All-America Selections has been trialing edible and ornamental plants for over 90 years, presenting awards to entries that will impress home gardeners with their performance regionally or nationally. There have been plenty of exciting new winners that merit a place in your garden that will be highlighted in this series.
AAS Winners are grown and planted at nearly 200 Display Gardens all over the US and Canada, including nine gardens in Iowa. To see these winners and more, check out www.all-americaselections.org and search under the Display Gardens tab. For a sneak peek at potential future winners, plan a visit to Reiman Gardens, an All-America Selections Trial Garden.
Around this time every winter, I get really hungry for a sun-ripened summer tomato. Consider adding one or all of these to your veggie patch this summer.
Solanum lycopersicum ‘Chef’s Choice Red’: a perfect heirloom beefsteak flavor with improved disease resistance. Very little breakage in the vines, even with bountiful production. Chef’s Choice is a series that includes green, orange, yellow, pink, bicolor, and black; grow a whole rainbow!
Solanum lycopersicum ‘Midnight Snack’: ‘Midnight Snack’ will ripen with a beautiful black shoulder in sun. A great improvement in purple tomatoes in both taste and texture. Home gardeners will delight in popping a handful of these every time they visit the garden. Eye-catching and so flavorful, you might even sneak outside in the middle of the night!
Solanum lycopersicum ‘Patio Choice Yellow F1’: ‘Patio Choice Yellow’ is just the right size for a small corner of the garden, a fun addition to annual bedding, or perfect on a deck, patio, or balcony. This tomato plant only grows 15-18” and is simply covered in tasty little yellow tomatoes. Wouldn’t this little tomato be great in a mixed container on a front porch, ready to snack between the end of a day out and suppertime?
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