Volunteer plants

[Babble64]

I have a sprouted sweet potato I am thinking of tossing into the compost. I just don't have the facility to grow it so I figure if the worms don't eat it, maybe I'll get a potato or two.

I just moved the tomato volunteer where it could get a bit more shade. It was looking like the leaves were getting sunburned, though I had also sprayed it with aspirin water so I don't know... the two onions seem to be fine, but the thing that might be squash or cucumber doesn't seem to survive well outside the bin.

Chanell, your energy and knowledge impress me so much. I love what I'm doing, but I do it all by "feel", don't seem to retain too much of what I "learn" (guess I can't say I learn it then, can I?) I don't have the energy or interest to do intense research and testing on most things. I feel blessed that God seems to watch over my crops, anyway, I can have these few small pleasures in the garden.

What does aspirin water do for the plants?

 

[ChanellG]

Chanell, your energy and knowledge impress me so much. I love what I'm doing, but I do it all by "feel"...

What does aspirin water do for the plants?

I used to do a lot of it by feel as well, but after some hits and misses and when you start trying to expand and grow food, sometimes that doesn't work out so well. I'm just glad I have 24 hour access to information now via the internet.

As for Aspirin water, here's a thread on the subject: https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/anyone-using-aspirin-in-the-garden.934/#post-9611
and some pins:

http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844899017/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844898989/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844898995/
http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335844324138/

 

[Babble64]

Several of the pumpkins are now showing large amounts of orange! And the plant continues to grow, creep further and further into the yard, and produce beautiful blossoms!

We've also picked the first of our larger tomatoes. I'm unsure what variety they are. These are about 3 inches across and rather round (not drop shaped, like a Roma). Haven't tasted them yet.

 

[ChanellG]

That's awesome! My volunteer tomato and onions are still alive and now there appears to be a new tomato volunteer in with one of the milkweed plants. Don't know how that came about. This is the first time I have managed to keep a tomato volunteer alive so I am thrilled. It's maybe about five inches tall so it will need to be transplanted soon enough - but it's alive!

The other thing in the bin i couldn't sort out appears to have been watermelon. Those seeds sprout so easily, from now on I should throw some in the top of a pot and cover it up. I think it's a bit late for watermelon though. Even with warm temperatures into December, I'm not sure they would get the proper amount of sun.

 

[Babble64]

Yesterday, as I was doing my daily pumpkin check, I discovered a new type of tomato in the middle of it all. I'd known there were tomatoes there, but didn't see these...they are a full-sized yellow tomato. There were two ripe ones on the vine, so I picked them.

 

[ChanellG]

Yesterday, as I was doing my daily pumpkin check, I discovered a new type of tomato in the middle of it all. I'd known there were tomatoes there, but didn't see these...they are a full-sized yellow tomato. There were two ripe ones on the vine, so I picked them.

I love yellow tomatoes! I am hoping that's what my volunteer turns out to be.

 

[Babble64]

We have one plant that is covered with large, green tomatoes. I'm going to have to haul out my salsa recipe or make some sauce, that's for sure. Even from just picking one or two a day I already have a pile of them that will need to be used SOON.

On the pumpkin front: the first pumpkin is now almost completely orange! So very, very cool for me! I'm so thankful for all of these plants that "wandered" into our lives this year! We had plans for more but it really doesn't matter, because what we DID get has been an absolute joy for me, and my husband, all summer long!

 

[ChanellG]

Well, apparently one of the potting soils we had was loaded with tomato seeds. I suddenly have volunteer tomato plants coming up everywhere! I can't wait to see what they produce - that's if they survive. I have so much to manage already, I can't believe I am about to take on more tomato plants!

 

[Babble64]

Well, apparently one of the potting soils we had was loaded with tomato seeds. I suddenly have volunteer tomato plants coming up everywhere! I can't wait to see what they produce - that's if they survive. I have so much to manage already, I can't believe I am about to take on more tomato plants!

Do you have a "day job" and all of this gardening is just a hobby? I asked only because I am amazed at the time and energy you put into your gardening. I couldn't work and do what you do. Heck, I don't think I could do what you do even if I didn't work!

 

[ChanellG]

Do you have a "day job" and all of this gardening is just a hobby? I asked only because I am amazed at the time and energy you put into your gardening. I couldn't work and do what you do. Heck, I don't think I could do what you do even if I didn't work!

LOL, I have a very flexible schedule. Some days I barely go out and water the plants and some days (like today) I am out there for three hours. I need to schedule some time for pruning and clearing, but I am training for my new "career" Wednesday and doing an art market this weekend so it probably won't happen until next week. I have been trying to get as much "yard improvement" done before I start getting busy with work again.

 

[ChanellG]

So, not really a volunteer, but a grand surprise -- I was away for a few days house sitting and it rained like mad. Both storage bins were at least 3/4 of the way full by the time I harvested the rain water. I happened to glance toward the back yard and noticed some scraggly yellow-orange flowers and realized the daylilies had finally come back to life. Yay! I still want to dig them up and move them to a safer location, or even pot them, but it was like a sign from divine entity to hang in there.

 

[Babble64]

So, not really a volunteer, but a grand surprise -- I was away for a few days house sitting and it rained like mad. Both storage bins were at least 3/4 of the way full by the time I harvested the rain water. I happened to glance toward the back yard and noticed some scraggly yellow-orange flowers and realized the daylilies had finally come back to life. Yay! I still want to dig them up and move them to a safer location, or even pot them, but it was like a sign from divine entity to hang in there.

I LOVE my day lilies! They are such a sweet "hello" when in blossom! But I also enjoy watching them GET to that point. Nice that you have felt some inspiration there.

 

[Babble64]

And speaking of volunteer plants...I harvested both the pumpkins and the gourds over the weekend. The pumpkin plant yielded 17 pumpkins, all from one pumpkin tossed onto a compost area last fall. It's been a tremendous joy to watch the process of that plant growing, growing bigger, blossoming (GORGEOUS blossoms!), yield fruit and to watch that fruit grow. (If you recall I thought, and hoped, I had a zucchini plant on my hands at first.)

The gourds weren't quite as prolific, but I have several different types and will joyfully use them as part of my fall decorations as well.

Using all of this as a life lesson....in a variety of ways!

I think I might even have managed to properly upload photos?

 

[ChanellG]

Wow, @Babble64, that's quite a haul! Congratulations, you could make quite a bit of pumpkin bread with those. Now that my lilies have bloomed I have to figure out how to improve the blooms for next time. There are several bulbs really close together that I am guessing need to be separated and thinned out. I'm thinking about relocating all the bulbs to large containers so they won't ever get trampled again.