I was pulling a few weeds in my garden this morning and noticed some were small clumps of tiny volunteer tomato seedlings. Since they are growing in the beds that are now my squash beds and my new tomato bed is full of heirlooms, I had no place to plant them.
I've always enjoyed nurturing a few volunteer plants to see what they will produce. In the past, all my tomatoes were hybrid. Since I also grow my different hybrid varieties very close, cross pollination is not only a possibility, but is a probability. Sometimes the volunteer plants produce some unusual tomatoes. I had one plant last year that grew almost white colored tomatoes that ripened to a pink color. The taste was very good. Another plant produced so many tomatoes, it was difficult to see the plant through the tomatoes. I've never been able to grow a multicolored hybrid or a beefsteak hybrid but who knows what the next surprise will be.
The beds the volunteer plants were growing in were turned over with a shovel to a depth of about ten inches during the winter. I'm wondering if some of the seed that sprouted this year comes from dropped tomatoes a few years ago. How long can tomato seed stay buried deep in the ground and remain viable until growing conditions are right?
What do you do with your volunteer plants?
Ted
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Ozark Lady
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I found some volunteer tomatoes, just yesterday. I hadn't dug it any, but I did completely pile it with leaves and left them there, just moving them down the bed as I planted. Until, it was time to move them completely out of the way. And that is when I found the tomato seedlings. Protected by the leaves, they looked good.
That makes me wonder? I just may try direct sowing some in the winter, and cover them with leaves too!
Unfortunately, they were in the hybrid tomatoes, and not the heirlooms.
Oh well, I had cherry and beefsteaks in that bed. It was not going to have nightshade plants this year. I have it mostly planted with green peas, and garlic. So, any in the peas or garlic, I moved to the other end, and said, Go for It! I have no clue what they will be, but they were getting true leaves, so I just let them stay in that bed. Who knows what they will be, but I bet they will be edible.
That makes me wonder? I just may try direct sowing some in the winter, and cover them with leaves too!
Unfortunately, they were in the hybrid tomatoes, and not the heirlooms.
Oh well, I had cherry and beefsteaks in that bed. It was not going to have nightshade plants this year. I have it mostly planted with green peas, and garlic. So, any in the peas or garlic, I moved to the other end, and said, Go for It! I have no clue what they will be, but they were getting true leaves, so I just let them stay in that bed. Who knows what they will be, but I bet they will be edible.
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rainbowgardener
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Last year my mother found one volunteer in the flower bed, were nothing was planted before. I was curious what it would turn out, so I planted it in the main garden, and glad I did!
It turned out to be determinate, compact plant with pear shaped tomatoes, sweet as honey!!! And it did very well in terms of production for a small plant. Didn't take much space, and perfect fresh snack. So I saved the seeds, and growing it again this year.
In the isolated place, near the walk out from the basement - I grew Black Cherry (OP) and Golden Gem (Hybrid) last year. Both were and absolute monsters in terms of production, and excellent taste, I actually hope that few cross-pollinated, again, out of sheer curiosity... So with the fork, I picked up a few and transplanted them into 3oz cups this morning.
What amazes me - how mother nature works! Spent all winter in the ground (dropped fruits), frozen, and when the time is right - started to emerge... Frost, cold, heat, winds - alive and well, and strong, dark colored seedlings, far stronger looking than my "babied" versions at the same stage of development!
There is a website dedicated to sowing tomatoes in the winter - https://www.wintersown.org check them out...
Regards,
D
It turned out to be determinate, compact plant with pear shaped tomatoes, sweet as honey!!! And it did very well in terms of production for a small plant. Didn't take much space, and perfect fresh snack. So I saved the seeds, and growing it again this year.
In the isolated place, near the walk out from the basement - I grew Black Cherry (OP) and Golden Gem (Hybrid) last year. Both were and absolute monsters in terms of production, and excellent taste, I actually hope that few cross-pollinated, again, out of sheer curiosity... So with the fork, I picked up a few and transplanted them into 3oz cups this morning.
What amazes me - how mother nature works! Spent all winter in the ground (dropped fruits), frozen, and when the time is right - started to emerge... Frost, cold, heat, winds - alive and well, and strong, dark colored seedlings, far stronger looking than my "babied" versions at the same stage of development!
There is a website dedicated to sowing tomatoes in the winter - https://www.wintersown.org check them out...
Regards,
D
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gixxerific
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Duh_Vinci,
I think a volunteer plant which is the result of cross pollination between two different varieties of hybrid plants would definitely suffer from genetic confusion. Even if I was able to grow and produce a truly unique plant/fruit from that kind of volunteer, I doubt if the unique qualities could ever be replicated in successive generations. Do you agree?
Ted
I think a volunteer plant which is the result of cross pollination between two different varieties of hybrid plants would definitely suffer from genetic confusion. Even if I was able to grow and produce a truly unique plant/fruit from that kind of volunteer, I doubt if the unique qualities could ever be replicated in successive generations. Do you agree?
Ted
Ted,
Agree with you by all means! To stabilize cross, it takes years and efforts! Usually growing 10 or more plants each year, further selecting only the seeds of the fruit with desired treats, year after year after year, until that variety would eventually (and hopefully) becomes stable. But indeed, next year fruits collected from this year's cross of unlikely varieties could be confused badly next season, and from say those 10 plants - maybe none would be identical... But - I'm just in the mood for surprise
Regards,
D
Agree with you by all means! To stabilize cross, it takes years and efforts! Usually growing 10 or more plants each year, further selecting only the seeds of the fruit with desired treats, year after year after year, until that variety would eventually (and hopefully) becomes stable. But indeed, next year fruits collected from this year's cross of unlikely varieties could be confused badly next season, and from say those 10 plants - maybe none would be identical... But - I'm just in the mood for surprise
Regards,
D
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Ozark Lady
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I don't know what those baby tomatoes are, but, I have plenty of others to transplant, and I am very curious about them. They had nice purple stems, which was not a quality of any in that bed. But, who knows, with the grandkids help etc, they could actually be heirlooms from one of the other beds. I very rarely grow any hybrids, mostly because, of the issue of not being able to save seeds from them.
But, somewhere on this internet, I read where folks were routinely saving seeds from hybrids, especially tomatoes and they were reproducing themselves as good as heirlooms. So, I am experimenting with those.
I will bag flowers on the plants that I want to save seed from that are self fertile.
But, somewhere on this internet, I read where folks were routinely saving seeds from hybrids, especially tomatoes and they were reproducing themselves as good as heirlooms. So, I am experimenting with those.
I will bag flowers on the plants that I want to save seed from that are self fertile.
Duh_Vinci,
I read the winter sowing information on the web site you posted. Some of the thoughts expressed to justify her methods are supported by my observations of the volunteer plants I pulled from my garden.
1. Volunteer plants were germinating and growing at the same pace at different places in my garden. This indicates to me that all of the tomato seeds in the soil react to the same stimulus (temperature, moisture, light, freeze thaw cycles) in the same manner.
2. The volunteer seeds were much more vigorous and tenacious in their attempt to grow than the wimpy seeds/plants I germinated in controlled conditions. I believe if they were given the opportunity, they would have quickly outpaced the plants I put in the soil two weeks ago.
3. The lady who wrote the winter sowing blog seemed to recommend simply scattering seed in the flats instead of planting individual seeds. I'm pretty sure she separated the seedlings before transplanting, but it made me consider how a tomato plant would reproduce itself without intervention. In nature, the fruit would drop to the ground with the pulp and seeds contained within a fairly tough skin. Fermentation would occur within the skin. Over the winter, the skin would decompose exposing the seeds to the environment. All or most of the seeds would germinate in a small clump as my volunteer plants were doing. The residue of the fermented pulp would provide the initial nutrition until the roots were well formed. After germination, the seedlings would compete for required nutrients, moisture, and light. Finally the strongest (and best) would survive and grow to reproduce.
It's probably obvious that my pleasure in the garden is trying to figure out how things work. I'm wrong more often than I'm right.
Ted
I read the winter sowing information on the web site you posted. Some of the thoughts expressed to justify her methods are supported by my observations of the volunteer plants I pulled from my garden.
1. Volunteer plants were germinating and growing at the same pace at different places in my garden. This indicates to me that all of the tomato seeds in the soil react to the same stimulus (temperature, moisture, light, freeze thaw cycles) in the same manner.
2. The volunteer seeds were much more vigorous and tenacious in their attempt to grow than the wimpy seeds/plants I germinated in controlled conditions. I believe if they were given the opportunity, they would have quickly outpaced the plants I put in the soil two weeks ago.
3. The lady who wrote the winter sowing blog seemed to recommend simply scattering seed in the flats instead of planting individual seeds. I'm pretty sure she separated the seedlings before transplanting, but it made me consider how a tomato plant would reproduce itself without intervention. In nature, the fruit would drop to the ground with the pulp and seeds contained within a fairly tough skin. Fermentation would occur within the skin. Over the winter, the skin would decompose exposing the seeds to the environment. All or most of the seeds would germinate in a small clump as my volunteer plants were doing. The residue of the fermented pulp would provide the initial nutrition until the roots were well formed. After germination, the seedlings would compete for required nutrients, moisture, and light. Finally the strongest (and best) would survive and grow to reproduce.
It's probably obvious that my pleasure in the garden is trying to figure out how things work. I'm wrong more often than I'm right.
Ted
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gixxerific
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Funny this went on to "winter sowing". I thought about this yesterday while sitting on the throne doing some business. I thought I would come in talk about it. Seems it's already been covered.
I have never tried it but why wouldn't it work, think about all the weeds some of them live for years underground and when conditions are right they come to life. The same could very well do for vegetables. I was actually gonna try it this year but never did.
I have never tried it but why wouldn't it work, think about all the weeds some of them live for years underground and when conditions are right they come to life. The same could very well do for vegetables. I was actually gonna try it this year but never did.
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Ozark Lady
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Weeds are volunteer plants.
I have a huge mint patch, I would get rid of it, if not for the bees. So, as soon as I get enough flowers growing I will eliminate it.
But, in nature, they grow year after year in the same location. They don't even die off. Where is the crop rotation?
I am wondering if these sturdy volunteers are trying to teach us something? Kind of like the fence post teaching us that the soil should "uppen". Maybe volunteers are saying, plant garden in the fall, don't rotate crops, don't dig...? What is the message the plant kingdom is trying to give to us, pathetic humans? Seems to me, the more I listen to nature and watch the plants, the less I know about them at all!
I didn't have clumps of tomatoes, I had one here, another 6 inches away, 2 together right where the cherry tomatoes grew, and an oddball off in a corner alone, only a total of about 6 volunteers.
I have a huge mint patch, I would get rid of it, if not for the bees. So, as soon as I get enough flowers growing I will eliminate it.
But, in nature, they grow year after year in the same location. They don't even die off. Where is the crop rotation?
I am wondering if these sturdy volunteers are trying to teach us something? Kind of like the fence post teaching us that the soil should "uppen". Maybe volunteers are saying, plant garden in the fall, don't rotate crops, don't dig...? What is the message the plant kingdom is trying to give to us, pathetic humans? Seems to me, the more I listen to nature and watch the plants, the less I know about them at all!
I didn't have clumps of tomatoes, I had one here, another 6 inches away, 2 together right where the cherry tomatoes grew, and an oddball off in a corner alone, only a total of about 6 volunteers.
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gixxerific
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Ozark Lady
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But Gixx, how is that bad?
You mentioned having kids. Hey, just have everyone grab their own snack right out of the garden! Healthy and cheap!
I always plant cherry tomatoes to snack while gardening, and for the grandkids to pick off the fence.
And any that survive that... get to come inside and become part of a pizza, an omelet, or even a salad... can't have too many... not possible!
You mentioned having kids. Hey, just have everyone grab their own snack right out of the garden! Healthy and cheap!
I always plant cherry tomatoes to snack while gardening, and for the grandkids to pick off the fence.
And any that survive that... get to come inside and become part of a pizza, an omelet, or even a salad... can't have too many... not possible!
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gixxerific
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I tried to keep all the "drops" picked up and tossed in the compost pile or thrown to the dog (he prefers them when they are still a little green). I think I must have dropped a few when I was cleaning the plants from the beds after the first frost. Since they had frozen and didn't look so hot, I didn't think about picking them up. I was going to turn the soil over with a shovel anyhow and they would be buried deep. I guess they didn't go as deep as I thought.
Ted
Ted
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gixxerific
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You said it when you said "threw them in the compost". I bleive that is where most of mine have come from. I have melon,cucumber,pumpkin type platns on my old and new bed. They both have shared my compost. I also have peas coming up here and there as well as many other mystery plants. Gotta love the "no work" gardening aspect of it all at least.