You’ve probably seen plant labels or seed packets marked “All-America Selections” or “AAS.”
AAS is the only national, non-profit plant testing organization in North America.
After a full year of testing and trialing by horticultural professionals, only the top performing plants are given “the AAS Winner” award designation for superior performance. Before there was an AAS organization, gardeners knew little about plant varieties.
In 1932, W. Ray Hastings proposed the idea of All-America Selections as a way for home gardeners to learn which new varieties were best. He set up a national network of trial gardens throughout different North American climates where flower and vegetable varieties could be grown and tested.
The Oneida County Cornell Cooperative Extension participates with the AAS organization, growing award winning AAS plants in the Parker F. Scripture Gardens.
You can read more about us and the gardens by visiting the AAS blog spotlight on their website at https://all-americaselections.org/aas-display-garden-cornell/. Our Extension Vegetable Garden features the following AAS winner vegetables.
Squash ‘Green Lightning’. This is a pattypan squash, a group of summer squash notable for its round and shallow shape and scalloped edges, somewhat resembling a flying saucer! This variety is fast growing variety and praised for its color and flavor.
Pepper ‘Red Impact’. This is a Lamuyo pepper which is sweet peppers that have an elongated shape and thick fruit walls. This AAS variety is easier to grow for a Lamuyo pepper and is much sweeter and also has strong disease resistance.
Squash ‘Thriller’. This is a winter squash featuring a new color pattern. It’s very unique and easy to grow.
Pepper ‘Jalapeno San Joaquin’. This pepper sets most of its fruit in one short window. Judges found the fruits held their firmness and taste even if not harvested all at once.
The Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens features these AAS vegetables along with many AAS flower varieties. When shopping for plants or seeds, look for the AAS designation; these plants are tested winners! Visit our Parker F. Scripture Botanical Gardens to see AAS varieties in person. The gardens are free and open to the public during daylight hours.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County answers home and garden questions which can be emailed to homeandgarden@cornell.edu or call 315-736-3394, ext. 333. Leave your question, name and phone number. Questions are answered weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, visit our website at http://cceoneida.com/ or phone 315-736-3394, press 1 and then ext. 100.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Getting to know AAS
Reporting by Rosanne Loparco, / Observer-Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Rosanne Loparco, | USA TODAY Network
