Tennessee Home Garden Variety Trials

2020 Catalog

Image credit: Natalie Bumgarner

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Which variety should I grow? This is an important question. Growing a well-adapted variety can result in higher yields, more flavorful produce, and reduced chemical applications to control pests and diseases. Unfortunately, it is also a tough question to answer. Because of the high cost of trialing vegetable varieties, there is very little information on variety performance specific to the various regions within Tennes-see. By taking a community based approach to vegetable trialing, we can answer this important question.

How do I get involved?All gardeners are welcome to participate, whether a gardening novice or an Extension Master Gardener. There are three easy steps to getting involved.

Step 1: Select your trial

Applications are available at your local exten-sion office and online. Take a minute to flip through this seed catalogue and check out the available trials for this year. Each trial con-tains two varieties that you will grow side by side to compare throughout the season. You can select multiple trials (max of 5).

A small fee of $2 per trial will be assessed to help cover the cost of seed.

We think it is especially important for chil-dren to be involved with gardening and to learn about the science behind evaluating our food sources. Because of this, each household may request one free youth trial. Extra kid-fo-cused material will be included with each youth trial.

Step 2: Grow your garden

After we receive your application, we will send you a kit containg information on the trials you selected.

Each kit will contain the following: - seed for two varieties- a map to prepare your rows- information specific to the crop species youselected, including planting date, plantspacing, nutrient requirements, et.- an evaluation sheet

Step 3: Tell us what you think

Fill out your evaluation sheet throughout the growing season (see page 2 for an example). Be sure to note things like germination, disease susceptibility, yield, and flavor. You can also let people know how your trials are performing throughout the season by posting pictures on social media using #TNgardenVarTrial.

At the end of the season, we will compile all of the results from across the state into an annual report.

We hope that you will join us in answering the question, which variety will grow best in my

home garden

Dr. Virginia SykesAssistant Professor

Variety Testing and Agroecologyvsykes@utk.edu, 865-974-7285

Dr. Natalie BumgarnerAssistant Professor

Residential and Consumer Horticulturenbumgarn@utk.edu, 865-974-7324

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Survey website for 2020 Evaluations: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XWYV337

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Survey website for 2020 Evaluations: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XWYV337

Bean

2020 Home Garden Trials

1. Bush Green Snap 2. Green Filet

3. Heirloom Pole

Provider55 days. Early, standard bush bean with good yields of light green beans. Resistance to BMV, PMV, DM, PM. (OP)

Annihilator55 days.Vigorous upright plants with concentrated sets of 5-6” beans. Resistanceto BMV. (OP)

Maxibel50 days. Long and slender (7”) filet bean with brown seeds. (OP)

Tavera55 days. Medium sized (4-5”) uniform, medium green filet beans. Resistance to A, BMV. (OP)

Rattlesnake75 - 80 days. Mottled purple and green, 7 - 8” pod. This stringless bean can be picked young for a snap bean or dried and harvested as a shell bean. (OP)

Lazy Housewife75 - 80 days. All-pur-pose cultivar that can be harvested young as a snap bean or later for a shelling dry bean. White beans on string-less, 4 - 5” pods. (OP)

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DiseasesA (Anthracnose)ALS (Angular Leaf Spot)BW (Bacterial Wilt)BMV (Bean Mosaic Virus)CMV (Cucumber Mosaic Virus)CTBMV (Curly Top Beet Mosaic Virus)DM (Downy Mildew)F (Fusarium)HB (Halo Blight)PM (Powdery Mildew)PRV (Papaya Ringspot Virus)R (Rust)S (Scab)WMV (Watermelon Mosaic Virus)ZYMV (Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus)

OtherOP (Open Pollinated)AAS (AAS Winner)

Abbreviations

4. Edamame (Edible Soybean)

Chiba Green75 - 80 days. Upright, compact plant with large plump pods. Concentrated set for easy picking on a widely adaptable, determinate plant. (OP)

Tankuro80 - 90 days. Black seeded edamame that will produce vigorous plants about 3’ tall. (OP)

Jambalaya50 days. Early, dark green okra for produc-tivity and taste on a compact plant. (F1)

Okra

2020 Home Garden Trials

5. Okra

Clemson Spineless60 days. Traditional garden favorite that is standard in the South - 1939 AAS winner. Light green pod with cream flower (OP, AAS)

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EdamameBean We grow a lot of soybeans here in Tennes-see with most going to processing or animal feed. Edamame, or vegetable-type soybeans, on the other hand, are varieties bred to be harvested while they are still green and are a popular snack in Asian cuisine.

Edamame are a bit different from our traditional green beans in that the pods are not meant to be consumed. Pods should be harvested when beans are plump, but pods are still green. To prepare, boil whole pods in well-salted water for about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain, rinse with cool water, and season to taste. To eat, pop the pod open and consume the beans inside, discarding the tough pod.

Field-grown soybeans at maturity, ready for harvest

Edamame pods nearly ready to harvest. Pods should be harvested when beans are plump, but pods are still green.

General Lee52 days. Widely adapt-ed, but bred for the South. Green, 8 - 8.5” fruit with high yield. Resistance to CMV, S, DM, PM. Gyonecious with pollinizer. (F1)

Cucumber

2020 Home Garden Trials

6. Garden Slicer

8. Snacker 9. Small

DMR 40165 days. Produces 7 - 8”, dark green slicing cucumbers. Resistance to DM. (OP)

Green Light40 days. Tender, 3 - 4”, nearly seedless fruit. Can be grown vertically or as a vine. Good for small gardens, raised beds, or containers. Parthenocar-pic. (F1, AAS)

Muncher50 days. Thin-skinned, tender, burpless, nearly spineless fruit that can be harvested at 4 - 6”. Vigor-ous, somewhat compact vines. Pathenocarpic. (OP)

Sugar Cube80 days. Personal sized melon (2 - 4 lb fruit) that has wide adapta-tion. Resistance to F, PM, WMV, PRV, ZYMV. (F1)

Savor80 days. Small (~ 2 lb), charentias type fruit. Fruit will be ribbed slightly rather than netted. Deep orange flesh. Resistance to F, PM. (F1)

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Muskmelon

Spacemaster60 days. Dark green, 7 - 8” fruit on short vines without runners. Good for small gardens, raised beds or contain-ers (OP)

7. Compact

Saladmore55 days. Semi-bush vine yields 7 - 8” fruit. Resistance to CMV, S, A, PM. Monoecious (F1, AAS)

2020 Home Garden Trials

11. Small Fruit

Metro 105 days. Small to medium (2 - 3 lb) fruit with good flavor and storage. Medium sized vine. Resistance to PM. (F1)

Brulee90 - 95 days. Small (0.5 - 1 lb) fruit on vigorous vine. Early production with good storage potential. (OP)

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Muskmelon

10. Ice Box

Mambo75 days. Round, 10 - 12 lb melons with crisp, sweet seeded flesh. Vigorous vines. (F1, AAS)

Sweetie Pie75 days. Solid green, sugar baby type melon that has 12 - 14 lb fruit with thin rinds and dark red, seeded flesh. (F1)

Watermelon Butternut Squash

12. Patty Pan

G-Star50 days. Dark green, shiny, patty pan squash that can be picked at a range of sizes. Open plants. (F1)

Bennings Green Tint55 days. Light green patty pan with blos-soms that can be eaten or allowed to develop fruit. (OP)

13. Green

Desert45 days. Dark green fruit produced on an open plant with low spines. Resistance to CMV, WMV, PM, ZYV, PRV. (F1)

Green Machine45 days. Medium-green fruit produced on an open plant. Moderate spines. Resistance to CMV, WMV, PM, ZYMV. (F1)

Summer Squash

2020 Home Garden Trials

Goldmine55 days. Yellow zucchini with slight stripe and green stems. Spineless. (F1)

Summer Squash14. Yellow Zucchini 15. Yellow

16. Basil

Golden Glory50 days. Solid yellow zucchini with dark green stems on an open plant with few spines. Resistance to PM, WMV, ZYMV (F1)

Success55 days. Prolific yellow straightneck with PM resistance (OP)

Grandprize50 days. Shiny, deep yellow straightneck. Semi-open plants are vigorous. Resistance to ZYMV, WMV, PM (F1)

Obsession70 days. Compact, Italian largeleaf type basil. Resistance to F, DM. Start as trans-plant. (OP)

Everleaf70 days. Compact and slow bolting plant with classic Genovese appearance. Resistance to F, PM. Start as transplant. (F1)

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Herbs17. Chives

Geisha75 days. Ornamental and culinary, garlic chives with flat leaves and white flowers in the later season. Can be started as transplant. (Perennial, OP, AAS)

Polyvert75 days. Ornamental and culinary, tradition-al chives with round, uniform, dark green leaves. Can be started as transplant. (Perenni-al, OP)

Double Click3 - 4” tall plants with double-petaled blooms in shades of pink. Annual landscape plant or cuttings. Direct seed or transplant (OP)

Flowers

2020 Home Garden Trials

18. Cosmos 19. Bachelor’s Button

20. Collards (Order by March 10)

Sensation Mix3 - 4” tall plants with large, single blooms in a range of colors. Annual landscape plant or cuttings. Direct seed or transplant. (OP, AAS)

Choice Mix70 days. 2 - 4’ plant with 1 - 1.5” flowers in a mix of blue, white, purple, and pink. Cen-taurea-edible flower. Prefers cooler temps. (OP)

Classic Magic70 days. 2 - 4’ plant with 1 - 1.5” flowers in white, purple, and dark purple. Centaurea-edi-ble flower. Prefers cooler temps. (OP)

Champion 60 days. Vates type collard that is slower to bolt with broad, dark green leaves. Prefers cooler temps. (OP)

Flash55 days. Smooth, dark green leaves on a slow to bolt plant. Prefers cooler temps. (F1)

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Collards

Sun�ower variety “Sonja” evaluated in the 2019 HGVT

Blind Trials

2020 Home Garden Trials

BP. Blind Pumpkin

Variety 185 days. Small/med (3 - 5 lb), dark orange pumpkin with strong stem and short vine. Good ornamental and culinary qualities. (F1)

Variety 2 100 days. Med (5 - 8 lb), light orange pump-kin with fine netting for unique appearance. Standard long vines. (OP)

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BB. Blind Bean

Variety 155 days. Small, green bush bean with white seeds. (OP)

Variety 255 days. Small, thin, purple bush bean with tan seeds. (OP)

Name recognition is a good thing when it helps us find a variety that we have tasted or grown before and that we know we like. When it comes to trialing varieties, however, name recognition can sometimes result in biased evaluations. To evaluate the extent to which name recognition might be influencing our trial results, we will run two blind trials this year. These trials will be executed in exactly the same way as our regular trials, but varieties will simply be listed as “variety 1” and “variety 2”. In our year end report, we will reveal the true variety names and the winners for each of these trials. If you are interested in participating in a free blind trial, please check the appropriate box on your order form and indicate whether you would like a pumpkin trial, bean trial, or have no preference.

What’s in a Name?

Youth Trials

2020 Home Garden Trials

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Y1. Youth Trial (1 per household)

Tennessee Dancing Gourds90 days. 2 - 3” orna-mental gourds on a prolific vine. These are also known as spinning gourds and were historically used as toy spinners by TN kids. (OP, Heirloom)

Small Warted Gourd Mix90 days. An orna-mental gourd mix in a range of colors and shapes. Not edible. (OP)

We are strongly committed to educating the next generation about the science of agricul-ture. That is why we are offering one free youth trial per household. These trials are specifi-cally tailored to our younger gardeners with information about growing food, cool plant facts, and the scientific process behind variety evaluation. Our 2019 youth pizza trial garnered a lot of excitement with kids across the state testing and tasting two tomato and two basil varieties. This year, we are changing things up and focusing on that quintessential fall decoration, the gourd. This trial includes both an heir-loom variety with historical significance to Tennessee as well as a fun gourd mix with a range of unique colors and shapes. We hope that our younger participants will enjoy the chance to get outside, get their hands a little dirty, and help us in determining which variet-ies are top performers in Tennesse home gardens.

2019 HGVT youth participant, William Nester, with his tomato and basil plants and HGVT pizza.

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CreditsThis project is conducted for educational purposes only. No profits are made from this program. Descriptions and photographs of varieties in this catalog were compiled from various seed company catalogues, including Harris Seeds, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, All American Selections, Territorial Seeds, Bonnie Plants, and Holmes Seed.

More InformationFor more information on the University of Tennessee Home Garden Variety Trial pro-gram, please visit our website at

tiny.utk.edu/hgvt

or contact us directly

Dr. Natalie BumgarnerAssistant Professor

Residential and Consumer Horticulturenbumgarn@utk.edu, 865-974-7324

Dr. Virginia SykesAssistant Professor

Variety Testing and Agroecologyvsykes@utk.edu, 865-974-7285