Southern Alberta is experiencing a dry start to the season with irrigation rigs in full operation. At Windiana Farms near Taber, potatoes are starting to emerge with supplemental water from the Taber Irrigation District – soon to be amalgamated with St. Mary’s River Irrigation District. Mike Wind is optimistic about the coming season with a good snow pack in the Rocky Mountains. On June 6, Mike Wind reported 3/10 of an inch of rain and “hopefully more in the next day.”

Manitoba potato growers are still struggling to finish planting.

“Some crop fields are too wet to plant or flooded after planting,” says Vikram Bisht, Manitoba Agriculture.

“There was widespread rainfall in the province on May 30 and 31, with 50 mm in many sites, with Morden receiving 82.5 mm (3.2”). So far, the rainfall has been nearly double the 30-year normal to 2.5 times (in Portage La Prairie).”

 
The accumulated Growing Degree Days (GDD) map shows that to date, 2022 is still much cooler than normal. After some warming, the soils have cooled down this week (as of June 3, 2022 MB. Report)

 
After a hectic planting the last week of May, the overall acres planted are estimated to be 80-85 per cent complete; with a range from just more than 50 per cent to all planting completed. Early planted fields are now showing emergence.  Normally about 50 per cent of the fields would show emergence by June 1.

Source:  MB Agriculture Weather Innovations June 3, 2022 Report