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Every year for the past 75 years, plant experts from across the country have gotten together to chose the best of the best vegetables and flowers. These choices are known as the All-America Selections®. Here's a look at the selections for 2008.
Founded in 1932 by W. Ray Hastings had a goal, which was to search for the best varieties of flowers and vegetables throughout the land. This is done in 48 trial gardens and178 display gardens located coast to coast. Plants are tested for disease resistance and hardiness. Only the best receive the coveted AAS mark of excellence.
Here are some intresting facts furnished by AAS:
Highest number of AAS winners: 32 in 1932
Lowest number of AAS winners: 1954 and 1976
Total number of varieties introduced as AAS winners: 668
Flower class with most winners: petunia (65 winners)
Vegetable class with most winners: beans (36 winners)
Number of AAS judges: 61
There are three AAS winners for 2008, and here they are:
Viola ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’
Small blooms about 1 ½ inches across with gold petals around a plum colored center. Even though the blooms are on the small side, the abundance of blooms makes up for the small size.
Planting early in the north will produce blooms into the summer heat. Fall planting in the south will produce blooms throughout the winter.
This is an excellent container plant as it grows 6-8 inches tall.
This is a good choice for providing color in late fall and early spring when the rest of the landscape is drab.
Osteospermum ‘Asti White’
If you like blooms that contain blue, you’ll like this one.
An excellent choice for dry areas as it tolerates drought conditions very well. White petals surrounding a blue center, it closely resembles a daisy.
It produces 2-2 ½ inches blooms on plants that grow to a height of 17-20 inches. This is another plant that is well suited for containers over 6 inches in diameter.
'Asti White' may be planted early in the spring much earlier than other annuals.
Eggplant ‘Hansel’
There are not many miniature eggplants available.Hansel produces finger sized fruits 2-10 inches in length... Don't let the small size discourage you from this variety: what it lacks in size it makes up for in quantity.
The smaller fruits are tender and are not bitter like some of its larger cousins.
This is a must-have for all the gourmet cooks out there.
For those of you who lack space for a vegetable garden, 'Hansel' produces well in containers.
The fruits are ready to harvest about 55 days after transplanting.
Images and plant descriptions courtesy of All-America Selections®
About Paul Rodman
Paul Rodman has been gardening for over 40 years. He is an Advanced Master Gardener, and American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. He is currently president of the Western Wayne County Master Gardener Association in Wayne County, Michigan.
Rodman is the garden columnist for The News Herald newspaper, in Southgate, Michigan. He has also written for the OrganicGardening.com web site.
He has lectured on various gardening topics throughout southeastern Michigan.
His favorite pastime is teaching children about gardening. For the past several years he has conducted classes for second grade students teaching them about subjects ranging from vermi-composting to propagation.
Posted by CapeCodGardener (from Mid-Cape, MA) on January 28, 2008 at 11:51 PM:
I really appreciate your bringing these selections to my notice, because I would most probably have missed them. I'm ordering the seeds and can't wait to reap the benefits!
...
Subject: 2008 selections
Posted by Gig_i (from West Yarmouth, MA) on January 28, 2008 at 1:56 PM:
When do additional plants become "published"?
...
Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on January 28, 2008 at 2:55 PM:
What do mean by additional plants?
Paul
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Subject: UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS
Posted by MotherNature4 (from Bartow, FL) on January 28, 2008 at 12:03 PM:
Why is it that any time I wish to read further on Daves Garden Weekly News, I keep getting UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS.
I am a paid subscriber. What should I do.
Audrey
...
Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on January 28, 2008 at 1:45 PM:
Dmail Dave or Terry
...
Subject: Buying seeds
Posted by desmondo (from La Ciotat
(France)) on January 28, 2008 at 7:01 AM:
I placed an order on a French supplier Tropa-------
I sent a checque with the order 5 weeks later the checque was returned with the order
it said:-Not available,
that is all no sorry nothing!!!
I placed the same order on Chiltern Seeds in England One week later the seeds arive and I was informed by email that the company received the order and the dispatch date that is what I call service, a company like that deserves to prosper.
By the way if you have a bug called Aphids use garlic on the infected plant/s
it realy seams to work and its Green!
Desmondo
...
Posted by greenpazz (from Batesville, AR) on January 28, 2008 at 9:11 AM:
I have ordered from international seed sources for years. Suggestions for the future.
ORDER EARLY!! I mean like around first week of January, if not while everybody else is out still Christmas shopping. This GREATLY increases your chances of getting the seeds you want, especially if supplies run short on some varieties. I would apply this rule even to orders with companies located in the USA.
Shop... AND PAY!! .... online with PayPal or your credit card. This takes care of the change of currency fees that all banks must charge, as by these means you are automatically paying in the currency of the country where you placed the order.
If you send a check, it has to go thru the systems of international currency, their bank will charge your supplier a handling fee (which hopefully you added to the amount of your check?), and when it's going to cost an international-rate postage stamp to return your check, you've cost that supplier money just by his being courteous enough to send your check back. With an electronic funds transaction, the supplier could have refunded your money instantly at no cost to either of you when they did not have the product.
Allow for communications to be brief and / or difficult if you are not able to correspond in the language of the country from which you are ordering. Altho English is widely taught in Europe, it's unrealistic and vain of us to assume that every business in another country employs people who read and write fluent English. A brief answer could come from a book of translated phrases. Sending you a whole letter of explanation would take a lot more employee time (thus company money), and remember they are not getting a sale from you anyway.
For best economy, see if your desired variety of seeds is already available here in the United States. Major seed houses have branches in the USA, and many of the smaller ... and larger!... seed companies stock varieties from other countries, offering imported seeds in many cases.
Hopefully these tips will by helpful in the future.... and help prevent any misunderstandings when you're shopping across oceans and thru language and currency mazes.
