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Making Potatoes a Garden Priority

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

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Source : Small Farm Canada

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Hay As A Cash Crop Panel Discussion

Video: Hay As A Cash Crop Panel Discussion

For producers looking to get into the commercial market in Ontario, there are several avenues. Our Forage Focus panel discussed some of those options.

The panel includes: Mark Horst of Marcrest Manufacturing, Fritz Trauttmansdorff from Ontario Hay and Forage Co-operative Inc, Chris Martin from Marhaven Agri and Chinook Hay Systems, James Fisher from The Hay Press Company, and Jaye Aitkins from Agricultural Credit Corporation. It was moderated by Christine O'Reilly from OMAFA.