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University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and Bioresources Dept. of Plant Sciences
 

 
 

Recommended varieties for Saskatchewan producers

The varieties listed on this page represent some of the best performing vegetable varieties based on cultivar evaluation trials conducted annually by the Vegetable Program at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan. To obtain a complete list of recommended varieties please download the most recent version of the Vegetable Program's Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials.

The 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials are now available online in PDF format. Visit the Cultivar and Cultural Trials page for the latest information from the Vegetable Program.

Letters in brackets after variety name indicate the seed company from which the seed was obtained. Click on the seed source for full address of seed company. Seed may be available from other sources.

Basil Celery Leek Radish
Beans Chinese Cabbage Mesclun (Baby Greens) Rutabaga
Beets Corn Muskmelon / Cantaloupe Spinach
Broccoli Cucumber Onion Swiss Chard
Brussel Sprouts Eggplant Oriental Greens Tomato
Bunching Onions Garlic Ornamental Corn Turnip
Cabbage Honeydew/Crenshaw Parsnip Watermelon
Cantaloupe Kale Peas Winter Squash
Carrots Kohlrabi Pepper Zucchini
Cauliflower Lettuce Pumpkin  

 

basil imageBasil

Search the database for basil cultivar performance

Basil must be grown from transplants and requires cool temperatures to induce bolting in basil plants. Basil requires warm, sunny weather for optimum growth.

Green

  • Blue Spice (Rich) - produces exceptional leaf yields with a minty aroma but tends to bolt early.
  • Lemon Basil (ST) - produces vigorous plants with a very pleasant citrus aroma
  • Sweet Salad (Rich) - produces small easy to harvest plants with a strong licorice odor.
  • Green Ruffles (Rich,ST) - Green ruffled leaves have an excellent ornamental value.
  • Cinnamon (ST) - Flowers are significant and attractive. Foliage has strong basil aroma with a hint of cinnamon
  • Spicy Globe (ST) - Very attractive variety covered in blooms. Excellent ornamental value. Strong basil flavour with a hint of lemon.
  • Sweet Thai (J) - Mild basil flavour with excellent aroma and ornamental value.

Purple

  • Red Rubin (ST) - Very bushy plants and the most attractive purple leaved variety.

Beans - imageBeans

Search the database for bean cultivar performance

Green beans

  • Foremost (J) - Green beans are easily grown in Saskatchewan from seed.
  • Montano (WDM) - a later maturing type with excellent yields
    Nash (RO, SW)
  • Provider (J,Ve) - an early cultivar with good yields
    Stayton (RO, Sie) - combines early maturity, excellent yields and pod quality
  • Strike (ST,T+T) - a mid-season cultivar with good yields and good holding ability in the field.

Yellow beans

  • Eureka (NOR) - is early and high yielding with small tender pods.
  • Fruidor (CS) - is a later maturing vigorous variety with large high quality pods and excellent yields.
    Gold Mine (ST, NOR)

Purple beans

Filet style beans

  • The thin filet-style beans are not as high yielding but stay tender longer than standard types.

  • Argus (CS) and Belna (CS) are recommended for their yields and excellent quality.
  • Masai (RO) - excellent yields of long thin pods

Broad beans

  • Broad beans are easily grown from seed. Yields and quality are cultivar dependent.

  • Aquadulce (Sie) - a mid-season type with excellent yields.
  • Witkiem (WDM) - an early type with large, full pods.

beets imageBeets

Search the database for beet cultivar performance

Beets are well suited for Saskatchewan and can be grown from seed throughout the growing season.


  • Formanova (ABN) - produces a good stand and sizes early. Cylindrical roots are uniform inshape and deep red.
  • Detroit Supreme (ST) - produces exceptionally high yields of roots with a light exterior but excellent dark interior color. Root shape and size can be variable.
    Rosette (Sem) - produces excellent yields with very uniform root size and shape.
  • Pablo (Ve, BJ) - is early with good yields and quality.
  • Visit the 2009 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current beet trials.

broccoli imageBroccoli

Search the database for broccoli cultivar performance

Broccoli does well in Saskatchewan as either a direct seeded or transplanted crop. Looper and root maggot control is required in most years.

brussels sprouts imageBrussels Sprouts

Search the database for Brussels sprouts cultivar performance

Brussels sprouts are relatively easy to grow in Saskatchewan. Brussels sprouts should be transplanted in Saskatchewan to ensure sprout maturity by the end of the growing season.

  • Adagia (NOR) - good yields with very uniform size and density of sprouts
    Oliver (RO, J, WDM) - is relatively early maturing and high yielding cultivar with large, somewhat loose but widely spaced sprouts that are easy to remove.
  • Sprouket (NOR) - superior yields of attractive, easily removed sprouts.
  • Visit the 2004 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current brussels sprouts trials.

cabbage imageCabbage

Search the database for cabbage cultivar performance

Cabbage does well in Saskatchewan as either a direct seeded or transplanted crop. Flea beetle, looper and root maggot control is required in most years.

Early types

    Balbro (ST, WG)
  • Dynamo (J, RD, Ve) - early maturing variety with good yields of small uniform and dense heads.
  • Grenadier (RD) - uniform shape, size and maturity, small core. Good yields.
    Stokes Early (EFG) - earliest maturing cultivar, performs well as transplant and direct seed.

Mid-season types

  • Almanac (CS, BJ, SW) - excellent yields, with good head density and a small core.
    Bravo (HM)
    Corsar (PALM) - excellent yields and quality
  • Minicole (NOR,Ve) - very uniform shape, size and maturity. Good yields.
    Vantage Point (SW)

Late/Storage types

  • Bartolo (SW, WG) - good yields and head density, although core is large. (05, 06) -
    Rio Verde (RD) - exceptional vigor and yields, although core is large.
    Transam (SW) - large dense heads suitable for direct seeding

Red Cabbage

  • Azuro (NOR) - early maturing with excellent yields. Splits when overmature
  • Buscaro (BJ, SW) - late maturing but very uniform maturity
    Red Jewel (SAK) - very early maturing.
    Roxanne (Os) - good yields, uniform maturity, small cones.
    Royal (ST) - very early with small dense heads.

cauliflower imageCauliflower

Search the database for cauliflower cultivar performance

Cauliflower does well in Saskatchewan as a direct seeded crop if excessive flea beetle damage to the emerging seedlings can be prevented. Transplanting speeds harvest, increases yields and reduces pest problems in cauliflower.


    Minuteman (DOM, NOR, Sem) - an early maturing type with large, high quality heads that must be covered to avoid greening.
    Serrano (MF, RO, ST) - a late maturing variety with excellent yields of high quality, dense heads. Head color is good, but can be improved by covering.
  • Shasta (RO, WCS, WG) - a main season variety, with good head shape and uniformity. Covering the head improves quality.

  • Visit the 2004 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current Cauliflower trials.

carrot imageCarrots

Search the database for carrot cultivar performance

Carrots prefer a light soil and should be grown on raised beds whenever possible.

Nantes style


  • Forto Selection (WDM) - exceptional yields, strong flavour.
    Napoli (Ve, NOR) - good yields and develops good flavor early in season.
  • Navarino (SW) - high yielding, sweet and juicy.
    Ya Ya (BJ,Os) - good stand and vigor, yields and stores well.

Danvers style

  • Achieve (ST) - good yields, taste and sweetness.
  • Big Sur (Sie) - good yield, moist with sweet flavour.
  • Cordoba (SW) - good yield and taste, moist, juicy and crunchy.
    Danvers Half Long (EFG, LIN) - produces a good stand of vigorous plants, and high yields of very uniform sized roots. Flavour and texture are both good.
    Royal Chantenay (EFG)

Imperator style

    Apache (OS, Sie)
  • Bremen (SW) - mid to late season carrot with excellent flavour and yields.
    Eagle (ST) - produces excellent consistent flavour and yields throughout the season.
Visit the 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current danvers carrot trials.

celery imageCelery

Search the database for celery cultivar performance

Celery does quite well in Saskatchewan if grown from transplants. Aster yellows is the most serious pest problem of any significance for this crop.

chinese cabbage imageChinese Cabbage

Search the database for Chinese cabbage cultivar performance

Chinese cabbage is typically high yielding under Saskatchewan conditions, but is prone to heavy insect damage (flea beetle, root maggot) and disease, reducing quality in most varieties by mid to late season.

Pak Choi Type

  • Pak Choi (EFG) - Excellent yielding variety, more resistant to insect damage than others.

Michihili Type

  • Banko (BJ) - Bolting resistant variety with good yields, and minimal tip burn
  • Monument (ST) - Earlier Michihili type with good yields and firm, high quality heads.

Napa Type

corn imageCorn

Search the database for sweet corn cultivar performance

The optimum cultivar choice for sweet corn in Saskatchewan varies from year to year depending on growing conditions. The standard types mature on average 5 days earlier than the sugar enhanced types but the flavor and storage potential of the standard sugar types of corn is inferior to the sugar enhanced types. The supersweet types mature on average 3 days later than the sugar enhanced types but their flavor and storage potential is superior to the other types of corn.

Standard type

  • Earlivee (CK, NOR, Ve) - is an exceptionally early, dependable cultivar. It produces reasonable yields with good flavor but cob size is small and tip fill is variable.
  • Seneca Horizon (ABN, BUR, EFG) - is an extremely dependable, high yielding cultivar with good cob size and eating quality provided it is harvested early and stored properly.

Sugar enhanced type

  • Cochise (ST) - a high yielding bi-colour with short wide cobs and large kernels. Good flavor and tip fill.
  • Edelweiss (MM) - a good yielding white, juicy and sweet.
  • Envoy (MM) - an early maturing bicolor with good flavor and cob quality.
  • Frisky (CK) - a high yielding early bi-colour with excellent flavour and sweetness.
  • Geronimo (EFG, ST) - an early bi-colour with medium sized, uniform cobs. Kernel rows can be uneven.
  • Grant (RO) - a very early all-yellow types, Grant also has good yields and acceptable flavor and cob quality.
  • Seneca Tomahawk (ST, Sem, Ve) - this bicolor is consistently early, with good yields, attractive cobs and excellent flavor.
  • Sunray (MM) - all-yellow mid-season cultivar with good taste and high yields.
  • Sweet Rhythm (HM, Ve) - this bi-colour produces excellent yields of large cobs. Flavor is only average.

Supersweet type

  • Confection (HM) - a later maturing type with good yields, large cobs and excellent flavor.
  • Candy Corner (HM) - high yielding bi-colour with excellent flavour and quality
  • Northern Xtra Sweet (EFG, T+T) - one of the earliest supersweet types. It also produces very large cobs with large kernels. Flavor is only average.
  • Northern Super Sweet (ST, EFG) - this early maturing all-yellow supersweet generally has good flavor but its yields and cob appearance can be variable.
  • Mirai 421 (Sie) - this later season bicolor has excellent eye appeal and eating quality

Synergistic Sweet Corn type

  • Bojangles (CK, DOM, SW) - this bicolor is early maturing and produces excellent yields.
  • Polka (CK) - good yield and flavour, with decent tip fill.
  • Revelation (HM) - this mid-season cultivar is recommended for its excellent yields, flavor and appearance.

Augmented Supersweet type

  • Optimum (CK) - this late season bicolor produces superior yields of high quality cobs
  • Fantastic (SW) - a bit later, but excellent yields and quality

 

cucumber imageCucumber

Search the database for cucumber cultivar performance

Excellent yields of high quality cucumbers can be achieved in most years using even basic production practices. Production aids like transplants, mulches and crop covers will increase yields and promote earliness. Spring frosts, excessive heat during flowering and mildew late in the season are the major production problems for cucumbers.

Pickling

  • Atomic (BJ) - exceptional yields, attractive, smooth fruit.
  • Ballerina (SW) - early maturing, consistent yields.
  • Cool Breeze (NOR) - good consistent yields of uniform fruit.
  • Cool Breeze Improved (Sem) - early with exceptional yields, spiney fruit.
  • Eclipse (ST) - good yields and appearance.
  • Eureka (EFG) - good consistent yields of uniform fruit.
  • Europick (UG) - exceptional yields.
  • Fancipak (Park, Sem, Sie) - excellent yields and good flavor. Tends to oversize quickly. Easy to harvest. Yield peak late in season.
  • Northern Dawn (EFG) - excellent yields of crunchy but bland fruit

Slicing

  • Fanfare (DOM, WDM) - produces consistent yields of high quality, uniform fruit over a long harvest period.
  • Marketmore 76 (WDM) - a mid-season variety with excellent yields of uniform fruit with good flavor and minimum grade-out.
  • Speedway (ST) - excellent yields of uniform juicy fruit.
  • Straight 9 (WH) - exceptional yields but only average flavor.
  • Visit the 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current cucumber trials.

eggplant imageEggplant

Search the database for eggplant cultivar performance

The relatively short, cool growing season in Saskatchewan is not ideal for eggplant production. In order to guarantee good yields and quality, plastic mulch and crop covers should be used with eggplant transplants.

garlic imageGarlic

Search the database for garlic cultivar performance

All garlic trials are planted in the fall, as previous research indicated that fall planting increased yields and quality of garlic in Saskatchewan.

Stiffneck-type (definition)

  • Czech (SSS) -good stand and yields. Best yield multiplier. Purple skin.
  • M&M Stiffneck (M&M) - high yields of large bulbs with very large cloves.
  • Music (SSS) - this very vigorous variety produces high yields of very large bulbs with medium-sized cloves.

Softneck-type (definition)

  • Fish Lake FL-4 (FL) - a high yielding variety with large bulbs and relatively small cloves
  • Vessey's (Ve) - vigorous plants produce large bulbs with many small cloves.

honeydew and crenshaw melon imageHoneydew and Crenshaw Melons

The short, cool growing season makes melon production on the Prairies a risky venture. Growing the crop from transplants using both plastic mulch and crop covers are critical to success. Selection of the right variety is also important, particularly as most early maturing types have relatively poor fruit quality.

Kalekale image

Search the database for kale cultivar performance

Kale is easily grown when direct seeded. Insect and disease problems are minimal in Saskatchewan.

kohlrabi imageKohlrabi

Search the database for kohlrabi cultivar performance

Kohlrabi does well as a direct seeded crop in Saskatchewan. Some flea beetle damage may occur early in the season, however few insect pests are a problem for kohlrabi later in the season, unlike other Brassica crops.

leek imageLeek

Search the database for leek cultivar performance

Leeks are a relatively long season crop and must be transplanted in Saskatchewan to reach maturity. Leek transplants should be buried 5-8 cm to ensure a long white stem.

lettuce imageLettuce

Search the database for lettuce cultivar performance

Excellent yields of high quality of bibb and romaine style lettuce can be consistently achieved in Saskatchewan. By contrast, head lettuce consistently experiences problems with aphid damage, tip-burn and sclerotinia head rot.

Bibb style

  • Bennett (SW) - good stand and yields, crunchy, sweet.
  • Esmeralda (OT) - excellent yields and quality producing very uniform and attractive heads with good flavor.
  • Harmony (Sie) - excellent yields and quality producing very uniform and attractive heads with good flavor.
  • Mantilla (AC, Sem) - excellent yields and quality producing very uniform and attractive heads with good flavor.
  • Pybas Red Butter (Py) - excellent yields and quality producing very uniform and attractive heads with good flavor.

Romaine style

  • Clarimonte (J) - excellent yields of uniform small heads with excellent flavor
  • Parris Island Cos (Ve) - excellent yields over a long harvest period. Some tendency to bolt and sensitivity to tip-burn.
  • Green Forest (Sie) - produces excellent yields with exceptional head quality and flavor.
  • Remington (SSC, Ve) - produces excellent yields with good flavor and head appearance over a long harvest period.

Head style

  • Great Lakes (KY) - large heads with good flavor. Appears sensitive to tip burn and bolting.
  • Tiber (Ve) - an early maturing variety with good yields of small but dense and flavorful heads. Appears to be disease resistant.

Leaf style

  • Marin (ORS) - exceptional yields and appearance, but flavor can be variable
  • Pacifica (ORS) - good yields, appearance and flavor
  • Salad Bowl (EFG) - exceptional vigor and yields with good flavor

Baby leaf style

  • Brigade (SSC) - an attractive green baby romaine lettuce. Flavour is excellent and consistent.
  • Franklin (SSC) - an attractive light green oak-leaf lettuce. Yields are excellent and flavour is mild.

Visit the 2009 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current green Bibb-lettuce recommendations.

Mesclun Mix (Baby Greens)

Search the database for mesclun mix cultivar performance

Mesclun mix grows very well in Saskatchewan. Plants are healthy and attractive. Flavour and appearance varies depending on the mix of plant varieties within the mesclun.

  • Bon Vivant (WDM) - an attractive, high yielding, good tasting cultivar. It includes green leaf lettuce, arugula, red-tipped leaf lettuce, and spinach.
  • Mesclun Mix Improved (NOR) - an attractive mix of cultivars with a good consistent flavour. Plant types include romaine lettuce, and red and purple leaf lettuce.
  • Visit the 2006 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current Mesclun Mix trials.

cantaloupe / muskmelon imageMuskmelon / Cantaloupe

Search the database for cantaloupe cultivar performance

The short, cool growing season makes melon production on the Prairies a risky venture. Growing the crop from transplants using both plastic mulch and crop covers are critical to success. Selection of the right variety is also important, particularly as most early maturing types have relatively poor fruit quality.

onions imageOnions

Search the database for onion cultivar performance
Search the database for onion storage characteristics

If provided with adequate protection from weeds, a good crop of high quality red and yellow onions can be grown from seed in most years in Saskatchewan. The intended storage period will influence the cultivar selected. Transplants or sets are recommended for the longer season, Spanish-style onions.

Yellow-type

  • Copra (BJ, EFG, NOR) - a main season cultivar with good yields and excellent storage quality. Some variability in shape.
  • Daytona (SW) - late maturing with superior yields of medium sized bulbs
  • Frontier (ST, NOR) - early maturing with good yields and storage quality
  • Nebula (SS,ST) - excellent mid-season yields and a uniform, medium size.

Red-type

  • Grateful Red (ST) - good yields, very large, fair skin set.
  • Mars (EFG, NOR, ST, SW) - consistently produces excellent yields of very large early maturing onions that also store well.
  • Red Burgermaster (EFG) - excellent yields and superior storage potential.
  • Red Bull F1 (BJ) - early maturing, good yield and skin set.

Spanish-type

  • Kelsae Giant (EFG) - very uniform, exceptionally large and high yielding with limited storage potential.
  • Riverside Sweet Spanish (ST) - early maturing, medium large, very uniform with high yields and good storage potential.
  • Teton Hybrid (NOR, Sem) - this late maturing cultivar produces exceptional yields of large, uniform, attractive bulbs.

Storage onions

  • Copra (BJ, EFG, NOR) (Yellow) - a main season cultivar with good yields and excellent storage quality. Some variability in shape.
  • Crockett (BJ) (Spanish) - Uniform attractive bulbs with dark skin store well.
  • Frontier (NOR) (Yellow) - early maturing with good yields and storage quality
  • Nebula (NH) (Yellow) - excellent mid-season yields and a uniform, medium size.
  • Red Burgermaster (EFG) (Red) - excellent yields and superior storage potential.
  • Sedona (NOR) (Spanish) - Large attractive bulbs store well.
  • Visit the 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current storage onion recommendations.

Bunching onions

  • Ishikura Improved (T) - excellent yields of tender but pungent stems with white shanks.
  • Kincho (WCS) - excellent yields with a mild flavor.

Visit the 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current storage onion trials.

oriental greens imageOriental Greens

Search the database for Oriental greens cultivar performance

Several types of oriental greens have been tested by the Vegetable Program. Flea beetle damage and root maggot damage can be very severe depending of the cultivar being grown and the date of harvest.

Pac Choi

  • Brisk Green (KY, MCDC*) - Small and attractive, high yielding and mild flavoured.
  • Joi Choi (KY, MCDC*, WG) - Attractive and high yielding variety.

Suey Choi (cabbage type)

  • Blues (T) - High yielding, good flavour, spikey leaves.
  • Yuki (ST, MCDC*) - Mild flavoured variety, high yielding.

Oriental Greens

  • Early Mizuna (T, WDM) - Attractive, finely lobed leaves with good flavour.
  • Garland (WDM) - Chrysanthemum type. Parsley-like flavour.

Mustard Greens

* Seed supplied by Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre.

ornamental corn imageOrnamental corn

Ornamental corn is later maturing than most sweet corn cultivars typically grown in Saskatchewan, but several cultivars can be grown successfully. Cobs are allowed to mature on the plant rather than being harvested when sweet corn would normally be considered ripe.

  • Earth Tone Dent (ST) - excellent yields of large, bright multicolored cobs
  • Fiesta (WDM, WG) - brilliantly coloured cobs with excellent tip fill
  • Red Stalker (Os, WG) - large, multi-coloured cobs and red stalks
  • Wampum (J, WDM) - consistent yields of multicolored cobs

Visit the 2007 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current ornamental corn trials.

parsnip imageParsnip

Search the database for parsnip cultivar performance

Parsnips require the full Saskatchewan growing season to reach a good size. The best parsnip production occurs on raised beds in a lighter soil. Harvesting after a good fall frost encourages sweetness.

peas imagePeas

Search the database for snap peas cultivar performance
Search the database for snow peas cultivar performance

Drought and heat during flowering, followed by mildew late in the season represent the major production challenges for peas.

Snap-style

  • Bolero (EFG) - vigorous, with consistent yields.
  • Eclipse (ST) - late maturing, with exceptional yields and flavor
  • Galena (WCS) - a main season cultivar with good yields and flavor. Very uniform maturity. Sweet and juicy with long pods.
  • Novella Improved (WDM) - good yields over an extended harvest period.
  • Straight Arrow (WDM) - a main season cultivar with good yields and quality. Very uniform maturity of long, narrow pods.

Snow-type

peppers imagePeppers

Search the database for sweet pepper cultivar performance
Search the database for hot pepper cultivar performance

The short, cool growing season makes pepper production on the Prairies a risky venture, particularly if the objective is to produce mature red fruit. (pepper ripening stages) Growing the crop from transplants using both plastic mulch and crop covers are critical to successful pepper production.

Banana-type

  • Banana Supreme (T+T) - combines earliness and high yield potential with good fruit quality and flavor.

Bell-type

  • Redstart (ST) - one of the earliest to turn red, this cultivar produces large numbers of relatively small fruit.
  • Scarlet King (ST) - early to mature, good yield potential and excellent quality small, blocky fruit.
  • Socrates X3R (NOR, ST) - early maturing, excellent yields and uniform fruit quality.
  • Wizard X3R (ST, SW) - superior yields and good fruit quality.

Hot-type (jalapeno, habanero, chili, cayenne)

pumpkin imagePumpkins

Search the database for pumpkin cultivar performance

While pumpkins can be grown successfully in most years, the crop can still benefit from the use of transplants, plastic mulch and crop covers. Cold and wet conditions at harvest can result in significant losses to rot during storage and marketing.

Carving-type

  • Autumn King (ST) - variable size and shaped fruit but excellent yields.
  • Big Autumn(BUR) - relatively early maturing with good yields of large (11-15 kg) fruit which are uniform in size and shape.
  • Orange Smoothie (DOM, NOR) - excellent yields of smooth, small sized (< 5 kg) attractive fruit with a long stem.
  • Neon (Sie, SW, WG) - excellent yields of smooth, small sized (< 5 kg), bright colored, attractive fruit.
  • Rouge Vif D’Etampes (J, WCS) - very high yields of large (11-15 kg), red skinned, thick walled, flat fruit. Unique shape and good potential for use as a pie pumpkin.
  • Spirit Hybrid (EFG, RUPP, Sem) - consistently produces good yields of uniform-shaped, medium-size (5-11 kg), early-maturing fruit.

Pie-type

radish imageRadish

Search the database for radish cultivar performance

Several plantings of radish are possible during the Saskatchewan growing season. Quality is affected by the presence or absence of certain insect pests. Severe infestations of flea beetles can destroy radish plants at emergence. Root maggots can render beautiful radishes unmarketable.

spinach imageSpinach

Search the database for spinach cultivar performance

Resistance to bolting is one of the main quality challenges for spinach production in Saskatchewan.

Swiss chardswiss chard image

Search the database for Swiss chard cultivar performance

Excellent yields of high quality Swiss chard can be achieved consistently in Saskatchewan by direct seeding.

tomato imageTomatoes

Search the database for tomato cultivar performance

The short, cool growing season makes tomato production on the Prairies challenging. Transplants are a must, however tomatoes do not appear to benefit from plastic mulches or crop covers. Blossom end rot is a common problem and is considered in the cultivar recommendations.

Early

  • Cabot (Ve) - good yields of relatively small fruit. Sweet but lacking in acidity.
  • Duchess (KY, Ve) - large numbers of small round fruit. Acceptable taste.

Full - season

  • Celebrity (EFG, LIN) - good consistent yields of attractive fruit with acceptable flavor.
  • Sunrise (ST) - excellent yields of uniform, medium-sized fruit.
  • Super Fantastic (WCS) - excellent yields of large, flavorful, juicy fruit.

Yellow

  • Taxi (J) - excellent yields of early maturing, uniform sized yellow fruit.

Paste

  • Monix (WCS) - small plant with good yields of fast-maturing large fruit.

Heirloom tomatoes

  • Black Prince (J) - late maturing, but produces tasty, medium size dark red/orange fruit.
  • Orange King (BG) - late maturing, but consistently produces good yields of attractive and flavorful orange fruit.
  • Oxheart (TER) - very late maturing, with only moderate yields but has exceptional flavor.

turnip imageTurnips/Rutabaga (Swede)

Search the database for turnip cultivar performance

Turnips/Rutabagas are easily grown from seed in Saskatchewan. Flea beetles (early season) and root maggots may provide significant problems, but high populations of root maggots result in excessive levels of root damage of both turnip and rutbaga in most locations and years in Saskatchewan.

watermelon imageWatermelon

Search the database for watermelon cultivar performance

Watermelon production on the Prairies is a very risky venture except in the most favorable of years. Using transplants with plastic mulch and crop covers are critical to successful watermelon production. Even with these production aids, the fruit are rarely ready before early September, by which time, demand for watermelon has largely passed.

Red Flesh

  • Lantha (HOLL) - a high yielding later maturing cultivar with good consistent fruit quality
  • Redlicious (Sie, WH) - matures early and produces large oblong fruit
  • Sweet Black (AH) - early maturing with excellent yields and fruit quality
  • Sweet Favorite (DOM) - another early maturing cultivar with large oblong fruit

Yellow Flesh

  • Tiny Orchid (Os) - small, early maturing extremely sweet fruit but will crack if handled roughly
  • Yellow Baby (NOR) - medium size, high quality fruit

 

winter squash imageWinter Squash

Search the database for winter squash cultivar performance

Excellent yields of high quality squash can be achieved in most years using even basic production practices. Production aids like transplants, mulches and crop covers will increase yields and promote earliness of most types of squash.

Acorn-type

  • Cream of the Crop (RO, ST) - this late maturing variety produces excellent yields of high quality, dense fruit. Stems tend to break off.
  • Table Ace (HM, J, Sem, WDM) - this early maturing variety produces excellent yields of high quality, dense fruit.

Buttercup-type

  • Ambercup (Ve) - consistently produces high yields of high quality, bright orange fruit.
  • Buttercup (EFG, LIN) - produces large numbers of relatively small but dense fruit with thick walls.

Butternut-type

Delicata-type

Spaghetti-type

zucchini imageZucchini

Search the database for zucchini cultivar performance

Excellent yields of high quality zucchini can be achieved in most years using even basic production practices. Production aids like transplants, mulches and crop covers will increase yields and promote earliness.

Green-type

  • Ambassador (Sem, WDM, WG) - good yields and quality.
  • Bobcat (ST) (ST) - very vigorous bushy plants produce exceptional yields
  • Cashflow (ST) - open, easy to harvest canopy and good yields
  • Spineless Beauty (NOR) - very high yields of fast maturing fruit. Some sensitivity to scarring.
  • Super Gray(UG) - exceptional yields with an open, easy to harvest canopy

Yellow-style

  • Gold Finger (ST) - excellent yields of very uniform, attractive bright yellow fruit.
  • Golden Rod (WDM) - excellent yields of high quality bright yellow fruit, although fruit are prone to breakage at harvest.

Visit the 2007 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials for the most current green zucchini trials.
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