[ti:New Fruits and Vegetables for Gardeners to Try]
[al:Health & Lifestyle]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2025-02-26]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]If you are a gardener, you probably have some favorite plants that you grow year after year. 
[00:09.56]But you might also like to try new plants sometimes.
[00:16.06]Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported for the Associated Press about one way to find new plants that might appeal to growers.
[00:31.85]Each year, the independent, nonprofit organization All-America Selections (AAS) enlists more than 80 horticultural professionals from around the United States and Canada to serve as plant-trial judges.
[00:56.11]Their job is to grow the new plants side-by-side with currently available varieties.
[01:05.97]The group then compares plant performance, time to reach full growth, flower or fruit size, disease resistance and other qualities important to home gardeners.
[01:23.23]When the results are gathered, the best plants are named AAS winners for the following year in time for their launch on the market.
[01:37.38]For 2025, 20 plants have been named national or local winners.
[01:45.93]Seven of them are edible plants, meaning they can be eaten. 
[01:52.60]Here are the new kinds of edible plants that some gardeners might be interested in.
[02:00.51]Two of the winners received the honor under the regional, or local, identification.
[02:08.82]The Basil Piedmont of the Great Lakes and Heartland regions was noted for its strong resistance to disease, especially that of the fungus called downy mildew. 
[02:25.48]The experts also favored its strong smell, classic flavor and "refined habit." 
[02:34.54]Harvested plants keep for a long period, the judges said.
[02:40.93]The dense, bushy plant also was honored for strong growth and health, even in difficult growing conditions.
[02:52.96]Garden Genetics and Seeds by Design produced the new plant.
[03:00.37]Tomato Tonatico F1 of the Mountain/Southwest and Northeast regions also was a winner.
[03:11.88]Judges praised the taste, texture, yield, disease resistance and reduced fruit cracking and splitting of this cherry tomato. 
[03:25.99]Tonatico also was noted for its strongly attached, uniform fruit clusters that were easy to remove at harvest time.
[03:38.74]The fruit was created, or bred, by Bejo USA.
[03:45.38]The Cauliflower Murasaki Fioretto 70 F1 is among the five winners in the national class.
[03:56.02]Murasaki translates to "purple" in Japanese. 
[04:02.42]This cauliflower has bright purple flowers, as well as long, soft stems.
[04:10.97]The experts said the plant matures, or reaches full growth, early and is easy to harvest. 
[04:21.97]It does not have a strong flavor and would make a beautiful purple food to serve raw, or uncooked.
[04:32.30]It will turn to a fuchsia color in vinegar and golden brown when lightly cooked. 
[04:41.90]Tokita Seed America bred the plant.
[04:46.14]Winner Kohlrabi Konstance F1 is also a purple plant.
[04:53.86]Judges said it grew well in both spring and fall.
[05:00.54]It produced crack-resistant, long-lasting bulbs with smooth, bright skin. 
[05:07.94]It also offers a longer harvest period than other varieties and tasty leaves. Bejo Seeds is the breeder.
[05:21.67]The winning Pepper Pick-N-Pop Yellow F1 was noted for "outstanding" resistance to bacterial leaf spot disease. 
[05:33.82]Judges also found that the plant produced sweet, yellow, small peppers throughout the growing season.
[05:43.52]The company Seminis Home Garden was the breeder.
[05:48.26]Squash Green Lightning F1 was praised for its small seed cavity.
[05:56.48]This results in more edible flesh from each fruit.
[06:02.70]Green Lightning lived up to its name in the trials, judges said.
[06:09.44]They noted how quickly it reached maturity.
[06:13.90]One judge said, "This entry not only looked better but also tasted better than the comparison," adding it looked good enough to use as a decoration. 
[06:29.71]The judge said the squash's flavor when cooked "stood up to added seasonings."
[06:37.55]Green Lightning was bred by Joseph Stern and marketed by PanAmerican Seed.
[06:47.86]Another winner, Squash Thriller F1, was noted for its unusual color-changing quality.
[06:56.77]Judges also said it was easy to grow. 
[07:02.32]The plants produce 1-to-2-pound fruits with bright orange-, green- and white-ridged lines that change color as they mature.
[07:15.84]Sakata America bred the Squash Thriller.
[07:21.57]I'm Caty Weaver.