Assessing an Indoor Multi-Level Growing System CHALLENGE: Zwart Systems has designed a multi-level growing system aimed at the micro greens, cannabis and vegetable industry. Currently, the market believes that to grow floating lettuce requires 6″ to 12″ of continuously moving water. This is at great expense to the grower from a number of standpoints, water usage is chiefly among them. Other factors include the … Continue reading Zwart Systems Inc.
Grodan/Compost Growing CHALLENGE Walker Environmental Group (WEG) works with various greenhouses to dispose of Rockwool (Grodan) that was used by growers for hydroponic production of vegetables and flowers. WEG wanted to investigate ways to repurpose the Rockwool and engaged with the Agriculture & Environmental Technologies Innovation Centre at Niagara College. In 2019, processed Grodan material was incorporated into leaf and yard waste compost production at … Continue reading Walker Environmental Group (WEG)
Growing trial for greenhouse solar panels CHALLENGE Energy costs have always been a challenge for greenhouse operations. Heliene Inc., a Sault Ste. Marie-based solar technology manufacturer wanted to trial their advanced renewable energy technology to prove a new opportunity for growers to reduce electricity costs as well as carbon footprint while increasing crop yields. Their aim was to investigate the benefits of their specialized solar … Continue reading Heliene Inc.
Oak Propagation Research Project CHALLENGE: Many nurseries across southern Ontario have adopted the use of container production because of the benefits that container production provides in comparison to field production. Although nursery growers benefit from container production, there are also challenges unique to this production system. The most prevalent and concerning of these challenges is that of root defects. A newly developed air-pruning propagation tray … Continue reading A.M.A. Horticulture
Grass-to-Organic Garden Conversion – Innovation for Sustainable Food CHALLENGE White Oaks wanted to convert 1,152 sq.ft. of their property from grass into a sustainable garden. The area was a road shoulder due to reconstruction of a public road and endures high winds, car residue, pollution, and human traffic. The White Oaks team did not have the expertise to convert this area that is not grass … Continue reading White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa
Determining ideal native plants for green roofs Challenge Businesses have added an environmental element to their buildings by planning green roofs, but the species selected sometimes don’t last as long or as well as they could; they cannot survive low water conditions or the root system is too big for the small soil space. Solution The research team is conducting a multi-year study to determine the … Continue reading St. Williams Nursery and Ecology Centre
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