Rogue gardening

[paulky_2000]

This is not really odd, but I was quite surprised to see these popping up in my landscaping. Some were stranger than others....

First, the tomato plants. These came up all on their own. I assume from seeds that were left from last year.....and they're coming up in some odd places. (probably because the seeds got caught there:

.....

 

[paulky_2000]

Next, it the most odd of all. These appear to be some type of squash. The only problem is.....I have never grown any squash! These just appeared out of nowhere!:

....

 

[paulky_2000]

These were the most expected. These are cayennes. I know this because that is what was planted here last year. (the large plant is orange habanero)

So there you have it. There are more examples.....but you get the idea. If I had tried to plant these...they never would have grown!

 

[poypoyking]

Wow, that is kind of fun

When you said rogue gardening I was thinking of guerrilla gardening, which I plan on doing some of this year. I have 10 or so tomato plants left over that I have not given away or had room for myself. There is quite a bit of public land right near my house (water tower and water pumping station) that I am going to try and place some tomato plants in viable spots. It just remains to be seen if they get weed-whacked or not.

 

[paulky_2000]

What you have to understand is that about 60-70% of everything I plant DIES before it reaches maturity. THESE plants will probably eclipse anything I've ever planted.


......and where did the damn squash come from???

 

[NorTexChiliJs]

I keep hearing of this volunteer plant problem(or not). I have had a garden for a couple of years and the only volunteer plants I get, I believe, are from the compost I use not being quite ready to use. I make my own compost and have not always used thoroughly broken down material. Do these peppers and tomatoes come up from tilling under old maters and pepper pods?? Did you leave bug-eaten fruit on the ground? Or is it simply the birds and varmits getting into our plants and then "pooping" out the seeds. I don't think i ever leave anything behind to grow the following year. I do a pretty "anal" cleanup... but look at my posts... I'm a newbie!!! I'm looking forward to hearing other opinions......

 

[pileiton]

My thoughts were the same, animal droppings. Maybe those pigs from that other thread Paul.

 

[paulky_2000]

I'm no gardener. I'd say that there were plenty of pods and tomatoes left behind to re-seed. I also do only two things to prepare the soil before planting.....


One of them is Jack. Care to guess the other?

The really odd part was the squash coming up. It's very healthy and may be a great producer. I just wish I knew how it got there!

 

[franzb69]

nice! hope that happens to me. lol

 

[charlesNYC]

nice! hope that happens to me. lol

hey look! a volunteer fatalii....
*dreamy*

 

[franzb69]

hey look! a volunteer fatalii....
*dreamy*

exactly! lol.

 

[Sorellina]

Ciao Paul-

We have the exact same thing happening here. I'm almost completely sure it's the triple mix we got to help amend our beds because some of the things I've seeing, I either haven't grown in a few years or I just plain haven't grown. Also, the winters here are so cold that seeds to not normally over-winter in our compost at all, whether we turn it or we don't turn it. That all leads me to think it was something brought in and all sorts of crazy things are popping out of that mix. I have extra radishes, tomatillos, cucumbers, squash, carrots, tomatoes, and something that looks like potato, but I'm pretty sure it's some kind of nightshade. I've been selective in what I've left alone to mature, depending on whether it's in the middle of a path and how big it's going to get. The carrots and radishes are fine as long as they're not blocking traffic, but a squash or cucumber will get very large.

It's fun, enjoy your extra produce!

 

[Nova]

Thats very cool Paul, im amazed any sprout could get through all that lumber!

 

[Geosojda]

cant say i have ever had any rouge plants, but it would be fun to have some come up and wait to see what they become!

 

[paulky_2000]

Thats very cool Paul, im amazed any sprout could get through all that lumber!

Hey now...that's 5 year old cypress mulch. It took a lot of neglect to get it looking like that!

 

[paulky_2000]

Here are a few update photos....

Grape tomato plants....just growing EVERYWHERE:

....and no, I didn't plant a single one. They just came up from, i guess, what fell off the plants LAST year.

Here are a some of the phantom squash. I still have no idea that type it is. Perhaps some of you might know?

............

 

[paulky_2000]

Here's some of the cayennes that re-seeded from last year. Notice how they're coming up in random spots. (The large, bushy one near the center is a habanero)

And finally....THESE I planted on purpose! They're also orange habanero. Looking pretty good....concidering who put them in the ground!

 

[pepperfever]

Tomatillos will come back on their own for years even in zone 4. Just consider the bonus plants as a reward for taking good care of the earth. Unless the sprouts are really in the way or taking up needed space I just let them grow.

 

[Nova]

That's sooo cool Paul, check out your thumbs, they are getting green!

 

[MrArboc]

One of them is Jack. Care to guess the other?

I guess that answers where the squash came from... Hmmm... Remind me not to invite you to any party!

The only volunteers I got this year are pansies and Aquilegia vulgaris. (European Columbine, Common Columbine or Granny's Nightcap according to the almighty Wikipedia...)