Choose best and newest veggies for 2016

By Marilyn McKinley

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

Each year, the All-American Selections program selects the best of the new seed-grown vegetables and flowers.

AAS was founded in 1932 and continues to be the oldest independent testing organization in North America.

The program is divided into regions of the country so gardeners can select seeds that were outstanding in their gardening zone.

There are research gardens throughout the United States focusing on what grows in the region.

The new seed selections must represent a totally new variety or one that was improved in some way over the existing seed.

The selection is made in November each year by horticulture experts throughout North America.

The seed selected will be available for purchase this spring at your local garden centers and other retail garden establishments.

Many of them are available in your favorite seed catalogs already.

The 2016 vegetable winners from trials across the county and specific for our area include:

Tomato

Candyland Red: The only AAS award-winning currant-type tomato. Currant tomatoes are smaller in size than cherry-type and are ready to “pop” in your mouth straight from the garden.

Chef’s Choice Green F1: Green fruit with yellow stripes, citrus-like flavor, perfect texture, 90 days, requires staking, 4-5 feet, sweet and tangy, fruit 6-7 inches.

Pepper

Cornito Giallo F1: Small green developing into bright yellow with a sweet and fruity flavor. Italian type, 75 days from transplant, 24-36 inches – good upright. Good raw, cooked or fire-roasted.

Secamillo F1: Sweet yellow Italian, compact, high yield. 77 days from transplant, 36 inches.

White Pumpkin

Super Moon F1: Cucurbita maxima. Large, up to 50 pounds, clean white color, tough, disease resistant. 90 days from planting.

Mustard

Japanese Red Kingdom F1: Mild tasting very flavorful attractive deep purple colored leaves. Edible and ornamental smaller upright plant with compact habit. Holds extremely well providing the longest and highest usable yield.

Onion

Bunching Warrior: A bunching onion that produces very uniform white-stemmed green or fresh onions for your kitchen garden.

Radish

Sweet Baby F1: A violet-colored radish with a crisp, spicy flavor. Easy to grow and early to mature.

Go to http://all-americaselections.org for a complete listing of award winners over the years, recipes and other information about each of the vegetables.

For reminders on seed-starting options and starting dates for different vegetables, print the list from http://go.osu.edu/seedstartweeks.