Greetings this New Year!
One of the exciting events for gardeners every year is the announcement of the All-American Selections. This normally takes place in the early fall so that growers and seedsmen will be prepared for the next gardening season. There are two flower winners for 1998. These selections are picked because they are easy to grow and will succeed in most parts of the United States and in a wide range of soil types. Those from other nations will have to compare growing conditions to determine if they are suitable for them. Let's take a look at this year's winners.
A beautiful yellow petunia, 'Prism Sunshine' is a single grandifloria form. This plant is supposed to be a better flower producer with a longer blooming season than the yellow petunias currently available. The information being distributed says it will not fade to the dirty pink so many yellows do. I grew some yellow flowers last year in a strawberry-container. Although my neighbors were surprised to see a yellow petunia and frequently asked what it was, I was disappointed in the size of the flower. I hope this new variety will have a better appearance.
According to the information released, the flowers are 3-3-1/2" in diameter. The plant reaches 12-14 inches in height and can spread 15-20 inches making a nice sized mound. As with all petunias, this is a heat and drought tolerant plant that will perform best in full sun. Petunias are easy-to-care for plants that can be recommended for containers, flowerboxes or gardenbeds. Read this article for detailed information on growing petunias.
A beautiful semi-double impatiens 'Victorian Rose' is another winner this year. This is a rose colored plant with 1 1/2 inch diameter flowers. Most will be double or semidouble. One of the main features of this plant is that it does not need to be pinched or deadheaded like other double impatiens. With warm temperatures, plenty of water and fertilizer, this plant may bloom for up to 6 months in a semi-shady location. Learn more about growing impatiens in this article.
When choosing seeds at your local nursery or through mail order catalogs, look for the All American Selection (AAS) on seed packets, or on plant labels. It represents a plant that has experienced extensive testing before being released to the public.
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