Pic 1 -exemplars of the 3 vines going wild behind my compost pile. There are 6 more butternuts out there and at least 2 more acorns.
Pic 2 – yesterday's 11.4 pound potato harvest. These were plants that popped up as "weeds" from last year's remnants;we relocated to new rows towards the edges of some planted areas. My biggest potatoes yet.
Pic 3 – a volunteer "cucumber plant" I decided to let be. First cantaloupe was 5.5 pounds and there are 3 more our there. I'm assuming the seed survived in my lazy compost.
Pic 4 – My entire harvest of Long Pie pumpkin, my absolute favorite banking squash, of 4 plants started and planted in different places. It's undersized and sad.
I give up.
by CitySky_lookingUp
5 Comments
All my Romas stunted this year-around 40 of them. Meanwhile the volunteer tomatoes from last year gave me big beefy boi tomatoes all summer long. I even cut branches off and just sticky hem in the dirt and they rooted.
I would love to hear more about this long pie pumpkin: what do you like so much about it? I want to grow baking squash for canning and pumpkin pie next year and am all ears. 🙂
Remember that all successful volunteers benefit from survivorship bias. You’re not seeing the many volunteer seeds that failed to sprout, seedlings that withered or were cut down by pests, etc. You’re only seeing the minority that came up in an optimal spot and thrived, although almost anything that you purposefully planted into/near fresh compost would also do well! (The only real exception here is potato, which is a true pioneer crop that is typically happy when planted away from pests and in uncultivated soil.)
mmmmm delecata squash.
Cut it into rings, deseed
mix a tablespoon of melted butter, a quarter teaspoon cinnamon and a teaspoon of maple syrup.
Brush the mixture on the rings and bake.
Wow, collect them all! The army of champions.
I like your tidy cats pail , i have 12 or so on my front patio.