Spring Gardening News Distributed 02/22/08
2008 offers new choices for vegetable gardeners. The new varieties should do well throughout most of the Deep South, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
Bush snap beans
– Festina has a very dark green pod with white seeds. Its tender pods sit high for easy picking.
– Magnum is a 7-inch Kentucky Wonder-type with brown seeds in a flat pod. It is high-yielding.
– Hialeah is a high-yielding, upright plant that tolerates stress. It has medium-green pods that pull off easily.
– Also new this year are Ambra, Atlantic, Bronco, Pod Squad and Storm.
Broccoli
– Gypsy produces a medium, tight head with early production. It offers good production for warmer regions or late crops.
– Also new this year are Decathalon and Olympus.
Collards
– Flash is an early hybrid, Vates-type that is very slow bolting.
– Top Pick is a little earlier hybrid than Flash but more like a Georgia variety.
– Also new this year is Heavi Crop.
Mustard
– Savannah is an early maturing hybrid of the broadleaf, tendergreentype. Slow to bolt.
– Green Wave is a large, upright plant with spicy, southern curled-type leaves.
Eggplant
– Fairy Tale is the first All-America Selection eggplant in 40 years. Dwarf plants produce early, slender, 5-inch lavender fruit. May be grown in pots.
– Also new this year is Calliope.
Bell Pepper
– Aristotle, Excursion II and Plato are all thick-fleshed, blocky green peppers. Aristotle has large fruit.
– Paladin is thick-fleshed, large and blocky-shaped with phytophthora root rot resistance.
– Valencia is an early producing, thick fruit that starts off green and fully matures into orange.
– Also new this year are Heritage, Revolution, Stilleto and Summer Gold.
Tomatoes
– Bella Rosa has large fruit and a determinate vine with spotted wilt resistance.
– Phoenix and BHN-216 have large and very large fruit, respectively; both of these determinates set well in the hot season.
– Mountain Crest has very large, crack-resistant fruit on determinate vines that easily release fruit.
– Navidad is an early, sweet, grape tomato on determinate vines.
– Also new this year are Amelia, Floralina, Crista, Elfin, St. Nick and Muriel. Celebrity and BetterBoy still win out on taste tests.
Koske says these are just some of the many productive cultivars recommended in the “Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide,” Publication 1980, from the LSU AgCenter. The guide can be electronically accessed in the Lawn and Garden, Home Gardening, Vegetables section at www.lsuagcenter.com. Also, contact the county agent in your local parish LSU AgCenter office.
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On the Internet: LSU AgCenter: www.lsuagcenter.com
Contact: Tom Koske (225) 578-2222 or tkoske@agcenter.lsu.edu
Editor: Mark Claesgens (225) 578-2939 or mclaesgens@agcenter.lsu.edu