Ontario greenhouse industry faces challenges amid growth potential

Feb 27, 2024

Greenhouse production in the province of Ontario is going strong, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Executive Director Richard Lee recently told The Packer.

Currently, 170 growers farm about 3,962 acres in the province, and while they experienced a steady 6% annual growth from 2011 to 2021, there has been a slight pause the past two years, Lee said. He estimated that Ontario greenhouse growers contributed about $6 billion to the province’s economy during those 10 years of growth.

Ray Mastronardi, vice president of sales at Kingsville, Ontario-based Del Fresco Produce, said that volatility has hit in different ways over the past few years.

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Video: Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Can supplemental nitrogen help soybeans reach higher yield potential? Technical Agronomist Tim Sickman walks through an ongoing trial at the Nutrien Innovation Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky, exploring whether a modest amount of nitrogen applied at planting can support higher-yielding soybean environments.

The trial compares 30 pounds of supplemental nitrogen across both 15- and 30-inch rows, along with treatments that include sulfur and micronutrients. Similar trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 delivered a six- to seven-bushel yield response, prompting the team to expand the research this season.

Early observations show that treated soybeans are slightly taller and averaging about two additional nodes on the main stem. These added nodes could create more opportunities for blooms and pods, but the true results will come at harvest when the team evaluates pod development, seed fill and final yield.

In This Video:

Why high-yield soybeans may need supplemental nitrogen

Results from the 2024 and 2025 trials

Nitrogen treatments in 15- and 30-inch rows

Fertilizer placement and application methods

Differences in plant height and node counts

Potential effects on pod development and yield