We expected to have a bunch of tomatoes pop up all over from last year’s crop. When we didn’t see any, we thought maybe the birds got all the seeds.
Then, out of nowhere, I counted ten tomato plants in the garden that I had not planted. Ten stout and hardy volunteers ready to bear fruit.
How exciting to see these remnants from last year sprout up! The bounty from volunteer plants is often bigger, tastier and more nutrient dense than those that are purposely planted. Rather than being told where to go, they’ve popped up where they want to be and where they have the best chance to survive and thrive.
They’ve found the most nutrient rich spot in the soil and staked their claim.
A volunteer grows
It’s strength springs up from the root
Challengers beware
a pinch of homestead 