Fruit and Vegetable Trials Progress Report for 2018-19
Sweet Corn
Ten varieties of sugar-enhanced bicolor corn varieties were evaluated in 2018 (see tables). The best performing for growth habit and ear quality this year, listed in order of maturity (earliest to latest) were: Sweetness, Cuppa Joe, Essence, Tenderfoot, and Utopia. The corn was seeded late, on 29 June due to early wet conditions in the field. Harvest began 4 September with the earliest varieties. The latest variety was harvested on 20 September. All cultivars performed well, despite very dry growing conditions during the late summer. Cuppa Joe and Essence were noted for consistent high performance over more than two seasons of trials, and Utopia again performed very well among the later maturing varieties. Of the 18 supersweet and augmented supersweet varieties tested, Raquel and Awesome XR, performed well in the early-midseason categories, with Caliber, Enchanted, Seminole Sweet, and Prestige performing best among the later maturing types.
Snap Beans
30 varieties of snap beans were evaluated in the trials in 2018. For overall yield and average wt. per harvest, the best performing varieties included Goldilocks (yellow), Provider, Dulcina (flat), Caprice, Savannah, and PV-857. These also were among the most efficient varieties to harvest. See table.
Cantaloupe
In 2018, 31 varieties of cantaloupe were evaluated (see table). The plants were seeded in the greenhouse 17 May and transplanted on 7 June on black plastic mulch with rowcovers applied. Melons were harvested at ½ slip through most of August. Astound and Verona were among the best overall performers for marketable weight and fruit number. Accolade, Athena, and Gold Star also performed very well. This trial will continue for one more growing season to look for consistent performance in regards to yield and market quality.
Small Pumpkin Trial
Ten varieties of small (1 – 5 lb.) pumpkins were transplanted at the two-leaf stage through black plastic mulch 3 June, with three feet between plants and 10 feet between rows. Harvest occurred in mid-September. The top performers in the trial included Field Trip (avg.1.8 lb.), Fall Splendor Plus (avg. 1.8 lb.), Mystic Plus (avg. 2.1 lb.), and Tiffany (avg. 1.6 lb.).
Large Pumpkin Trial
18 varieties of large, Jack-O-Lantern type pumpkins were transplanted in mid-June at the two-leaf stage into replicated plots through black plastic mulch with 5 feet between plants and 12 feet between rows. Harvest began in mid-September. Big Loretta (38.6 lb.) and Early Giant (36.1 lb.) had the largest fruit in the trial and were among the best performing varieties, but also had some of the lowest fruit counts per plot. Other high performing varieties included Rhea (21.2 lb.), Secretariat (16.3 lb.), and Orange Sunrise (18.5 lb.). Only Thumpkin performed very poorly in the trial with a low fruit count and high cull number due to fruit and stem rot.
Strawberry Trial
13 varieties of June-bearing strawberries grown in replicated matted-row plots were harvested during the 2018 season. Jewel and Laurel were the highest yielding varieties in the trial with both ripening mid-season and having good fruit quality. Of the newer varieties in the trial, Yambu, Lila, and Flavorfest, all mid-early ripening, performed very well. Archer, Galletta, and Rutgers Scarlet produced high quality fruit, but had significantly lower yields that other new varieties in the trial.
| Yield rank | Variety | Kg/Plot | Fruit Size (g)1 | Season | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Wendy | 4.8 | 10.4 | Early | Productive, attractive, good flavor |
| 10 | Archer | 3.6 | 14.3 | Early | Good size & appearance, good flavor |
| 12 | Galletta | 3.1 | 13.8 | Early | Good size & appearance, uniform |
| 6 | Lila | 7.0 | 10.4 | Early-mid | Large, attractive, good flavor. Red steles res. |
| 7 | Flavorfest | 5.7 | 10.2 | Early-mid | Large, attractive, good flavor. Red steles res. |
| 4 | Yambu | 7.9 | 11.1 | Early-mid | Large, attractive, firm, variable flavor |
| 13 | Rutgers Scarlet | 2.7 | 10.3 | Midseason | Attractive, good flavor, low yields |
| 1 | Jewel | 12.6 | 10.0 | Midseason | Good size, attractive, glossy, firm |
| 2 | Laurel | 11.6 | 8.4 | Midseason | Attractive fruit, not large Red stele res. |
| 5 | Cabot | 7.5 | 18.3 | Mid-late | V. large fruit, many misshapen, good flavor |
| 3 | Mayflower | 8.1 | 9.9 | Mid-late | Large fruit; size falls fast. Light, dull color, tart |
| 8 | Valley Sunset | 5.6 | 15.4 | Late | Large, attractive fruit, good flavor |
| 11 | Malwina | 3.5 | 13.3 | V. late | Dark color, very firm, good flavor |
Plots 20’ long x 1.5’ wide raised bed matted rows, planted 2017. Each variety replicated four times.
Harvest began on 15 June and ended 24 July 2018, with plots harvested twice weekly.
1Average fruit size over entire harvest season
 |
Variety | Plants per row | Ears per Row | Plant Height (in) | Ear Height (in) | Picking Ease | Tip Cover | Ear Length (in) | Rows per Ear | Days to Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
7143 | 33 | 32 | 93.3 | 27.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.9 | 17 | 80 |
| American Dream | 28 | 26 | 89.6 | 30.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 7.1 | 17 | 77 | |
| Anthem XR | 32 | 31 | 77.8 | 18.9 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 17 | 76 | |
|
Awesome XR | 32 | 31 | 75.8 | 19.9 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 7.5 | 17 | 73 |
|
Caliber | 35 | 35 | 81.2 | 24.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 7.6 | 17 | 75 |
| EX 0876714 | 34 | 33 | 93.1 | 28.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 16 | 73 | |
|
Enchanted | 33 | 33 | 98.6 | 28.3 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 8.1 | 19 | 77 |
| Hero | 34 | 32 | 78.1 | 21.9 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 15 | 71 | |
| Kate | 27 | 27 | 81.9 | 22.6 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 18 | 77 | |
| Kickoff XR | 32 | 31 | 77.6 | 17.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 8.5 | 17 | 69 | |
| Nirvana | 34 | 34 | 79.4 | 19.2 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 8.1 | 16 | 77 | |
|
Prestige | 34 | 34 | 82.9 | 22.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 17 | 77 |
|
Raquel | 31 | 29 | 84.4 | 24.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.7 | 18 | 69 |
| Rosie | 35 | 34 | 79.0 | 21.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.1 | 17 | 74 | |
|
Seminole Sweet | 30 | 29 | 84.1 | 27.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.4 | 18 | 78 |
| Starcraft | 35 | 34 | 89.3 | 27.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 8.1 | 16 | 78 | |
| Superb | 30 | 29 | 75.9 | 20.2 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 7.8 | 18 | 74 | |
|
XTH20173 | 31 | 30 | 80.2 | 20.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.8 | 17 | 73 |
1Five rows/plot, 30’ long, replicated 4 times. Planted 6/9/16.
✓= high performing varieties.
2Picking ease rated 1-3, with 3 being easiest. Ear length in inches. Higher row/ear usually gives better visual appeal.
| Variety | Fruit/Plot | Ave Fruit Wt. (lbs.) | Color | Height (cm) | Fruit Width (cm) | Stem Length (cm) | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ares | 15.3 | 22.3 | 3.6 | 37.2 | 89.7 | 13.6 | 3.3 |
| Big Loretta | 10.7 | 38.6 | 3.4 | 43.6 | 106.0 | 12.5 | 3.8 |
| Cargo PMR | 12.0 | 20.5 | 3.9 | 28.7 | 94.1 | 13.2 | 3.6 |
| Conestoga Giant | 11.7 | 30.6 | 3.7 | 37.9 | 106.7 | 12.2 | 3.7 |
| Cougar PMR | 17.0 | 20.5 | 2.4 | 30.7 | 90.8 | 10.5 | 3.2 |
| Cronus | 9.3 | 26.0 | 3.0 | 29.8 | 110.5 | 20.6 | 2.3 |
| Diablo | 15.7 | 17.8 | 3.1 | 27.1 | 93.4 | 10.3 | 3.2 |
| Early Giant | 12.0 | 36.1 | 3.6 | 45.2 | 105.1 | 8.2 | 4.1 |
| Early King | 17.7 | 24.2 | 3.1 | 33.0 | 98.0 | 9.3 | 3.4 |
| Hulk | 12.3 | 26.4 | 3.6 | 38.6 | 96.4 | 12.7 | 3.4 |
| Jason | 15.3 | 19.6 | 3.8 | 29.9 | 90.4 | 13.6 | 3.5 |
| Kratos | 17.3 | 21.4 | 4.0 | 31.3 | 101.2 | 9.3 | 3.9 |
| Orange Sunrise | 18.3 | 18.5 | 3.6 | 28.8 | 97.2 | 10.0 | 4.0 |
| Phatso II | 11.7 | 25.6 | 3.4 | 35.9 | 102.1 | 14.0 | 3.7 |
| Phatso III | 11.3 | 27.5 | 3.1 | 35.8 | 100.9 | 16.0 | 3.4 |
| Rhea | 15.7 | 21.2 | 3.8 | 26.7 | 107.1 | 16.2 | 3.9 |
| Secretariat | 13.7 | 16.3 | 4.3 | 24.3 | 92.8 | 15.1 | 4.1 |
| Thumpkin | 7.7 | 16.7 | 2.7 | 22.1 | 97.1 | 16.3 | 2.6 |
| Tukey-Kramer HSD (0.05) | 7.7 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 9.5 | 2.9 |
| Variety | Fruit/Plot | Ave Fruit Wt. (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Bumps | 25.5 | 1.67 |
| Camillo | 19.8 | 3.46 |
| Darling | 24.8 | 2.05 |
| Fall Splendor Plus | 23.5 | 1.80 |
| Field Trip | 23.3 | 1.83 |
| Jack Sprat | 34.8 | 1.21 |
| Mischief | 30.8 | 1.34 |
| Mystic Plus | 20.5 | 2.14 |
| Tiffany | 29.8 | 1.65 |
| Toad | 45.8 | 0.81 |
| Tukey-Kramer HSD (0.05) | 9.25 | 0.302 |
10 plants per plot, spaced 3 feet apart within a row; 10 feet between plots within a row; 10 feet between rows
Harvested 8/14/2018-9/4/2018, based on 10.5 row ft, 18” plant spacing, 7 plants per plot, through plastic mulch, 8’ on center raised beds, with 4 replications.
* % Soluble Solids is a measure of sugar content.
Harvested ≈3 days for 2-week duration, 7/24/19-8/7/2018
Later cultivar yields may be lower due to harvest termination
Based on 2, 5ft rows 12” apart, per bed 4’ on center, with ≈2” plant spacing, replicated 4 times.
High performing new strawberry varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Archer from NY: early, large fruit good quality, but low yield. AAC Lila from Nova Scotia: early-midseason, large fruit, good quality, good yields, red stele resistant. Flavorfest from MD-USDA: early-midseason, large fruit, god appearance and very good quality, some disease resistance. Yambu from the Netherlands: early-midseason, uniform, attractive fruit, some gray mold resistance, flavor variable.
High performing small pumpkin varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Field Trip: average weight 1.8 lb., flattened, nice color and stems, uniform. Fall Splendor Plus: average fruit weight 1.8 lb., round, nice color and ribbing, good stems, powdery mildew tolerant. Mystic Plus: average fruit weight 2.1 lb., slightly flattened, uniform, nice color, good yields, powdery mildew tolerant. Tiffany: average fruit weight 1.6 lb., round-upright, good color, nice stems, good yield.
High performing Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Big Loretta: average weight 38.6 lb., upright, nice color, short stems, uniform. Early Giant: average fruit weight 36.1 lb., upright, nice color, good stems. Rhea: average fruit weight 21.2 lb., round, uniform, nice color, good yields, powdery mildew tolerance. Secretariat: average fruit weight 16.3 lb., round, good color, and ribbing, nice stems, good yield. Orange Sunrise: average fruit weight 18.5 lb., round-upright, good color, short stems, uniform.
High performing new sweet corn varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Tenderfoot: early, good stand, tip cover and appearance. Sweetness: early, fair stand, good quality and appearance. Essence: midseason, good stand, good ear height, large ears with refined appearance, very good quality. Utopia: midseason, good stand and ear height, good appearance and high quality ears.
High performing snap bean varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Goldilocks: yellow-wax, good stand, nice appearance, easy harvest, high yields. Provider: early, good stand, good quality and appearance, but thick and light colored, high yields. Caprice: Late, good stand, good color, shape and uniformity, high yields. PV-857: late, good stand, good appearance and uniformity, high yield.
Performance of cantaloupe varieties, total marketable yield by weight and fruit number, Highmoor Farm trial, 2018.
High performing cantaloupe varieties from Highmoor Farm trial, 2018. Astound: Late, long harvest season, good yield. Verona: midseason, short harvest season, fair yield, good quality. Accolade: midseason, long harvest season, good yields. Athena: midseason, long harvest season, large fruit, good appearance and uniformity, high yield. Gold Star: midseason, long harvest season, good yield.
