Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
November 13, 2012
After the completion of the 2012 trialing season, All-America Selections (AAS) is pleased to announce the second batch of winners for the 2013 season. As a sign of the continuing trend in the home garden market, three of the four winners are from the vegetable category, even though two are classified botanically as fruits, and one is debatably a fruit. A fourth winner, a geranium, is always a garden-favorite. These four winners join the two flower winners that were announced last July, all of which are new introductions for the 2013 gardening season.
Each of these winners was trialed next to two or three other similar varieties that are currently on the market. The AAS Judges grew each entry and the comparisons then did a side-by-side analysis of growth habit, taste, disease resistance and additional characteristics to determine if these were truly better than those already available to home gardeners. Only those entries with superior garden performance (and taste, for edibles) are granted the honor of an AAS Award.
With this announcement, these varieties become available for immediate sale. Brokers and growers can purchase these varieties immediately. Consumers will find this seed for sale in the coming months as supply becomes available with catalog companies, in seed packets, from mail order companies and various websites. AAS Winners will also become available as young plants in lawn & garden retail stores next spring.
Geranium ‘Pinto™ Premium White to Rose’ F1
AAS 2013 Bedding Plant Award Winner
This addition to the Pinto™ Premium series is a must-have! Not only is the flower coloration of white changing to rose unique and ombre-like but the numerous 5” blooms are long-lasting and slightly earlier than similar varieties. Our judges like how full and dense the plants are with well-branched stems sporting leaves with beautiful dark green zone coloration. The 2012 trials were tough because of extreme heat but ‘Pinto Premium White to Rose’ performed extremely well making it a great choice for landscapers or gardeners wanting a carefree, colorful summer garden. Bred by Syngenta Flowers, Inc.
Melon ‘Melemon’ F1
AAS 2013 Vegetable Award Winner
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 flesh and a unique sweet and tart taste. Bred by Known-You Seed Co., Ltd.
Tomato, Cherry ‘Jasper’ F1
AAS 2013 Vegetable Award Winner
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 then hold well after ripening both on the vine and post-harvest. Vigorous vines require little or no fertilization. An added bonus is high disease resistance to Late Blight, Fusarium races 1, 2 and Early Blight plus the ability to overcome weather-related stresses. Bred by Johnny’s Selected Seeds.
Watermelon ‘Harvest Moon’ F1
AAS 2013 Vegetable Award Winner
The first 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 flesh. ‘Harvest Moon’ retains the familiar dark green rind with yellow dots, but is seedless, earlier to ripen, higher yielding and better tasting. This high-value item is great for bedding plant growers as a transplant item. Bred by Seeds By Design.
More details on each winner can be found on the AAS Winners web page. Garden writers, extension agents, retailers and others interested in publicizing these winners can find additional photos on the AAS website under Image Center.
All-America Selections was founded in 1932 and continues as the oldest independent plant testing organization in North America. Every year, never-before-sold varieties are trialed in our Trial Grounds where professional horticulturists determine which varieties will be deemed winners based on their garden performance. AAS relies upon a public relations program to inform gardeners about AAS Winners that are announced three times a year.
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