What's your volunteer policy?

[DeborahL]

I let dandelions grow because they're great greens for my pet rabbits, mustard because I love the flowers, and the wild fennel because it's beautiful and smells deliciously of licorice.

[applestar]

Observe, Identify, Research possible uses, then Determine disposition.

This time of the year -- just getting ready to plant out tomatoes but still gets down to borderline 30's once in a while -- some areas in my yard are full of Garlic Mustard in their 2nd year bloom and Ground Ivy also in full bloom.

Both are considered weeds. But with the mustard in bloom, I see arrival of my aerial Garden Patrol -- syrphid/hover flies, nemesis to aphids. Hopefully braconid wasps are not too far behind because my broccoli and cauliflowers need their protection from the Cabbage worms. The Ground Ivy flowers start to buzz with early native ground and mason bees, giant queen or overwintered bumblebees and carpenter bees, as well as early honeybee scouts.

I also have volunteer apple trees, cherry trees, holly bush, elderberry,... well you get the idea. If they are growing where I don't want them, I'll move them or if I definitely don't need them, I'll cut them down. But most things get to grow until they are identified.

In the garden beds, I also have lettuce volunteers as well as Red and Green shiso and Japanese parsley, Dill, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Borage, Calendula, etc. -- all the self-sowing stalwarts. They are moved if necessary or allowed to grow until micro-green size if edible. Tomatoes end up mostly pulled but I let a few stay.

Tomatoes also volunteer in my home-made potting mix, and I always end up with at least one winter tomato (DD is enjoying the grape tomatoes that have ripened in the kitchen windowsill now) and I have a tomato plant that is hardening off to be planted that has much darker/blue-ish green leaves and purplish stems. I've no idea what this one is going to turn out to be.

[digitS']

We have drifted quite a ways from what I thought was a tomato question -- and, I like some of these answers!

Let me tell you about a couple of volunteers that have worked for me: anise hyssop reseeds and volunteers every year in the garden. When the Tractor Guy tilled my large veggie garden - a few would still show up. Thankfully!

I really enjoy using anise hyssop with my lemon verbena here at home for an herbal tea. Dill volunteers like crazy in my garden and is welcome (but I don't use it for tea ).

One year, a peach tree showed up as a volunteer in my garden. I figured it was real risky business to keep it around but there seemed to be a suitable location for it (beside a blueberry that never had and, I'm fairly sure, never will do anything). So, the little peach was moved there. I mean, I could always cut it down later . . .

Perish the thought! That tree has given us the most tasty white peaches the last 3 years. I must have picked about a bushel of fruit off it last year. And, the taste is wonderful! Still, seems like a risk to have kept that volunteer but it worked .

Steve

[SPierce]

So fascinating to hear everyones stories and views on volunteers. I can only WISH I'd get a volunteer apple tree or peach tree in my garden

[jal_ut]

Plant tree seeds in the fall. They will come up in the spring. Most fruit trees grown from seed won't have a fruit like its parent, but it may be a good fruit. I have two apricots that I grew from seed and they are just fine. I have a peach too. Its fruit is rather small, but tasty.

[Kisal]

My lovely cherry tree was a volunteer. I figure I have a blue jay or squirrel somewhere to thank for it.

[SPierce]

Plant tree seeds in the fall. They will come up in the spring. Most fruit trees grown from seed won't have a fruit like its parent, but it may be a good fruit. I have two apricots that I grew from seed and they are just fine. I have a peach too. Its fruit is rather small, but tasty.

Will they overweather okay? Do I have to do anything to protect them? That's really my biggest worry

[garden5]

Well, last year I let only the very vigorous ones grow. However, this year since I'm tight on space, I probably won't be letting many grow....in the garden that is . If some come up in the compost pile, I'll probably let them go.

[gixxerific]

It all depends on where it is. Weed: a plant that is in an inopportune place. If it is in the way yanky yanky. If not than let it grow. But with me I let most everything go to seed so I have volunteers EVERYHWERE. You should see how many I have so far. I said last year I wouldn't have to plant anything and I think was on to something.

Marigolds anyone I have millions of them.

I am interested to see how everything grows from the Mgolds to the tomatoes, garlic, onions, other flowers, lettuce, basil, nasturtium, etc, etc, etc, etc. I have yet to see the warm weather sprouts come but it's gonna be a volunteer picking season I am sure of that.

If nothing else it's free mulch/compost.

[Rogue11]

So fascinating to hear everyones stories and views on volunteers. I can only WISH I'd get a volunteer apple tree or peach tree in my garden

No apple or peach tree here, but 2 fig trees popped up next to our garage between the bushes. Lots of people in the neighborhood have fig trees, so I assume some birds helped themselves to some fruits and had a picnic on our garage roof.
I trimmed away some of the bushes to give them a little more room until I have found a better place for them in the garden.

[SPierce]

So fascinating to hear everyones stories and views on volunteers. I can only WISH I'd get a volunteer apple tree or peach tree in my garden

No apple or peach tree here, but 2 fig trees popped up next to our garage between the bushes. Lots of people in the neighborhood have fig trees, so I assume some birds helped themselves to some fruits and had a picnic on our garage roof.
I trimmed away some of the bushes to give them a little more room until I have found a better place for them in the garden.

Well, I might actually get something- I went out to my garden today and noticed that I had a little something that sprouted, with a wooden stem to it, so... maybe I do have a tree of some sort growing in it? Granted, I'd have to move it if it's something I wanted to keep, but it might be interesting!

[jal_ut]

Will they overweather okay? Do I have to do anything to protect them? That's really my biggest worry

Whether a tree will winter depends on the climate and the tree. You can check a nursery catalog for the hardiness ratings of various trees. If a peach tree is supposed to be hardy in your zone, you would most likely have good luck with it. The only thing I do to protect them is to put a plastic critter guard on the trunk in the fall. Sometimes little furry critters like to nibble on the bark. They can girdle and kill the small tree very easily.

[SPierce]

Will they overweather okay? Do I have to do anything to protect them? That's really my biggest worry

Whether a tree will winter depends on the climate and the tree. You can check a nursery catalog for the hardiness ratings of various trees. If a peach tree is supposed to be hardy in your zone, you would most likely have good luck with it. The only thing I do to protect them is to put a plastic critter guard on the trunk in the fall. Sometimes little furry critters like to nibble on the bark. They can girdle and kill the small tree very easily.

I see- thank you! I was pretty much thinking that anything, other than an apple, wouldn't really work here since it gets so cold. But, now I'm hopeful hat maybe I can grow something ;D

now, if only I actually had more room than I have....