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    Home » Garden Stuff

    Never Before Seen Flowers & Vegetables

    January 13, 2023 by Karen 31 Comments

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    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
    • THE 36 PIECE PUZZLE
    • THE 100 PIECE PUZZLE

    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.

    These tomatoes I grew are NOTHING compared to the mammoth tomato plant Betty grew in her countertop garden.

    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,

    More GARDEN stuff

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    • The Potted Bulbs Reveal
    • 12 Real Gardening Books I Use Every Year — And Why
    • Garden Guts & Glory - 20 Tips You'll Use For Life

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Rocky

      February 04, 2023 at 10:31 am

      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

      Reply
    2. Maureen Locke

      January 15, 2023 at 7:53 pm

      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???

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 17, 2023 at 11:27 am

        That is indeed real. :) ~ karen!

        Reply
        • Dev

          January 18, 2023 at 9:33 pm

          Love your articles Karen. Loved the puzzle too.

    3. kelly

      January 15, 2023 at 9:49 am

      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!

      Reply
    4. Laura Bee

      January 15, 2023 at 8:18 am

      I LOVE those snapdragons! I thought they were hollyhocks! So fluffy!
      The easy puzzle was perfect. Did it while my coffee brewed.

      Reply
    5. Sonja

      January 14, 2023 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks for the puzzles...allowed me to put off doing dishes awhile longer! Keep those puzzles coming...I won't cook either!

      Reply
    6. Anne M

      January 14, 2023 at 3:00 pm

      Slightly impressive how relaxing it was to do these two puzzles. Just grand.
      And those snapdragons look stunning!

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 4:43 pm

        I'm really looking forward to growing them! ~ karen

        Reply
    7. susang

      January 14, 2023 at 2:56 pm

      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

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 4:43 pm

        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!

        Reply
    8. Dave R

      January 14, 2023 at 12:06 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 4:40 pm

        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!

        Reply
    9. Deb from Maryland

      January 14, 2023 at 9:33 am

      I'm excited about the sunflowers! And, thanks for the puzzles, love them.

      Reply
    10. Susan

      January 14, 2023 at 8:32 am

      Can anyone ask for a selection of the seeds from All America Selections®? I would love to try some of these varieties myself!

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 4:39 pm

        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!

        Reply
    11. Jane

      January 14, 2023 at 7:37 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 4:45 pm

        Oh no! That's definitely not good considering the price of them! ~ karen

        Reply
    12. Quatorze

      January 14, 2023 at 7:34 am

      Two puzzles? Yay!!! I did ‘em both (big one first). Keep ‘em coming’!

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 1:05 pm

        I'm very impressed you did the big one! I haven't even done that one yet, lol. ~ karen!

        Reply
        • Quatorze

          January 14, 2023 at 1:21 pm

          NBD - you can do it!

    13. Melanie

      January 14, 2023 at 5:20 am

      Where can I buy the double shot orange snapdragon seeds in Ontario?

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 1:04 pm

        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!

        Reply
    14. Randy P

      January 14, 2023 at 2:23 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 12:51 pm

        I actually looked up commercial hydroponic growing techniques last night. I"m old school though. I like soil. ~ karen!

        Reply
    15. Randy P

      January 14, 2023 at 2:16 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Karen

        January 14, 2023 at 12:50 pm

        You're just trying to sabotage my New Years Resolution to see if I'm truly committed. ~ karen!

        Reply
        • Randy P

          January 14, 2023 at 12:57 pm

          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.

    16. Kat - the other 1

      January 14, 2023 at 12:33 am

      No comments?! No comments?!

      Reply
      • Kat - the other 1

        January 14, 2023 at 12:37 am

        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!

        Reply
        • Karen

          January 14, 2023 at 12:26 pm

          I expect the lettuce will be ready for some harvesting in 30 days. I'm excited for the purple Dragonfly peppers too! ~ karen!

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    My name is Karen Bertelsen and I was a television host. In Canada. Which means in terms of notoriety and wealth, I was somewhere on par with the manager of a Sunset Tan in Wisconsin.

    I quit television to start a blog with the goal that I could make my living through blogging and never have to host a television show again. And it’s worked out. I’m making a living blogging. If you’re curious, this is how I do that.

    So I’m doing this in reverse basically. I’m the only blogger who is trying to NOT get a TV show.

    More about me 👋

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