Idaho Home Garden Variety Trials

Ever wonder which of the many different varieties grow best in our area. You’re not alone… Bonneville County Extension is sponsoring a study to determine which varieties offered through the commercial gardening catalogues are best for Idaho, but we need your help!! Grow the “tried and true variety” next to the “up and coming varieties” and help us determine what does best in our area.

HOW CAN I HELP? Anyone can participate, we just ask that you sign a pledge saying you’ll do all you can to evaluate each variety fairly. In fact we’d encourage parents to use this program as a teaching opportunity for their families, the process is simple. Select up to five seed varieties you’d like to trial. The cost is a $1.00 per trial* (one trial consists of the “standard” variety as well as the “new” varieties to test against) plus a small shipping and handling cost. You will then be shipped your seeds along with planting instructions, labels and string for measuring 10 foot rows. Plant the seeds as instructed and tend to your garden as you normally do throughout the summer. As you watch your garden grow you will fill out a simple comparison worksheet that will help you with the evaluation, like germination, plant health, yield, taste and quality. Shortly after the first killing frost we would ask that you finish up the worksheet and send it to us to tabulate the results.

*In an effort to make this a family friendly study we are offering the seeds to children 17 and under for free, but you will still be responsible for the small shipping cost. The worksheet will be very basic and can be used as a teaching tool for young gardeners.

TO SIGNUP CONTACT

Bonneville County Extension

2925 Rollandet

Idaho Falls ID 83401

Phone: 208-529-1390

Fax: 208-529-1391

E-mail: bonneville@uidaho.edu

Also watch for our website coming soon at

http://gardentrials.cals.uidaho.edu/