Part of what makes my work fun is getting to be the first. In this case the first to know, grow and show these brand new, never been grown before varieties of flowers and vegetables. Which is 100% more exciting when I was the first to know, grow and show a plantar's wart.
Getting free stuff never gets old. I know this for two reasons. 1. People sometimes send me things and it's always exciting no matter what it is so I speak from experience and 2. I used to work as a television host & after her interview Joan Rivers walked out the door carrying a flower arrangement from the set.
Technically it was her arrangement since it was there to make the set look nice during her interview. Joan Rivers could afford her own flower arrangement - but as she said, after decades in the business, free stuff was still fun.
She knew. Free stuff, no matter what, is fun.
Every year I'm surprised by a package from All America Selections®. I say surprised, because every year they send me seeds, yet every year when they arrive I'm as surprised and delighted as if someone sent me a Joan Rivers level flower arrangement.
I mentioned that these are never before grown varieties, but truthfully, they HAVE been grown by a committee of AAS growers across Canada and the U.S. That's how they are judged and selected.
A bunch of impartial growers are given a whack of seeds to grow. Any varieties that are OUTSTANDING, win the designation of being an All-America Selection. You can learn exactly how the AAS committee works in this post. You can credit them for bringing Wave Petunias to the world's attention.
All of these varieties below (along with a whole whack of varieties that didn't win) were grown last year and given the award of being All America Selections.
Table of Contents
New AAS varieties
FLOWERS
Doubleshot Orange bicolor snapdragon
Sun Coral Candy Coleus
Concert Bell Sunflower
Vanity Verbena
VEGETABLES
Bauer oak leaf lettuce
Buffy hot peppers
Dragonfly sweet pepper
Celano grape tomatoes
Sweet Jade Kabocha squash
Red torch grape tomatoes
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
To learn more about what makes these varieties so special you can read about them all here on the AAS website. The Kabocha squash for example is very sweet, with great texture and weigh in at only 1-2 pounds so it's perfect for single or couple servings.
And the sunflowers grow multiple flowers right at the top of the stem resulting in a perfect market bouquet on every plant.
I've already planted some of the Bauer lettuce in my Aerogarden to replace the old lettuce seed I tried 2 weeks ago - which didn't germinate.
NOTE: Of all the seeds I save, lettuce is really the only one that noticeably and quickly declines in terms of germination.
If you aren't familiar with the Aerogarden you can see how I grew tomatoes in the countertop device here.
This is the Aerogarden I use, The Harvest, which has 6 holes for growing. But since I bought mine all KINDS of small, countertop hydroponic growing devices have come on the market, most of them more affordable than the Aerogarden.
Having said that, my Aerogarden works perfectly and has never had any problems so even if you pay their high end price, at least you know it's a good product.
Now that you feel accomplished and FULL of new information, feel free to relax with a puzzle.
Today I bring you two versions of the puzzle: the easy & the hard.
Although if I'm being perfectly honest, the hard one was actually the version I did - Photoshopping the image. So a big round of applause for me. Here - I'll do it.
👏👏👏 YAY ME 👏👏👏
Thank you. That's very kind.
THE 36 PIECE PUZZLE
The easy one. Because you love your life and want to get back to it as quickly as possible.
THE 100 PIECE PUZZLE
The hard one. Because you need at least another 30 minutes of avoiding life.
Have a good weekend,
Rocky
Good read! All your post are great! Can’t wait to start gardening.
The cold we had here in SC over Christmas, killed my winter garden. Spring is on the way! Thank goodness! Time to dig in the dirt!
Sincerely
Mrs R Bryan
SC
Maureen Locke
I love my Aerogarden for starting seeds and slips but had no idea you could grow a cherry tomato plant that actually grows tomatoes in the Aerogarden. Is that real???
Karen
That is indeed real. :) ~ karen!
Dev
Love your articles Karen. Loved the puzzle too.
kelly
How cool are these varieties? I could read new seed catalogs all day long. I bought myself a hydroponic countertop garden for Christmas after seeing yours in the kitchen (plus sky high Romaine here 8.99 for three small heads-yeesh!) I can't believe how quickly the lettuces and arugula are coming up! - like, three days. Mine is an QOY10, bought on Amazon for around $60.00.
Super easy to put together and has nine slots! Have a happy Sunday!
Laura Bee
I LOVE those snapdragons! I thought they were hollyhocks! So fluffy!
The easy puzzle was perfect. Did it while my coffee brewed.
Sonja
Thanks for the puzzles...allowed me to put off doing dishes awhile longer! Keep those puzzles coming...I won't cook either!
Anne M
Slightly impressive how relaxing it was to do these two puzzles. Just grand.
And those snapdragons look stunning!
Karen
I'm really looking forward to growing them! ~ karen
susang
just read your article for old farmers almanac
great as usual
thought it was your writing about 1/3 of the way through
love your posts
would love an Aerogarden but nt home enough for the investment right now
Karen
Thanks! It was a fun article to write even though I refused it at first, lol. I said I had no interest in mistletoe (for reasons I stated in my article). They said, that's O.K., and so I wrote what I wrote. I have a huge amount of respect for The Old Farmer's Almanac for stepping a tiny bit out of their comfort zone to publish it. ~ karen!
Dave R
I worked at the Shopping Channel for a bit back in the late 90s, doing studio camera and on-air graphics, and met a fair number of celebrities in that time. Joan Rivers was the nicest one of the bunch. She'd come in at whatever time of the morning and went walking down the hallways to and from her dressing room saying "Good morning! Good morning!" to everyone she passed. I never saw her steal anything, but more power to her!
Karen
She was! She, like everyone else in the world, still got a thrill out of free flowers. I'd be suspicious of anyone who didn't want free flowers. ~ karen!
Deb from Maryland
I'm excited about the sunflowers! And, thanks for the puzzles, love them.
Susan
Can anyone ask for a selection of the seeds from All America Selections®? I would love to try some of these varieties myself!
Karen
Hi Susan! These seeds are only sent out as part of a press kit every year to help make people aware of them before they go on sale in the spring. :) ~ karen!
Jane
One of our kids gave me an AeroGarden for Christmas one year, it's the small model, 3 holes. It worked very well but for the switch that resets nutrient time. Then after one season, the water pump started to falter. No amount of cleaning helped. Not sure if this is true for the smaller model or just mine. Am going to try it again soon.
Karen
Oh no! That's definitely not good considering the price of them! ~ karen
Quatorze
Two puzzles? Yay!!! I did ‘em both (big one first). Keep ‘em coming’!
Karen
I'm very impressed you did the big one! I haven't even done that one yet, lol. ~ karen!
Quatorze
NBD - you can do it!
Melanie
Where can I buy the double shot orange snapdragon seeds in Ontario?
Karen
Hi Melanie. If you go to the AAS link I provided to learn more about the varieties they also have a link where you can find retailers. But from what I can see at this point they aren't listed in any Canadian retailers yet. ~ karen!
Randy P
I must say that hydroponics on a home or commercial level is a fascinating field. Just might have to try an 'economy' machine to grow some herbs or sumthin'. Small scale of course, cuz I don't do farming.
Karen
I actually looked up commercial hydroponic growing techniques last night. I"m old school though. I like soil. ~ karen!
Randy P
Fun puzzles - the 100 piece did take me almost 21 minutes. But if I am to spend time 'avoiding life' there is no one with whom I would rather avoid it than one K. Bertelsen. lol And yes, I am still waiting with hope in my heart for that dinner date, any time, any place, my treat of course.
Karen
You're just trying to sabotage my New Years Resolution to see if I'm truly committed. ~ karen!
Randy P
Nah, time spent doing whatever the heck you enjoy, for as long as you feel like enjoying it is my idea of heaven on Earth. I DO follow Wiliiam Shatner's life philosophy -yes THAT William Shatner - "Live as if you're going to die, because you are." Take it from this here 4th Generation one time Funeral Diector, them iz words to the wise.
Kat - the other 1
No comments?! No comments?!
Kat - the other 1
Guess I beat randy to it for once. :D
I really want to know how all these perform for you!
Especially the sweet pepper, torch tomatoes, and that ruffi-ly lettuce! Ooo pretty!
Karen
I expect the lettuce will be ready for some harvesting in 30 days. I'm excited for the purple Dragonfly peppers too! ~ karen!