Vancouver Island winter vegetable variety trial: spinach & chicory

Climate change is shifting precipitation patterns and increasing temperatures on Vancouver Island. These changing conditions create variability in growing season length and may change seasonal crop and variety suitability.

These changes also bring potential opportunities for vegetable growers interested in season extension. The identification of crops and specific varieties for winter harvest helps growers investigate the possibility of fresh produce demand in the off season and provide them with profitable options for season extension.

The project report summarizes the approach and key findings of field trials from July 2021 to December 2022 to assess the suitability of seven chicory and seven spinach varieties for winter harvest on Vancouver Island.

The trial was designed to facilitate producer involvement and ongoing input. A two-year trial was used to identify trends amidst different climatic, soil, and management conditions

The Chicory factsheet and this video summarize the chicory field trials:

The Spinach Factsheet and this video summarize the spinach field trials:

Downloads

Project Report – Vancouver Island Winter Vegetable Variety Trials – 2023

7 MB, pdf

Fact Sheet – Chicory – Vancouver Island Winter Vegetable Variety Trial – 2023

1 MB, pdf

Fact Sheet – Spinach – Vancouver Island Winter Vegetable Variety Trial – 2023

1 MB, pdf