How To Grow AAS Winner Watermelon 'Harvest Moon' F1

Watermelon 'Harvest Moon' F1. Photo courtesy All-America Selections

The mission of All-America Selections is "To promote new garden varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America." To do that, AAS tries to "inform gardeners about the AAS Winners", so the organization produces great information about how to grow them.

I recently wrote about the new Watermelon ‘Harvest Moon’ F1 AAS Winner in this blog, so here are some gardening tips I want to pass along to you.

AAS reports, "The first ever hybrid, triploid seedless watermelon to win a coveted AAS Award! Similar to the popular heir-loom variety, 'Moon and Stars', 'Harvest Moon' is an improvement in that it features healthy, shorter vines that produce medium-sized fruits and sweet, crisp pinkish-red flesh. 'Harvest Moon' retains the familiar dark green rind with yellow dots, but is seedless, earlier to ripen, higher yielding and better tasting. As one judge said, 'What's not to like?!'"

AAS® Winner Data
Genus species: Citrullus lanatus
Common name: Watermelon
Unique qualities: First hybrid triploid watermelon bred specifically for the Home Garden market. Note: Triploids require planting with a diploid pollinator in a ration of three triploids to one diploid and perform best if started indoors with a consistent soil temperature of 90 degrees F. until germination.
Fruit weight: 4.5 pounds
Fruit Size:  18 to 20 pounds
Fruit shape: Elongated round
Fruit color: Dark green rind with large and small yellow spots; flesh is red/pink
Plant type: Large vigorous spreading and trailing yellow spotted vines
Plant height: 15 inches
Plant width: 3-5 feet
Garden location: Full sun
Garden spacing: 3-5 feet
Length of time to harvest: 100 days from transplanting
Closest comparisons on market: ‘Moon and Stars Red, ‘Moon and Stars Yellow'

As with most melons, they should be planted in average, well-drained soil. pH should range from 6.1 to 7.5. Your local Cooperative Extension Service can help you determine your soil pH.

If you're thinking you'd like to plant watermelons next season, you should definitely include 'Harvest Moon' F1.

Photos are courtesy of All-America Selections.

John Marshall
goGardenNow.com

How To Grow AAS Winner 'Melemon' F1

AAS Winner 'Melemon' F1

The mission of All-America Selections is "To promote new garden varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America." To do that, AAS tries to "inform gardeners about the AAS Winners", so the organization produces excellent information about growing them.

I recently highlighted the new Melon 'Melemon' F1 AAS Winner in this blog, so here's some information from AAS I want to pass along to you.

"The earliness, high yield on healthy, strong plants and superior taste all contributed to this melon becoming an AAS Winner. Judges related the taste of this melon to honeydew but with a surprising and delicious tanginess. A uniform fruit shape makes it perfect for market growers as well as home gardeners. Each personal-sized fruit has refreshing crisp flesh and a unique sweet and tart taste."

AAS® Winner Data
Genus species: Cucumis melo L.
Common name: Piel de Sapo type melon
Unique qualities: Unique sweet-tart taste, fruits hold one month after harvest
Fruit weight: 4.5 pounds
Fruit Size:  6.5 inches in diameter, 6 inches in height
Fruit shape: Oblate
Fruit color: Green rind turns to chartreuse at maturity, white flesh
Foliage Color:  Green
Plant type: Vining
Plant height: 10 to 12 inches
Plant width: 28 inches
Garden location: Full sun
Garden spacing: 14 inches
Length of time to harvest: 70-80 days from transplant, 89-95 days from sowing seed
Light Needs: Full sun
Water Needs:  Normal
Season Type:  Warm Season
Staking Required:  YES
Closest comparisons on market: ‘Lambkin’ F1, ‘Kermit’ F1, ‘Saporosa’ F1"

As for other members of the species, soil pH should range from 6.1 to 7.5.

If you're thinking you'd like to plant melons next season, you should definitely consider 'Melemon' F1.

John Marshall
goGardenNow.com
goGardenNow.blogspot.com

All-America Selections Announces Four More Winners for 2013

Geranium ‘Pinto™ Premium White to Rose’ F1 - Photo courtesy All-America Selections

On chilly and rainy days like this, gardeners like to sit at the kitchen table and dream about their future spring plantings. That's exactly what I'm doing. Next year's seed catalogs have't arrived yet, but I'm checking out the newest All-America Selections (AAS) winners for 2013. Each winner was trialed beside a few other similar varieties on the market, then analyzed with regard to taste, growth habit, disease resistance, and similar considerations to determine if they are actually better than those already available. Only superior plants are granted the AAS Award. After the 2012 trialing season, two melons, a tomato and a geranium are the latest to receive official AAS recognition.

Melon 'Melemon' F1 - Photo courtesy All-America Selections

Melon ‘Melemon’ F1 received the AAS 2013 Vegetable Award. It yields early and heavily on strong plants. Each fruit is just enough for one person to enjoy. The taste, judged to be superior, is comparable to a honeydew, but with delightful tanginess. The flesh is crisp and sweet. The uniform shape makes it ideal for commercial growers and home gardeners.

Watermelon 'Harvest Moon' F1 - Photo courtesy All-America Selections

Watermelon ‘Harvest Moon’ F1 also received the AAS 2013 Vegetable Award. It's a hybrid, triploid seedless melon similar to the popular heirloom variety, 'Moon and Stars', but the healthy vines are shorter. I ripens early with a higher yield. Fruits are medium-sized with sweet, pinkish-red flesh. The rind is dark green with yellow dots.

Tomato 'Jasper' F1 - Photo courtesy All-America Selections

Tomato, Cherry ‘Jasper’ F1 is the third AAS 2013 Vegetable Award Winner. High yields of sweet fruits of uniform size are produced on vigorous plants. In fact, the vines are so strong they require little or no fertilization. Add to that Jasper's high disease resistance to Late Blight, Fusarium 1 and 2, and Early Blight, and its resistance to weather-related stresses. The fruits stay on the vine well after ripening, and last longer after they've been picked.
Geranium ‘Pinto™ Premium White to Rose’ F1 (see photo above) is a AAS 2013 Bedding Plant Award Winner. Loads of early, long-lasting 5" blooms change color from white to rose. The plants are full and dense with well-branched stems and dark green foliage. Even in the extreme heat of last year's summer, 'Pinto Premium White to Rose' performed extremely well. Gardeners who want a care-free, colorful garden next summer should definitely plant this one.

When your seed catalogs arrive in the next few months, look for Melon 'Melemon' F1, Watermelon 'Harvest Mood' F1, Tomato 'Jasper' F1 and Geranium 'Pinto Premium White to Rose' F1. If you prefer to buy your plants already started at retail, request your favorite garden center to carry them.

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