Master Gardener Seed Trial Results for 2013

I was one of five master gardeners who selected the varieties for other master gardeners to trial last year. Our annual seed trials are very popular and provide Minnesotans with great insights about what to grow and why. The results are in. If you are looking for varieties to compare before you buy, then these results should help you.

Varieties were chosen and tested by master gardeners in 42 counties in Minnesota. The 2013 varieties included romaine lettuce, English peas, tomatoes with high levels of lycopene, broccoli raab, turnips, mini basil, purple gomphrena, and pink cosmos.

Romaine (Cos) Lettuce. Seeds were planted directly outside on an average date of May 21st. Most varieties bolted during the first head wave last year. Evaluators harvested the individual leaves vs. the entire plant to extend the harvest. No insect damage was reported.

The variety called Dazzle was ranked the highest out of six varieties tested. The mature ruby red head is small and compact and one of my favorite small-headed varieties. Little Gem was second and creates a medium-sized green head. Monte Carlo was third and also produces a small compact green head. Cimarron (one of my favorites) is a tall or large bronze-red variety. Jericho, developed in Israel, is heat tolerant and produces a medium-sized dark green head. Last was an eye-catching variety called Flashy Trout Back or Forellenschluss is an heirloom variety that ranked last in the trial. It produces a large red and green speckled head with a very good crisp texture and acceptable flavor, as were most of the other varieties, but master gardeners said they would not grow it again.

English Peas. These are shelling peas and not the edible pod varieties. Seeds were planted on an average date of May 21st, though some evaluators had to plant their seeds up to three times given our cold, wet spring. As a result, yields were lower than expected. No insect damage was reported.

Frosty was ranked the highest. The yield was 29 pods per plant. Progress was second with a yield of 34 pods per plant. Karina was third with 30 pods per plant, while Mr. Big, fourth, had a yield of 34 pods. Waverex was first in yield, 43 pods, but the majority of evaluators ranked it fifth. Dakota had the lowest ranking with a yield of only 17 pods per plant and was the only variety that had significant Fusarium wilt. 

Turnips. Many consider turnips an “old-fashion” vegetable never to cross their lips again. Many evaluators did not seem very excited about testing turnips but the big surprise was that almost everyone liked the taste and texture (cooked) and said they would grow turnips again! Who knew? It just goes to show that sometimes “yuk yukkie” can turn into “yum yummy.”

Seeds were direct seeded early in the season. Both the greens and roots were evaluated, cooked and eaten raw. Greens were harvested during the second week in July, roots by the first of August.

Golden Ball, a yellow variety, ranked first. The cooked roots were judged “excellent.” Scarlet Queen, a red variety, was second and grew the largest roots at 3” being the average.  Red Round, another red variety, was next and had the earliest maturity date, July 27th. Hakurei, my favorite white variety, came in fourth. Purple Top White Globe, the purple and white standard, had the highest germination rate. There was a big difference in flavor when cooked (“excellent”) and the raw greens (“poor”). White Egg, another white variety, was rated last with the cooked roots and raw greens only rated “acceptable” in flavor.

For more information about the trials and other great insights about yard and garden matters visit: www.northerngardener.org  and the master gardener site at www.extension.umn.edu/garden/master-gardener/.

I will have the test results of Broccoli Raab and mini-Basils in my next blog.

Got Questions? Comments? Please contact me through this blog.