This 'n That Thursdays: 2018 Garden Picks of the Year, Part 4b

From Balcony Garden Web

For my last 2018 garden picks of the year post, I present the six All-America Selections choices for National Edible-Vegetable Winners!  Like all AAS winners, they are new for the season, tested the previous season by volunteer horticulture professionals, and judged to be the superior performers in impartial trials.  Now let's get started:

Sweet American Dream Corn

Corn is not my favorite food, but when I do eat it I prefer sweet, tender bicolor corn.  If I had the perfect spot for a big vegetable garden I would definitely give AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner Sweet American Dream Corn a try.  According to the trial judges, the flavor and performance of this variety topped that of their previous bicolor corn winner!  Excellent germination, slightly earlier maturation, and super sweet, tender kernels from vigorous, healthy plants that performed well in a variety of growing locations make this sweet corn variety an excellent choice for the home vegetable garden.

Pak Choi Asian Delight F1

The only Asian vegetable I have ever grown before is Japanese eggplant, but if I had a big garden plot for vegetables I would give Asian Delight F1 Pak Choi a try.  AAS trials found that this AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner was significantly slower to bolt than any other pak choi (aka bok choy) variety, which means that it has the potential for much greater yield.  The small to mid-size heads have sweet, tender white ribs and dark green, textured leaves.

Red Ember F1 Cayenne Pepper

I am not a fan of hot peppers, but for those who are, AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner Red Ember F1 Cayenne Pepper is a variety to try.  Vigorous plants produce abundant fruits that mature early, with a taste that is sweet and moderately spicy.  This hot pepper can be grown in the garden or in containers, and would be a versatile ingredient in many recipes.

Roulette F1 Habanero Pepper

The unique feature of AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner Roulette F1 Habanero Pepper is its lack of spicy heat, which means that this is a pepper I would seriously consider growing.  Abundant ruits mature early, are relatively uniform in size, and have more of a citrusy rather than spicy flavor.  These peppers work well for garden plots or containers.  I will be on the lookout for this habanero pepper variety in my local garden supply stores!

Cocktail Red Racer F1 Tomato

If you are looking for a tomato variety that is neither too big nor too small, will grow in the garden or in a container, and produces early, uniformly-sized clusters of fruits that have good acid/sweet flavor balance, than look no further than the AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner Cocktail Red Racer F1 Tomato.  Plants are compact and determinate (bush-type), and if you prefer to start your own seeds they are available in organic or conventional options.

Valentine F1 Tomato

The final AAS 2018 Edible-Vegetable National Winner selected is the Valentine F1 Tomato, a grape tomato variety with deep red coloring and very sweet flavor.  The heat-resistant vines are suitable for gardens or containers, but are indeterminate and must be staked.  Plants are vigorous and prolific.  The fruits mature early, and resist cracking and flavor loss.  Grape tomatoes are my favorite, so I would be happy to give this variety a try!

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In addition to the national Edible-Vegetable Winners, there are three regional winners in this category as well (Mexican Sunrise F1 Hungarian Pepper suitable for the Southeast and Mountain/ Southwest regions; Mexican Sunset F1 Hungarian Pepper suitable for the Southeast; and Chef's Choice Red F1 Tomato suitable for the Southeast and West/Northwest regions).  If you live in these areas you might want to check out the top picks chosen for your region.

I am busily planting what I can in my limited garden spaces, but we have been getting so much rain lately that I am afraid I will lose some of my new plants to rot!  I hope we get to see the sun again soon, but the weather forecast is not promising.  May you have more fortuitous gardening weather in your location, and if you need rain I will do my best to will some of ours in your direction!