Allen Wilson: Seven new vegetables selected for award
By Allen Wilson
Published: January 17, 2019, 6:05am
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Tomato Chef’s Choice Black (All-America Selections)Photo Gallery
Seven new vegetables have been given wards for 2019 by All-America Selections, the nonprofit testing organization for new flower and vegetable varieties.
Watermelon Cal Sweet Bush has 14- to 18-inch vines. It is suitable for containers and small gardens. It produces 10- to 12-inch oval fruits with sweet, crisp, red flesh. It is resistant to powdery mildew. Cal Sweet Bush watermelon is rated to harvest first fruit in 65 days from transplanting, or 80 days in our climate.
Melon Orange Silver Wave produces 5-inch, 3- pound oval melons on vigorous 5- to 6-foot vines. The rind is silver with green speckles. Its firm, orange flesh is extremely sweet. It is rated 75 days from transplanting, or 90 days in our climate.
Pepper Just Sweet Yellow has shiny vivid yellow elongated fruit 2 to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Plants grow 36 inches high and 15 inches wide. It is suitable for containers. Aromatic sweet and tart fruit can be eaten raw for fresh snacks. It is rated 65 to 75 days from transplanting (80 to 90 in our climate).
Tomato Chef’s Choice Black is a large beefsteak-type tomato. The deep mahogany, brown-black, globe-shaped fruit grows up to 5 inches (8 ounces). Support is required for the 5-foot plants. They have full sweet flavor. Rated 75 days from transplanted plants, or 90 in our climate.
Tomato Fire Fly produces small cherry- size fruit (smaller than an inch), with very sweet mild acid flavor. Disease resistant 5-foot plants require support. Rated 80 days from transplanting (95 in our climate).
Tomato Red Torch is an early, disease resistant variety with excellent flavor and texture. Oblong red fruit grows 1½ inches and has light green stripes. Five-foot plants require support. Rated 60 to 70 days from transplanting (75 to 85 in our climate).
Tomato Sparky XSL produces 1 ounce, sweet cherry-size red fruit on 5-foot plants. XSL stands for extended shelf life. Rated 60 to 70 days from transplanting (75 to 85 in our climate).
Days to maturity for vegetables
Variety descriptions for vegetables almost always include “days to maturity” ratings. This rating for fruiting vegetables is the number of days from transplanting to first harvest. These ratings are determined in the Midwest where day and night temperatures are higher than here. I have found that it is necessary to add about two weeks to the ratings for fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons and squash to make them appropriate for our area.
