.png)
The Accidental Tomato Patch: A Lesson in Volunteer Plants
Last year, we were surprised by an unplanned pumpkin patch. This year, nature decided to gift us again, but with tomatoes! These unplanned plants are known as "volunteer plants," which grow from accidentally dropped or composted seeds. They're a delightful surprise and taught us to expect the unexpected in gardening.
The Sunflowers Were Just the Beginning
We repurposed the soil from our old raised beds into a makeshift flower bed, sprinkling sunflower seeds. Not only did the sunflowers flourish (stay tuned for that post!), but as James and I admired their beauty one evening, we spotted some unexpected greenery.
The Underdog Tomatoes: Volunteer Plants in Action
Initially, these mystery plants looked like marigolds, remnants from last year's planting. But they soon revealed their true identity—tomatoes! The fascinating thing about volunteer plants is that they often adapt better to your garden conditions, which might explain why these accidental tomatoes outperform the ones we intentionally planted. We're guessing they're cherry tomatoes, but they're keeping us guessing.
Embracing Nature's Surprises
These volunteer tomatoes are thriving so well that we even rigged up a makeshift trellis to support their ambitions. It's a testament to the resilience and surprises that nature offers. So, it looks like we're destined for a tomato harvest one way or another this year.
Final Thoughts
Volunteer plants like these tomatoes remind us that sometimes, the best things in life are unplanned and that nature has its own ideas about what our garden should be.
For more photos of our surprise tomato adventure, visit my Facebook page!
It is always kind of a surprise when volunteer plants come up, but fun to have them without having to have planted them! Thank you for sharing at To Grandma's House We Go.
ReplyDelete