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Wildfire smoke drifting over Saskatchewan this summer hasn’t just clouded the skies – it’s also clouded the performance of gardens.
Rick Van Duyvendyk, owner of Dutch Growers in Regina and host of Garden Talk on 980 CJME and 650 CKOM, said plants like tomatoes and cucumbers are growing slower than normal.
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“This year the tomatoes are just slow,” Van Duyvendyk said. “People are saying they’re not seeing the flowers appear as much.”
He said the smoke blocks sunlight and lowers temperatures, both of which are critical for healthy crop development. Gardners are bringing in concerns about poor flowering, stunted plants and delayed yields.
“The biggest complaint is that things aren’t moving along like they usually do by now.” Van Duyvendyk said. “It’s not just tomatoes. It’s cucumbers, even potatoes.”
Van Duyvendyk said cherry tomatoes are typically producing well by late July, but many customers are still waiting. He’s even noticed smaller-than-usual apples and potatoes this season.
While the smoke is affecting crops, Van Duyvendyk said it’s also affecting shopping habits.
“We’re seeing a little bit of drop in sales,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s the wather, the economy or just people saying, ‘It’s smoky; I don’t want to be outside.’”
He said rain also impacts traffic at the garden centre, and it’s tough to isolate smoke as the sole cause. Still, he said the overall slowdown is noticeable.
To help their plants cope, Van Duyvendyk advised gardeners to be smart about how they water. He said automated timers often lead to overwatering during cool, hazy stretches, especially for crops like tomatoes and cucumbers that are prone to issues like blossom end rot.
“Don’t water on a schedule,” he said. “Stick your finger in the soil and check if it’s dry. When there less heat and sunlight, plants use less water.”
As for taste, Van Duyvendyk said the biggest factor is soil quality and proper fertilization, and the taste of garden-grown produce shouldn’t be changed greatly by smoke exposure.
“You’re going to affect taste when you block out the sun, but nutrients in the soil matter more,” he said. “Using a good vegetable fertilizer with not too much nitrogen makes a big difference.”
Despite the sluggish start to the growing season, Van Duyvendyk said garden are still producing. He said he’s hoping that yields will spike up if skies clear and temperatures rise.
“Everything’s just a little behind,” he said. “There’s still product out there – it’s just not as fast or as full as it should be.”
