TABER, Alta. – Vegetable producers in southern Alberta have found the wet, late spring to be both help and hindrance.
Producers there are dependent on irrigation. Early in the season, limits of 250 millimetres of water were placed on producers in the St. Mary Reservoir Irrigation District. Seasonal rains have allowed an increase to 330 mm in recent weeks.
Mountain runoff is estimated by Alberta Environment to be about 70 percent of normal and the reservoir remains about 70 percent full.
“We were glad to see those increases, but even more glad to see some regular rains,” said George Lohues, a dry bean producer near Coaldale, Alta.
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Lohues relies on irrigation to manage growth stages to reduce disease in his crops.
“But these rains haven’t been a problem,” he said.
The cool weather has held back Alberta crops by about one week, say growers.
Alberta fruit growers saw the largest bloom in recent years this spring, but late frosts have ruined crops, said Alberta Fruit Growers Society executive director Joyce Megson.
“Where there is a crop it will be an average year … which will seem pretty great after three years of drought and really poor harvests,” she said.
“The north has been warmer than the south this year and losses to frost are common in the southern region.”
Ernie Van Boom is a potato grower near Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., and president of the Alberta Potato Growers.
“It’s shaping up to be a very good year. Moisture is good. We had (50 mm) on (July 2 and 3). If we don’t have to irrigate as much, it means more money in our pockets and so far we’ve only been (irrigating) the lighter land.”
Van Boom said potato crops in the south are a week behind compared to last year.
Sugar beets are also behind, but additional moisture is welcome as long as water rationing exists.
The plants need about 380 mm of irrigation in an average year and rainfall is slightly ahead of average for the province, said Arnie Bergen Henengouwan of Picture Butte.
“A couple of inches of rain would mean we could get by with lower irrigation,” he said.
“Now all we need is some heat units. Throw the heat now.”
Fruit and vegetable crops in Manitoba are 10 days to two weeks behind due to a cool, wet spring, but recent warm temperatures are helping them advance, said Anthony Mintenko, fruit specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.
“Things are progressing quite well,” he said.
There is a similar scenario for Saskatchewan, said Bob Bors of the University of Saskatchewan.
The cool temperatures kept diseases at bay, but frost damage was reported in areas of northwestern Saskatchewan.
Winter temperatures of up to 15 degrees below normal also caused winterkill on sour cherry bushes.
Saskatoons suffered some damage from birds, which pecked at these bushes instead of their normal sources of food this spring, he said.
Both Bors and Mintenko said early September frosts will be a concern due to the shorter growing season.
