AAS Winners for 2013

A Horticulture Information article from the Wisconsin Master Gardener website, posted 28 Dec 2012 AAS Winners for 2013 All-America Selections has announced the fi rst six of their winners for 2013 (with more to possibly be announced in late January). Look for the red, white and blue logo of All-America Selections on seed packets in retail stores, plant tags in bedding plants in garden centers or nurseries, or in mail-order catalogs this spring. Success is almost guaranteed with these varieties of reliable new fl ower and vegetable varieties. After 80 years of exclusively trialing new seed varieties, All-America Selections (AAS) has announced it will start including vegetatively-propagated ornamentals in its 2013 trialing program. The non-profi t All-America Selections (AAS) organization was founded in 1932 to foster the development, production and distribution of new and better horticultural and agricultural varieties, species, strains and kinds in and for North America. AAS winners are superior new annual fl ower and vegetable plants recognized for signifi cant achievements a promise of gardening success. Only the very best varieties receive this prestigious award. All AAS winners have been tested for home garden performance in more than 30 independent test sites, each under the responsibility of an AAS judge, all over the United States and Canada. Gardeners can rely on AAS Winners to perform in their garden because of these unbiased, independent tests. Most of the time only one to three fl ower varieties and the same number of vegetables get this award each year, and sometimes none qualifi es. So far there are two fl owers, one bedding plant and three vegetabale award winners. More winners may be announced early in 2013. The AAS winners for 2013 are: AAS Flower Award Winner: Canna South Pacific Scarlet Allow South Pacifi c to add a touch of the tropics to your garden with showy, 4 fl owers that bloom all summer long in a delicious shade of scarlet. This variety is grown from seed, not tuber. Compact in habit and well suited for both landscape and container use. Canna South Pacifi c Scarlet prefers warm and humid conditions over 77F. This variety is more vigorous, more uniform, and has more basal branching than Canna Tropical Red. AAS Judges raved about this fi rst F1 hybrid canna from seed because it is such a fl oriferous bloomer. South Pacifi c grows up 4-5 tall, providing a great grouping of specimen plants or a Canna generalis Common name: Canna Hardiness zone: 8 Garden spacing: 18-24 inches Bloom time: Summer Bloom color: Solid scarlet Bloom size: 4.5 inches Weather Tolerance: Heat, rain Pollinator Friendly: Bees Tropical Red, Tropical Rose, Tropical Bronze Scarlet

back-of-the-border focal point. The colorful blooms are produced on a fl ower spike held above the large leafed statuesque plants. Home gardeners will love the robust nature and the many fl ower-laden branches it produces. South Pacifi c boasts 6-7 stems per plant and delivers larger fl owers than other seed cannas. The scarlet fl owers appear early, bloom consistently all summer and withstand a light frost better than comparisons. As with other cannas, South Pacifi c tolerates wet conditions so it can be used as a pond border or in other similar growing conditions. Seeds should be sown indoors in mid- to late February in a growing medium. Lightly cover the seeds and water. Maintain a temperature of 68 to 77 F. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into individual pots. Plant outdoors after the danger of frost is past. Easy to grow. Plant in full sun for the most showy blooms. Will tolerate and bloom in partial shade in hot climates. Tolerant of heavy soils but thrives in all conditions but drought. Generous watering will promote heavier fl owering and keep the foliage clean and lush. Canna is a perennial but can be treated as an annual by northern gardeners. Rhizomes can be dug before fi rst frost and stored properly for the next season. Bred by Takii & Co. Ltd. AAS Flower Award Winner: Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit This stunning fi rst-year fl owering echinacea captures the spirit of the North American plains by producing a delightful mix of fl ower colors from rich purple, pink, red and orange tones to lighter yellows, creams and white. This wide range of fl ower colors on well branched, durable plants are sure to please the color preferences of any gardener. As an added bonus, Cheyenne Spirit does not require a lot of water and offers a wide range of uses from the perennial border, in a mass landscape planting, in a butterfl y garden or as a cut fl ower. The AAS judges and their trial garden visitors raved about the attractiveness of the fl owers and the range of colors while appreciating its sturdiness and low water needs. Even during wind and rain, this compact plant does not topple over like many echinacea. The variety of intense, bright colors adds sparkle to the garden from mid-summer through fall. As an added bonus, this maintenance-free echinacea doesn t even need deadheading to provide summer long beauty. Bred by Kieft Seed All echinacea are perennials and native to the American prairie. To produce plants from seed that will fl ower the fi rst year, sow seed no later than January 25, regardless of location. Sow seed on top of germination media that has been thoroughly wet and allowed to drain. Seed can be exposed to light or covered lightly with media. Maintain 65F to 70F soil media for 10 to 15 days, the length of time for germination. Seedlings can be transplant- Echinacea hybrida Common name: Conefl ower Duration type: Perennial Hardiness zone: 4 Water needs: Drought tolerant Garden spacing: 24 inches Bloom time: Summer, fall Bloom color: Red, pink, yellow, orange, purple, white Bloom size: 3-3.5 inches Weather Tolerance: Drought Pollinator Friendly: Bees, butterfl ies Paradiso Mix, Magnus, Bravado

ed into larger containers within 20 to 28 days. Transplant into a full-sun garden location with amended soil that is well draining. Plants thrive with few disease or insect problems AAS Bedding Plant Award Winner: Geranium Pinto Premium White to Rose This addition to the Pinto Premium series is a must-have! Not only is the fl ower coloration unique and ombre-like, but the numerous 5-inch blooms are long-lasting in the garden. Petals start out white then deepen to rose-pink as fl owers mature, giving an attractive bicolor effect. Dense, well-branched plants sport deep green leaves with darker zones that contrast beautifully with the light colored fl owers. Pinto Premium White to Rose is a great choice for carefree, colorful summer garden beds or patio containers. Plant 12 to 18 inches apart in well drained soil after the last frost date in your area. Grow in full sun and keep soil evenly moist. Geraniums are carefree but benefi t from regular fertilizing. Apply a water-soluble fertilizer every other week for best performance, especially when planted in containers. Removing spent blooms on Pinto Premium Geraniums is not necessary, as new fl owers will quickly cover over the old. However, if you wish to remove the old fl owers, they should be snapped off cleanly, by hand, at the base of the fl ower stem, where it joins the plant. For more information on Pinto Premium White to Rose and other fl owers for your garden, go to www.syngentafl owersinc.com. Pelargonium x hortorum Common name: Geranium Foliage color: Dark green Garden spacing: 12-18 inches Bloom time: Summer to frost Bloom color: Rose, white bicolor Bloom size: 5 inches Pollinator Friendly: All Pinto Blush, Maverick Appleblossom, Diva Rose Ice AAS Vegetable Award Winner: Melon Melemon F1 The earliness, high yield on healthy, strong plants and superior taste all contributed to this melon becoming an AAS Winner. Judges related the taste of this melon to honeydew, but with a surprising and delicious tanginess. A uniform fruit shape makes it perfect for market growers as well as home gardeners. Each personal-sized fruit has refreshing crisp fl esh and a unique sweet-tart taste. In northern areas, sow seed 4 weeks prior to last frost date. Sow seed directly into peat pots fi lled with soilless mix that has been well-watered and allowed to drain. Cover with media and maintain 75 F. Wrap in plastic to maintain uniform moisture. Cucumis melo Common name: Piel de Sapo type melon Staking: Yes Plant habit: Climbing, vining Garden spacing: 14 inches Days to harvest (seed): 85-95 Days (transplant): 70-80 Fruit color (harvest): green rind turns to chartreuse at maturity, white fl esh Fruit Shape: Oblate

Germination will occur in 7 to 14 days. Keep warm, transplant after soil and air temperatures warm or protect it from cool night temperatures. In areas with long growing seasons, seed may be sown directly into prepared garden soil. AAS Vegetable Award Winner: Tomato Jasper F1 Excellent taste, a long harvest window and outstanding performance in the trials contributes to this tomato s success. Judges liked the texture and sweetness of the tomato as well as the uniformity of the fruits that grow on vigorous, healthy plants. Jasper is a high yielding variety with fruits that stay on the vine and then hold well after ripening both on the vine and post-harvest. Vigorous vines require little or no fertilization. An added bonus is fusarium resistance and the ability to overcome weather-related stresses. Sow in fl ats, using a soilless peat-based mix 5-6 weeks before plants can be transplanted outside. Keep temperature of the starting mix at 75-90 F. When fi rst true leaves develop, transplant into plug trays or 3-4 pots for large stock 7-8 week transplants. Grow seedlings at 60-70 F. Water only enough to keep the mix from drying. Fertililze with fi sh emulsion or a soluble, complete fertilizer. Transplant outdoors into medium-rich garden soil 14-20 inches apart. Avoid setting out unprotected plants until night temperatures are over 45 F. Frost will cause severe damage. Cucumis melo continued Fruit Size: 6.5 inches in diameter, 6 inches in height Fruit Weight: 4.5 pounds Fruit Flavor Description: Unique sweet-tart taste, fruits hold one month after harvest Plant Spread: 28 inches Lambkin, Kermit, Saporosa Solanum lycopersium Common name: cherry tomato Staking: Yes Plant habit: Rambling, vining Garden spacing: 1-2 feet Days to harvest (seed): 90 Days (transplant): 60 Fruit color (harvest): Red Fruit Shape: Round cherry Fruit Size: 3/4 inch Fruit Weight: 1/3 ounce Fruit Flavor Description: Sweet rich taste Plant Spread: 12-24 inches Suncherry Premium, Juliet, Sweet Baby Girl AAS Vegetable Award Winner: Watermelon Harvest Moon F1 The fi rst ever hybrid, triploid seedless watermelon to win a coveted AAS Award! Similar to the popular heirloom variety, Moon and Stars, Harvest Moon is an improvement in that it features healthy, shorter vines that produce medium-sized fruits and sweet, crisp pinkish-red fl esh. Harvest Moon retains the familiar dark green rind with yellow dots, like that of Moon and Stars but is seedless, earlier to ripen, higher yielding and better tasting. As one judge said, What s not to like? Triploid (seedless) watermelon can be tricky to germinate, so we recommend starting seed indoors and keeping the soil temperature at 85-90 degrees F until germination occurs. Note: Triploids require planting with a

diploid pollinator in a ratio of three triploids to one diploid. When purchasing seed packets, Harvest Moon will be packaged with the proper number of pollinators. When purchasing transplants at retail, please inquire which pollinator is best to interplant with Harvest Moon to ensure success. Sow seed 4 weeks prior to last frost date. Sow seed directly into peat pots fi lled with soilless mix that has been well-watered and allowed to drain. Cover with media and maintain 85-90 degrees F. Wrap in plastic to maintain uniform moisture. Keep warm, transplant after soil and air temperatures warm or protect from cool night temperatures. Additional Information: All America Selections at www.all-americaselections.org/ Citrullus lanatus Common name: Seedless watermelon Water needs: Dry to normal Plant habit: Vining Garden spacing: 3-5 feet Days to harvest (seed): not recommended Days (transplant): 80-100 Fruit color (harvest): Green rind with yellow spots and blotches; red fl esh Fruit shape: Elongated round Fruit size: 13-15 inches Fruit weight: 18-20 pounds Fruit flavor description: Sweet and crisp # Fruits per plant: 4-5 Plant spread: 3-5 feet Moon and Stars Red, Moon and Stars Yellow