In this episode, Kristy sits down with OMAFRA's Application Technology Specialist, Jason Deveau to talk sprayer technology. In the first part of the conversation, Jason covers tips, tricks and pieces of advice for sprayer winterization and spring preparedness. Switching gears for the second half, Jason moves into precision agriculture and the future of spray technology. Questions for Jason? Contact him at [email protected].    

For more information on spray application and technology in Ontario, check out the following resources:

• Sprayers 101 - A Resource for Safe, Effective & Efficient Agricultural Spraying
• Airblast101 – Your Guide to Effective and Efficient Spraying, 2nd Edition

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy sits down with OMAFRA's Erica Pate (Fruit Crop Specialist) and Katie Goldenhar (Plant Pathologist) to talk about an emerging pest issue in Ontario strawberries, called Neopestalotiopsis. For more information on identification and biology of this disease,  check out Pest Alert: Neopestalotiopsis - An Emerging Strawberry Disease in North America on the ONfruit blog. If you suspect this disease in your field,  contact Erica  ([email protected]) or Katie ([email protected]).

Following,  we get a crash course on the Canadian registration process for crop protection products with OMAFRA's Minor Use Coordinator, Josh Mosiondz ([email protected]). For more information on the minor use system and product registration, check out the following resources:

• Ontario Minor Use Program 
• Ontario Emergency Use Registrations 
• Health Canada - Pesticides and Pest Management
• Health Canada - Decisions and Updates

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, OMAFRA's Fruit Crop Specialist, Erica Pate sits in the horticulture hotseat to talk about the importance of strawberry aphid management to minimize incidence and impact of insect-vectored viruses. Following,  Kristy dives into the waters of pesticide rainfastness to look at some general guidelines around insecticide and fungicide wash-off and how these can assist in decision-making when it comes to what to do following a rain.

For more information on strawberry aphids and their management, check out the following resources:

• Strawberry aphids and their management in Ontario strawberry farms - OMAFRA Factsheet
• Aphids - Strawberry  - Ontario CropIPM
• Strawberry virus symptoms - photos of virus symptoms found in Ontario strawberries

For more information on insecticide and fungicide rainfastness, check out the following resources:

• Rainfast characteristics of insecticides on fruit - Michigan State University Extension
• Rainfastness, persistence & performance attributes of insecticides for tree fruit IPM - presentation by Dr John Wise, 2021 OFVC Virtual Educational Series
• How to get the most out of your fungicide sprays - Michigan State University Extension

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy sits down with OMAFRA's Vegetable Crop Specialist, Elaine Roddy to get the buzz on the important pollinator of pumpkin and squash, the squash bee. Questions for Elaine? Contact her at [email protected].    

For more information on squash bee in Ontario, check out the following resources:

• Managing  Pumpkin/Squash in Ontario  to Maximize Pollination Services by Wild Bees - Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention presentation by Dr. Susan Chan
• Native Pollinators on Farms Resources - Farms At Work

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

Episode artwork: Nigel Raine, University of Guelph

In this episode, we hear from a series of OMAFRA specialists during a marathon of Horticulture Hotseat. Up first, we review the basics of integrated pest management (IPM) with Summer Research Assistant, Ali Collingwood. Consider this an opportunity to review where the strengths and gaps lie within your on-farm IPM program. Following Ali, OMAFRA's Plant Pathologist, Katie Goldenhar ([email protected]) walks us through the various tests available for plant virus detection - a rather fitting topic given the current pandemic. Next, Erika DeBrouwer ([email protected]), OMAFRA's Tree Fruit Specialist addresses the difficulties of apple thinning following a frost event. Lastly, Kristy ([email protected]) sits herself down in the hotseat to ask the question are all mildews equal?

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Editing: Jade Lo
Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy chats with fellow OMAFRA Horticulture IPM Specialists, Wendy McFadden-Smith (tender fruit and grape) and Melanie Filotas (specialty crops) to talk about the importance of regular pest scouting, from how often and how much to what to look for and where in perennial crops. Questions for Wendy or Melanie? Contact them at [email protected] or [email protected].   

Check out the Ontario CropIPM website for more information on scouting as well as identification, biology and management of key pests in horticultural crops grown in Ontario. For videos on Ontario horticulture, visit the ONhortcrops YouTube channel.

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy sits down with OMAFRA's Ginseng & Herb Specialist, Sean Westerveld to talk all things lavender from site selection, propagation, management and harvest to market and agri-tourism impacts. Questions for Sean? Contact him at [email protected].    

For more information on growing lavender in Ontario, check out the following resources:

• Growing Lavender in Ontario: An Introduction for Prospective Growers
• Specialty Cropportunities - Lavender
• Ontario Lavender Association

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy sits down with two new specialists that have recently joined OMAFRA, Erika DeBrouwer (Tree Fruit Specialist) and Jenny Liu (Maple, Tree Nut & Agroforestry Specialist) to hear about who they are, what their new roles entail and plans for the coming year.

Erika can be reached at [email protected] or 226-931-4098.

Jenny can be reached at [email protected] or 519-835-5872.  

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops
• ONmaplesyrup

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Kristy sits down with OMAFRA's Katie Goldenhar (Plant Pathologist) and Hannah Fraser (Entomologist) to talk about pesticide resistance in horticulture crops and the importance of resistance management. In this episode, we look at the mechanisms behind insecticide and fungicide resistance, how modes of action differ, pesticide classifications and what you can do in your production system to manage resistance. 

For more information on pesticide resistance, check out the following resources:

• Fungicide Resistance Action Committee
• Insecticide Resistance Action Committee
• Manage Resistance Now - CropLife Canada

For more updates on Ontario horticulture and educational events, visit:

• ONvegetables
• ONfruit
• ONspecialtycrops

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes

In this episode, Cassie continues the conversation with Engineer Specialist, John Van de Vegte on ways to evaluate and optimize on-farm productivity. John gives some examples of value-add and non-value-add activities in vegetable cropping systems as well as discusses the future direction for automation and labour saving technologies in field vegetable production. 

For more updates on Ontario horticulture visit:

• www.onvegtables.com
• www.onfruit.ca
• https://onspecialtycrops.wordpress.com/

Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected] 

Music: Aspire by Scott Holmes