Manitoba's strawberries are off to a strong start. Mulch removal started in the first week of May, according to crop reports from Manitoba Agriculture
"For strawberries, all the straw mulch has been taken off," said Anthony Mintenko, Manitoba Agriculture fruit crops specialist in mid-May. "Especially with this warmer weather we've had the last little while. And planting of new strawberries is ongoing."
Manitoba grows only two percent of Canada's strawberries overall, but it's the largest strawberry producer on the Prairies. In 2024, the province boasted 500 strawberry acres, with 250 of those yielding fruit. The Prairies had good wintering conditions and Manitoba enjoyed some of the best weather of the three, according to Mintenko.
Stretches of blistering cold may stand out in residents' memory, but overall, the fruit specialist noted, the winter was mild. The late fall allowed plants time to go dormant and, although Manitoba didn't see a lot of snow cover, "we had enough snow on top of the straw that provided pretty good protection," Mintenko said.
Read more at Manitoba Co-Operator
