Yes, You Can Have it All: Creating a beautiful and edible garden! We all dream of having the beautiful, lush flower gardens that we see in magazines. But practicality is also part of gardening; we want to grow fresh food for our families too. Well, you can have both! Think of using flowers to supplementRead more

Year of the Pumpkin Our sister organization, National Garden Bureau, has a “Year of” program that selects one type of edible, annual, perennial and bulb plant to highlight for the year. This program has been around since 1980 and continues to grow in scope and reach. For 2019, NGB has chosen the pumpkin as theRead more

Growing Up: Five Vertical Gardening Tips [From one of our AAS Edible/Vegetable judges who has discovered you need a LOT of room for all the entries in the AAS Trials!] “Grow up!”  While that phrase most often is used as an insult for those acting immaturely, it can also be great gardening advice – especiallyRead more

By: Pam Bennett, AAS Judge Ohio State University CES Plant for Pollinators! Almost every gardening resource today has something to share about pollinators. We have all heard about the plight of the pollinators and about what gardeners can do to help increase their numbers. My mantra is JUST PLANT SOMETHING! Something, that is, for pollinators.Read more

Let’s venture a guess that your mind is wandering toward what to plant in your 2019 garden. As you look through seed catalogs and websites, it’s natural to look for what’s new and what will grow best in the garden. We thought we would help take the guesswork out of “what to grow” by asking a fewRead more

Looking to increase pollinator activity in your garden? From container gardening to large garden areas, AAS Winners can help! Planting a variety of plants is a sure way to bring pollinators to your garden! Here are 7 tips to increase pollinator presence in your garden.  Not sure which types of pollinators you want to host? Flowers likeRead more

It can be so disheartening when you spend your time and money dreaming of a bountiful harvest only to have the plants succumb prematurely to disease. Here are 7 tips to make sure your garden is filled with healthy, happy plants!   1)  Plant newer varieties that have been bred for disease resistance (see AAS WinnersRead more

Are you interested in joining a special Social Media group made up of passionate hobby gardeners like yourself? Then our new Facebook Group, aptly named Flower and Vegetable Winners, is for you! We have over 2,400 members throughout North America who share photos, thoughts, advice, and tips with other members of this group. We launched thisRead more

Only if they perform better than those tried-and-true varieties can they become an AAS Winner! Did you know that all AAS Winners have been trialed against varieties that are considered “best in class”? Where to purchase AAS Winners If you like Burgundy Okra …You’ll love Candle Fire Okra! This red/burgundy okra – Candle Fire – wasRead more

It’s Wedding Season! It’s no secret that more and more brides and grooms are choosing to grow their own flowers (and vegetables) for their big day. Or maybe mom, dad, aunts, uncles or friends have offered to grow some of the couple’s favorites. In any case, planning ahead is the key to success and theRead more