Here’s why the strawberry season in Ontario seems to be getting longer

Have you noticed that the strawberry season in Ontario is longer than you might remember as a kid? There is a reason for this, and it has to do with the types of strawberries used and the way they are grown.

The strawberry season has started in Ontario and for some growers it will last until October, and in some cases even beyond.

“Growers use a combination of early, mid and late season June-bearing varieties, which typically produce berries from early June to mid-July,” Connie Osborne, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) ), said in an emailed statement, giving some examples of breeding methods and varieties used.

“Growers will use row covers in the spring to advance the crop in some fields, by raising the temperature and protecting the crops from frost, to extend the season.”

“Day-neutral strawberries form flower buds under any day length and flower and fruit continuously throughout the season. They are grown on plastic mulch and will produce a crop the year they are planted, starting from mid-July and continuing through October,” she added .

Osborne explained that growing can go beyond doing it in greenhouses and using “strawberries grown vertically.”

“Technology and research advancements allow manufacturers to control the environment, such as incorporating misting systems for optimal humidity and temperature, as well as using ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lamps to control pests such as powdery mildew,” she said.

“These improvements also allow people to enjoy Ontario strawberries all winter long.”

This extended strawberry season is something Will Heeman of Heeman’s Strawberry Farm in Thorndale, Ont. noticed and contributed to it.

“When I was the age of my son now, the strawberry season was three weeks in a bad year and five weeks in a good year, and now we pick strawberries for about five months.”

“So we’ve definitely changed and tweaked some things to be able to have a more consistent harvest where people don’t blink an eye and you’re going to miss strawberry season.”

They use three different varieties to produce berries until October or even November.

“You’re always trying to find a new variety, so we have some that are early and some that are very late,” he said.

Different species, same season

Murray Martin of Martin’s Strawberry Farm in Wallenstein, Ont. said they have not extended their strawberry season in the 12 years he has been in charge of what was his wife’s family farm. They grow other things so they limit this particular season.

“It is possible to expand it with varieties, but we are not interested,” he explains, adding that their strawberry season lasts about six weeks.

What has changed are the varieties they grow. At the moment they use a total of five varieties that help them carry the strawberry season from June to almost July.

“We switched races,” he said. “We’re kind of trying to find the ones that we prefer.”