Although rain last month delayed planting of Prince Edward Island's potato crop, growers are optimistic the season will get back on track by the time harvesting begins in September.
“We had a normal amount of rain in June, but it just occurred over a number of days,” said Greg Donald, general manager of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board. “We had a lot of wet days, so that and the cool weather delayed getting the crop in the ground.” He estimated that the weather delayed planting by up to two weeks, but he hopes that clearer skies will speed up the season so they're on track by the time picking starts in September.
Normally, Prince Edward Island's cool climate gives the potatoes grown there an advantage. But with fewer sunny days to contrast with the cool nights, planting was delayed. But now that the crop is planted and the weather has improved, the season's timing has also improved.
“With good weather, we've caught up quite a bit,” said Donald. “We're still about a week behind schedule, but we gained a lot of time that we had lost.” With the crop planted and beginning to blossom, it's just a matter of waiting to see how development moves along.
“If we get bad weather, that could create challenges,” said Donald. “But, relatively speaking, so far, so good.”