Making Potatoes a Garden Priority

Feb 01, 2023

In the past growing potatoes has been a bit of an afterthought. Last Fall while thinking about seed I heard that seed potatoes may be short in Spring 2023, so I committed. Nothing like something being rare to motivate interest.

As it turns out United Potato Canada is reporting seed potato inventories on January 11, 2023 at 10.6 million hundred weight. This is 5.2% above the 3-yr. average and 3.5% over last year at the same time.

Glad I committed early though, to get the varieties of my choice.

Here are tips on growing your own potatoes this year from West Coast Seeds:

Potato plants are cool soil and frost tolerant (soil temperature 6 degrees C+)
Well-drained, loamy soils rich in organic matter are preferred
When the plant is a foot tall, “hill up” around plants with soil, straw or grass
No irrigation between planting and sprouting to avoid disease
Don’t let the soil totally dry out
Irrigate while plants are flowering

For more tips to grow, subscribe here and get Small Farm Canada delivered straight to your door!

Source : Small Farm Canada

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.