Tomato Taste Results: Sun Sugar's Sweet Victory

The rain held off and we had more than 200 people come to yesterday's Washington Gardener Magazine 16th Annual Tomato Taste at the FreshFarm Silver Spring Market. Here are the results of the ballots submitted.

1. Sun Sugar from Mock's Greenhouse   
2. Citrine from The Farm at Our House
3. Sun Gold from Ben's Produce
4. Cherokee Purple from Mock's Greenhouse   
5. Juliet from Quaker Valley Orchards  
6. Spiral Sweet Grape Tomato from Spiral Path Farm    
7. Beefsteak from The Farm at Our House        
8. San Marzano from Keep Step Farm
9. Purple Cherry from Mock's Greenhouse 

This year the top three tomatoes had the vast majority of votes -- those sweet cherry varieties are hard to beat! Last year's winner was 'Citrine' so not a big surprise that it ranked high again.  The rest of the pack were separated by just a few votes. This shows you that there were no real "losers" in this batch and that every tomato had its share of hard-core fans. Talking to folks, after they voted, they each insisted their chosen tomato was far superior to the others and I heard raves for each one of the 9 choices. (My personal faves were 'Juliet' and 'Beefsteak'.)

Big thanks to Chef Peter Andros of Gourmet & Gourmand who joined us this year and shared three delicious tomato recipe tastes.

Thank you also to Dimitri Olive Oil for the Balsamic Viniagrette and to Spring Gap Mountain Creamery  for the fresh Mozarella they donated for the prize package!

In addition to the tastings, many people stopped by to create colorful tomato art and to pick up the free tomato seeds, growing tips, stickers, and recipes that we gave out.

We gave out a gift bag full of gardening goodies, tomatoes, and market money to one of the tomato taste voters (and the balsamic vinegar plus mozarella!). Congratulations to Maxine Siegler (pictured above)!  

Most of the taste attendees were local, though we also had many who came quite a distance. About two-thirds live in Silver Spring. Another third live close by in Washington, DC or the neighboring towns of Takoma Park, Bethesda, etc. and the rest were from farther out spots in the region from Baltimote to Northern Virginia.  A few were from WAY far outside of the area, we even had votes from Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Thank you to all who came and participated. Thanks to the farmers for growing great tomatoes and to FreshFarm Markets staff for hosting us. Special thanks also to our interns (Koree and Maya) and volunteers (Laura, Nick, and Alexandra) for helping with all the tomato sample cutting, vote tallying, and helping greet all the tomato tasters in the short, but jam-packed two-hour event!

GardenDC Podcast Episode 300: Looking Back on 6+ Years of Garden Wisdom and Sharing

When we launched this podcast back in March 2020, our goal was simple: to help you grow your best garden in the unique Mid-Atlantic climate – but our listenership quickly grew worldwide and includes gardening enthusiasts from every part of the planet and growing zone. We couldn't have reached this milestone without you, our dedicated listeners. But most importantly, we wouldn't be here without the incredible wealth of knowledge shared by our past guest experts.

Over the last 300 episodes, we have hosted the brightest minds in horticulture. We’ve learned about native plants from local conservationists. We’ve discovered urban agriculture secrets from community leaders. Extension agents have saved our tomatoes from blight. Author experts have inspired us to redesign our shade gardens.

To every researcher, author, designer, and everyday dirt-under-the-fingernails gardener who has shared their time on this show: thank you. You are the heartbeat of the GardenDC community.

To celebrate, we are doing something special. I have asked some of our favorite past guests to share some nuggets of gardening wisdom with us. They’ve recorded growing tips and busted some garden myths and much more...  

Note that the GardenDC podcast is taking a short break and will be back soon with new episodes. 

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 100: Behind the Scenes

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/04/gardendc-podcast-episode-100-behind.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 200: Secrets of a Gardening Podcast

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/06/gardendc-podcast-episode-200-secrets-of.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 250: Garden Hacks

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-250-garden.html

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

Show Notes will be posted after 8/31/2026.

This episode is archived at:https://open.spotify.com/episode/3b1cihuXUD2n4HnNE4dspV?si=4lJITQgHQp66hLz6WEwXXg

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We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

Fenton Friday: My Okra Summer

Guest Blog by Koree Perry

As a summer 2026 intern for Washington Gardener Magazine, I had the pleasure of growing ‘Puerto Rican Everbrush’ okra (while also failing to grow nasturtium flowers as my chosen pollinator plant). Throughout the entire internship, I tended to multiple plants at the community garden where we were growing things, but growing okra with my own hands was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my life! 

I have never been a green thumb. To be completely honest, there were times when I was a child that I didn’t even like being outside, either because of the weather or bugs or not liking dirt on my hands. Throughout this internship, however, I’ve grown an appreciation for gardening and learning how to navigate a garden. The first few weeks showed me that the nasturtium seeds, for whatever reason, were not going to come up. I was a bit sad since I was excited to grow my own flowers, but I stuck through with my okra! I didn’t realize how quickly they would grow, nor did I realize how tall they would get. By the end of June, they were already nice and leafy. 

While growing the okra, my main tasks after first planting were weeding and watering. They weren’t difficult plants to grow by any means, but weeds loved to sprout near them or wrap around them. At first, our editor-in-chief Kathy Jentz showed me how to make the most of my okra seeds by planting at least three seeds in five different holes. When the okra came up through the ground, I cut out the other two seedlings that grew from each group in order to let the strongest-looking ones have the best chance for full growth. Week after week, I pulled weeds and vines away from trying to strangle my okra until they plants reach over three feet in height! 

As the okra pods began to form on the plants, they became incredibly long! Before this internship, I had only ever seen okra that was about the size of my palm, but the okra that I grew had gotten bigger and bigger by the week. At the end of my internship, we entered it into the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair where it placed fourth overall!

For more information about growing okra, see this GardenDC podcast episode:
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-293-in-defense.html and this plant profile:
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/09/okra-plant-profile.html

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About the Author: Koree Perry is an intern with Washington Gardener Magazine this summer 2026 session and is a Baltimore native.

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).

Lemongrass Plant Profile

Lemongrass Plant Profile

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon citratus) is grown for its strongly lemon-scented leaves and decorative qualities. The plant is perennial in hot climates, but must be treated as an annual or grown as an indoor-outdoor plant in our region. It is also known as Fever Grass, Cochin Grass, and Malabar Grass.

Lemongrass is a member of the grass family. They grow well in containers. As soon as the danger of frost has passed in the spring, put the containers out in full sun and then in the fall transition the pots indoors before they are hit by a freeze. During the summer, keep the plants evenly moist and fertilized with an organic vegetable fertilizer.

It is a clumping grass with narrow, arching leaves that can grow 3 feet long. The leaves bend downward near their tips. A mature planting has a fountain-like appearance.

Lemongrass can be harvested one blade at a time as needed during the growing season. They can be clipped off at the soil line.

Lemongrass stalks and smaller pieces can also be dried and preserved, but the best way to use it is fresh in soups, sauces, curries, and stir-fries. Folded or cut leaves can be tied in bundles and added to flavor dishes and beverages.

It can be propagated by seeds or division. Lemongrass plants are unlikely to bloom or produce seeds in our short growing season. Food markets usually separate lemongrass clumps into individual plants, trim the free-flowing part of their leaves short, and label them as lemongrass stalks. It is the fleshy stalks that are most often used in cooking. Some of these stalks come with roots still attached and can be used to start new plants.

Lemongrass is related to Citronella and is said to repel mosquitos. However, you have to rub the essential oils on your skin in order for it to work.

Deer generally leave Lemongrass alone due to strong citrus scent and sharp leaf edges.

Lemongrass: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Audio and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Koree Perry

Video and Photos by Kathy Jentz and Koree Perry

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~ Podcast: GardenDC

If you like this video, we think you will enjoy:

~ Basil Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/09/basil-plant-profile.html

~ Rosemary Plant Profile

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2019/11/plant-profile-rosemary.html

~ Chamomile Plant Profile

http://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/06/chamomile-plant-profile.html

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Monday Thoughts: “In this broken world where nature is increasingly being made homeless, and where many wild species’ populations are trending downwards, we all have the power to create our own little nature reserves and watch with delight as nature returns to where it once flourished.” ~ Hadden Turner

“In this broken world where nature is increasingly being made homeless, and where many wild species’ populations are trending downwards, we all have the power to create our own little nature reserves and watch with delight as nature returns to
where it once flourished.” ~ Hadden Turner

GardenDC Podcast Episode 299: A Year of Pollinator Plants

In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Helen Yoest, author of Cultivating Native Plants for Pollinators*, all about pollinator gardening throughout the year. The plant profile is on Queen Lily Ginger and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "Truth in Gardening" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.

BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribe

If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 141: Nature's Best Hope

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-141-natures.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 156: Gardening for Wild Bees

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2023/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-156-gardening.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 207: Garden Planning and Design

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2024/08/gardendc-podcast-episode-207-garden.html

~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 47: Pollinator Victory Gardens

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/02/gardendc-podcast-episode-47-pollinator.html

Show Notes will be posted after 8/31/2026.

This episode is archived at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0b5RUnuKugWtn4TyrxeWkB?si=iSneOYXBQaWZjSXJnl1iug

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We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Episode Credits:
Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz

Music: Let the Sunshine by James Mulvany

PIN THIS FOR LATER!

*You can order Helen's book at https://amzn.to/4xFTstB

This link is to our Amazon affiliate account and we may earn a few pennies from these sales, 

but it wil not impact your purchase price.

Fenton Friday: Mini Crops

This week, we got some more rain, but the humidity and heat are still oppressive. We also had another round of bad air from Canadian wildfires. It is hard to keep up with the weeding and other garden tasks in these conditions. I think this may be our worst summer in memory.

On the good news side of things, a few small crops are coming in. There are the Radish seed pods (pictured above), which are edible when green and tender. When dried, they will also provide seeds for next season's garden.

We are getting some tiny "mouse melons" on the Cucamelon vine -- nice for snacking on while working in the plot. 

Finally, the Beans are producing a few pods. It will be nice to soon have enough for an actual dinner serving. 

Meanwhile, I'm picking Okra about every other day and harvesting the 'Thriller' Squash,  various cherry Tomatoes, and 'Fairy Tale' Eggplant. Thanks to all those who shared their favorite Eggplant recipes after last week's post. 

I also cut more bouquets of Dahlias, Zinnias, Gomphrena, and Lisianthus.

All of the above and maybe some Basils and other herbs will be submitted this weekend as entries in the Montgomery County Fair. I don't have high hopes for many ribbons, given our rough summer, but you never know.

What are you growing and harvesting in your garden this week?

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 15th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton"  into the Search box above (at the top, left on this blog).