Volunteer Vegetable Thread

[Dirtmechanic]

So.. sorry to say it but my first garden weeding is looming large. My wife actually gave me that female crap about how bad our garden looks. I said the seeds are barely 6 inches tall and you should do it so she has yet to address the issue of seeds from last year. How do your dropped fruits treat you?

I am about to transplant volunteers and then have this massive weed killing multi-day effort.

Have you been there done that?

 

[Mike]

This is only 2nd year doing a garden and never done one back to back so never had any volunteer veggies. We've definitely had our fair share of weeds, though, in both gardens. We've done a much better job this time but the bermuda grass is relentless.

We do make sure to harvest everything, though, and toss anything that's rotted into another place in the field. Also, we'll till the garden before planting each time so not likely we ever see any volunteers.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

This is only 2nd year doing a garden and never done one back to back so never had any volunteer veggies. We've definitely had our fair share of weeds, though, in both gardens. We've done a much better job this time but the bermuda grass is relentless.

We do make sure to harvest everything, though, and toss anything that's rotted into another place in the field. Also, we'll till the garden before planting each time so not likely we ever see any volunteers.

Haha just wait for it. She told me there are volunteers under the muscadine vines. I said yes I throw as far away as I can when I am picking. If you put a lot of force on a rotten fruit it will juice you pretty good so my range is limited sometimes, especially with squash.

 

[Zigs]

I'm letting our American Cress go to seed as it grows much better when it's come up where it wants to rather than where I've planted it

Apart from some Gauntlett Strawberries that Tetters bought, all our Strawberries in the tunnel are volunteers that I rounded up from various parts of the garden.

 

[skinyea]

I have random Potatoes grow in beds I had potatoes in last year.

and I have random Tomato plants that spring up. It is funny, you fuss over the ones you plant, fertilize, trim space they, and then you see were a random tomato is growing on its own in a rockbed that look just as healthy as the ones I pampered.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I have random Potatoes grow in beds I had potatoes in last year.

and I have random Tomato plants that spring up. It is funny, you fuss over the ones you plant, fertilize, trim space they, and then you see were a random tomato is growing on its own in a rockbed that look just as healthy as the ones I pampered.

You have just stated the thesis of this year's garden. Lets see what nature can bring. Oh .. and all that seed sprouting and etc? Lets just plant the seed where it was made to go from the start and stop wasting? time with sprouts. I will say between seeds and dirt I have found a lot of different ways to do things. Like you, I notice it kinda funnels into the same result? How is that even possible? Does no one in the universe listen to me?

Dont answer that.

 

[olly-buckle]

I have random Potatoes grow in beds I had potatoes in last year.

Always, it's the tiny one that rolls off into the hole and disappears, never makes a plant worth having.

 

[olly-buckle]

Apart from some Gauntlett Strawberries that Tetters bought, all our Strawberries in the tunnel are volunteers that I rounded up from various parts of the garden.

I have always grown the strawberries I found already in the garden, but this year bought a couple of Malling Champion and of Finesse that were on offer, as they are 'perpetual' fruiting all summer. It is early days, but already they appear to be greatly superior, and I have rooted a runner off the Malling Champion.

 

[Ostrodamus]

This year I discovered morning glory, cactus, sunflower, amaranth, corn and hollyhock volunteers in the garden. I let them ALL grow, but I probably won't allow the amaranth a free ride next season. This variety is a trifecta of problems for my current setup; ugly, huge and all-consuming.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

This year I discovered morning glory, cactus, sunflower, amaranth, corn and hollyhock volunteers in the garden. I let them ALL grow, but I probably won't allow the amaranth a free ride next season. This variety is a trifecta of problems for my current setup; ugly, huge and all-consuming.

But "They" like it. So you gonna move your setup or fight Mother?

 

[Ostrodamus]

But "They" like it. So you gonna move your setup or fight Mother?

Honestly, I may just concede this battle and deal. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Honestly, I may just concede this battle and deal. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

I am only 59 and it has become interesting watching high energy hit the natural plan.

 

[Ostrodamus]

Honestly, I lost a lot of fight when I had to manually dig up 250+ sumac trees in order to even have a garden plot. Pickaxe - check, Shovel - check, Sledgehammer - check.

 

[Anniekay]

Since I trench compost in the garden bed I always have volunteer tomato, squash, watermelon, cucumber, etc. I just hoe their heads off and reincorporate them into the soil. They won't make good plants since hybrid plants' seeds don't come true to the parent plant, but they make good soil enrichments.

 

[Ostrodamus]

I just hoe their heads off and reincorporate them into the soil.

And I'm the mercenary.

They won't make good plants since hybrid plants' seeds don't come true to the parent plant, but they make good soil enrichments.

Wait, wait, wait... Are volunteer plants considered trash half-breeds then?

 

[Dirtmechanic]

And I'm the mercenary.


Wait, wait, wait... Are volunteer plants considered trash half-breeds then?

Hey, Jesus Loves. Plus dont throw away anything until I find out if it is edible.

 

[Anniekay]

And I'm the mercenary.


Wait, wait, wait... Are volunteer plants considered trash half-breeds then?

Beheading is an age-old weeding technique. Hoe-hoe-hoe !!