhouses Ballroom D | Wed. 2:00pm Supplemental lighting and autonomous control of greenhouses --- Indoor vertical farms, in which mostly leafy vegetables and greens are grown under sole electric lighting, received major interest in recent years. A quantitative review of case studies on environmental life cycle assessments (LCAs) of lettuce-producing VFs is presented. On-farm energy use and choice of energy sources appeared as main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. Different approaches to improve resource use efficiency, with a focus on light use efficiency, and the advantages of a dynamic growth environment are discussed. Vertical Gains for Vertical Farms Ballroom C | 10:00am Optimizing resource use efficiency for vertical farms

AI is transforming yield forecasting from reactive guesswork into predictive precision. Rien Kamman, CEO and Co-Founder of Netherlands-based AgTech scale-up Source.ag, shares how data-driven models help growers optimize planning, reduce waste, and boost profitability, while supporting global food security. Through real-world examples, discover how AI empowers greenhouse operators to make faster, smarter decisions across complex operations. In the face of labor shortages, market volatility, and climate change, AI offers a powerful edge. Wired to Grow: AI and Big Data Ballroom C | Wed. 9:30am Redefining yield forecasting with AI: how technology improves greenhouse profitability & food security

Practical success with the use of UV-C in CEA strawberries. UV for You and Me Room 201/202 | Wed. 10:30am UV-C: The Mildew Assassin

Tip-burn in lettuce is a “localized” calcium deficiency around young leaves at the shoot tip when plants grow quickly under optimum environmental conditions. This presentation will introduce practical guidelines including 1) methodology to assess tip-burn inducing environments and cultivar specific tip-burn sensitivity, 2) lighting strategies to mitigate tip-burn, and 4) efficacy of vertical downward airflow to mitigate tip-burn. Vertical Gains for Vertical Farms Ballroom C | Thurs. 10:30am Lighting and air-circulation strategies to manage tip-burn in indoor farm lettuce --- Ohio Controlled Environment Agriculture Center Consortium conducted a two-year project for benchmarking strawberry productivity and key management practices for optimizing crop production. We will report most recent update based the research outcomes using the modern greenhouse research facility at the Ohio State University. Berry Smart: Growing Success Ballroom D | Thurs. 2:00pm Benchmarking strawberry productivity – Impact of cultivar, transplant quality, and crop/environmental management

Hoistable gutter systems allow narrow gutter distances in strawberry greenhouses, while there still is enough room to pick, handle or treat the crop. A hoistable gutter system with two gutter distances (0,96m and 0,80m) is compared to a standard distance of 1,20m for seven consecutive years at Research Centre Hoogstraten. Hoisting the gutters for crop treatments creates shading on the lower gutters, reducing yield per plant. But due to higher plant densities, production per square metre increases with narrow gutter distances. Yield and grading of strawberry everbearer fruits but also turnover and return will be discussed in this presentation. Berry Smart: Growing Success Ballroom D | Thurs. 2:25pm Strawberry everbearer excels in hoistable gutter system

This presentation focuses on Neopestalotiopsis disease, an emerging threat to strawberry production in both field and greenhouse settings. It will cover the biology of the fungal pathogen, common symptoms such as leaf spots, crown rot, and fruit lesions, and the environmental conditions that promote disease development. Current management recommendations will also be discussed. In addition, the presentation will highlight new research findings on pathogen identification and characterization, fungicide resistance, and potential sources of host resistance, offering valuable insights for improving disease control strategies. Berry Smart: Growing Success Ballroom D | Thurs. 2:50pm Neopestalotiopsis Disease in Strawberries: Identification, Impact, and Management Strategies

Controlled-environment agriculture is particularly relevant for Canada, where traditional farming is constrained by short growing seasons. However, Canadian consumers’ quantitative and comparative preferences remain a knowledge gap. We created an artefactual market for consumers to make real purchase decisions on vertically farmed, greenhouse grown and field grown lettuce, each further differentiated by local and non-local labels. Results show that consumers are willing to pay a significant premium for local lettuce, regardless of the production method. This finding underscores the importance of advancing innovative food production technologies to enhance the availability of locally grown produce year-round in Canada. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 3:15pm Canadian consumers' preferences for lettuce: Is local all that matters?

The composition and characteristics of Ontario horticultural greenhouse organic waste will be reviewed, followed by a survey of the various disposal options, including state of development and potential practicality, particularly in the context of Essex County, Ontario. Waste Management Ballroom C | Wed. 2:30pm Beyond the landfill: greenhouse waste disposal options

Sweet basil is highly sensitive to cold temperatures, often developing chilling injury symptoms during postharvest storage and transportation that limits their shelf life and commercial value. This presentation will go over the results of our study investigating how applying silicon treatments during cultivation can delay the appearance and severity of symptoms during postharvest chilling stress to extend viability. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 2:45pm Using silicon to reduce chilling injury symptoms in postharvest sweet basil

Pepper growers in Ontario controlled environment agriculture are experiencing significant wilt disease pressure. The goal of this OMAFA-OGVG funded project was to develop a baseline understanding of the microorganisms associated with plants experiencing these symptoms and identify any species or species interactions correlated with symptoms. Amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA, fungal ITS1) was used to characterize the microbiome of diverse pepper samples and genomes were sequenced for eleven pathogen isolates. This analysis led to a deeper understanding of pepper wilt dynamics as well as a rapid test for the pathogens involved. Innovation in Action: From Concept to Crop Room 201/202 | Thurs. 2:30pm Fusarium wilt in peppers: early detection, co-infections, & interventions

Light is essential for photosynthesis in plant cells, and a determining factor for crop health and productivity. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) affords a unique opportunity to manipulate the light spectrum to maximize crop development and yield, but also offers opportunities to limit plant disease. This presentation will outline some key concepts relating to light, plant health and disease, and summarize the results of research trials using ultraviolet radiation to control disease on crops grown in CEA environments. UV for You and Me Room 201/202 | Wed. 9:30am "Use the Force, Luke": Wielding the Jedi lightsaber in controlled environment agriculture

Joe Miller from Zengenti will give a detailed demonstration of Ontario’s Crop Protection Hub. He will walk you through the basics and well as new features we’ve just released. Greenhouse Tools of the Trade Workshop Ballroom A Wed. & Thurs. 9:30-10:15am

Greenhouse substrates often lack the natural microbial diversity found in soil, leaving roots vulnerable to rapid colonization by the first microorganisms they encounter, which could be an opportunistic pathogen. By inoculating substrates with beneficial microorganisms, growers can establish a robust, plant-friendly ecosystem that promotes healthy root development and maximizes plant growth. This session will explore the science behind microbial inoculation and outline practical strategies for greenhouse growers to proactively create a thriving root environment, ensuring both plant health and productivity. Discover how to bring life to your substrate and take your growing practices to the next level. Vegetable Production Ballroom D | Wed. 9:30am Winning the Microbial Race: Ensuring Beneficial Microorganisms Take the Lead

This new session, introduced this year, will focus on key topics relevant to Garden Centres. Presenters will cover current trends, social media engagement, sustainability, and their future. Garden Centre Room 207/208 | Thurs. 9:30am Social Media

In this presentation, I will review the many environmental factors that influence crop growth and quality, including temperature, VPD, light source, and airflow. We will then take a deep dive into airflow and how it can be used to manage the thermal energy of the plant under various conditions, including high levels of sunlight, temperature, and humidity. Attendees will learn effective strategies for delivering and circulating air inside the greenhouse to achieve a target range of air changes rates and air velocities that will help growers avoid nutrient deficiencies and mold growth. Vegetable Production Ballroom D | Wed. 10:30am Optimizing Airflow & Climate Control

Thrips parvispinus, an emerging pest thrips species threatening the production of peppers and tropical ornamentals globally, has established in Ontario greenhouses. This is a biocontrol research update on laboratory and greenhouse cage trials using two of the relatively large generalist predators (aka Big Bios), Orius insidiosus and Anystis baccarum. Crops tested were potted sweet peppers and potted mandevillas. Promising efficacy was observed in both the lab and greenhouse trials. Moreover, we have identified and proved another easy method to control the thrips. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 2:30pm Big Bios against Thrips parvispinus?

Ophelia Sarakinis shares five lessons learned firsthand from running a high-density hydroponic strawberry farm in Montreal. Topics include lighting uniformity, IPM scheduling, tier-based variability, and protocol drift. Each lesson is backed by practical experience and real-world results, offering a raw, technical, and honest perspective for growers who want to avoid costly mistakes and refine their systems. Vertical Gains for Vertical Farms Ballroom C | Thurs. 9:30am What Starting a Vertical Strawberry Farm Taught Me: 5 Lessons You Can’t ChatGPT (Yet)

Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 3:30pm Wetland plants as peat alternatives

In collaboration with Delphy, Sollum Technologies explored how far-red modulation (FR) and blue supplemental morning lighting(B-SML) can optimize pepper and cucumber growth, physiological balance, and energy efficiency. Dynamic Lighting for Dynamic Greenhouses Ballroom D | Weds. 3:00pm The latest Dynamic LED lighting applications in high-wire crops

Pesticide application becomes more challenging to biocontrol and natural pollination practices at different agricultural crops. Certain new chemistries pose sublethal effects on the beneficials, which are hard to detect. In addition, growers have an increasing tendency to apply a mix of chemical compounds in a single spray (sometimes up to 3 or 4 active ingredients) to save labor. Considering this, testing protocols regarding the effect of pesticides on the beneficials need adjustments, such as higher resolution testing methods, and choosing mixes of chemicals that will represent the “real world”. Where and how do the interests of growers and biocontrol producers meet? I will thoroughly discuss it in my talk along with practical examples. Smart Sprays & Safe Plays: Managing Pests without Collateral Damage Room 201/202 | Wed. 2:30pm Pesticides and beneficial insects and mites 2025. New insights and considerations from the growers’ and biocontrol producers’ perspective

I would like to go through the quick history of our company, farm, and first 3 seasons. The large lessons we learned in variety, growth techniques, and IPM. What pain points we learned on, and what small successes we hope to build on. Propagation, growth, IPM, and harvesting/post harvest Berry Smart: Growing Success Ballroom D | Thurs. 3:15pm Big Picture Strawberry Growing – A Case for Success

Let's put a different spin on sustainability. There is a huge range of businesses under the garden centre umbrella. Everything from the traditional Mom and Pop seasonal GC's to big box and destination garden centres. There is a battle brewing where garden centres are in the front lines. Leaning into biodiversity, combined with updating our selections to remove the well-known invasive plants in various regions. The opportunity lies in leveraging leadership as opposed to being seen as the villain and source for outdated product selections. We have an opportunity to strengthen our positioning, however, it is a combined effort between garden centres, growers, designers, general contractors, as well as social media experts. Garden Centre Room 207/208 | Thurs. 9:30am Garden Centres & Sustainable Futures

Water management has become a strategic priority in greenhouse horticulture. Van der Ende Group presents a model based on three strategies: availability, recirculation, and discharge. Each water stream, from rainwater to drain water, poses specific challenges, including contamination, sodium accumulation, and increasingly strict discharge regulations. Effective treatment and filtration technologies are essential to ensure safe reuse and compliance with environmental legislation. This article offers a comprehensive overview of the various water streams and their treatment within modern greenhouse horticulture operations. IPM: Back to Basics (FL & Veg) Room 201/202 | Thurs. 10:30am Water management in CEA

Presentation on the current state of the industry, current challenges, and ways to overcome these challenges with creative solutions that will make a difference to the grower. Innovation in Action: From Concept to Crop Room 201/202 | Thurs. 3:30pm Making Robotics Work For The Greenhouse Grower

Explore the start-up and running of a flower operation in the Canadian context. Cut Flowers Production – Inside and Out Room 207/208 | Wed. 2:00pm Blooms for Bucks: A discussion on flower farming

Even if you’ve been using beneficials for years, sometimes it’s important to revisit the basics. One fundamental practice is checking the quality of your beneficials upon arrival. Fortunately, some commonly used species are relatively easy to assess. In this session, we’ll review the essential steps for receiving and evaluating your beneficial insects to ensure you're starting with quality products. IPM: Back to Basics (FL & Veg) Room 201/202 | Thurs. 10:00am Quality Control of Beneficials --- Suzanne “The Bug Lady” Wainwright-Evans will demonstrate quality assurance techniques for common natural enemies that growers need to know! Greenhouse Tools of the Trade Workshop Ballroom A Wed. 2-2:45pm

Zinc levels exceeding ministry guidelines are often observed in roof water runoff when the greenhouse has galvanized gutters. In a provincially funded (OAFRI) project, Dr. Jeanine West (Flowers Canada ON) and Dr. Ann Huber (The Soil Resource Group), investigated a range of products that have the potential to remove zinc from stormwater. To their surprise, zinc can come from more than one source at the farm, and commercially available products were not necessarily the best choice for zinc removal. The results from this two-year study will be shared – highlighting preliminary batch test and pilot scale results. Research Updates Ballroom C | Thurs. 3:00pm Zinc in GH stormwater - surprises and potential solutions