There are non-human types of volunteers, some good. As I have mentioned in previous articles, my vegetable leavings are composted and quickly transformed into rich soil by earthworms. Often, unknown plants sprout in the areas where I have buried compost, such as avocado trees. Earthworms do not have teeth to masticate seeds or eggshells. Since I do not plant the seeds on purpose, I call the resulting seedlings “volunteers”. This year, four tomato plants volunteered to grow. Each one is a different type of tomato. How did I become so fortunate? One volunteer is a grape tomato plant full of clusters and another is a Roma. I did plant two commercial tomato plants remembering Mother’s advise to put a banana peel and a tablespoon of Epsom Salts in the bottom of the hole. (No, you do not have to soak your thumb in the Epsom Salts first!) The one volunteer tomato plant that I transplanted to a better location is scraggly. I did not dose the soil with Mother’s recipe. The most aggressive, prodigious volunteer in my garden was a mystery until my niece visited and used her research skills to decipher information. It is an Italian squash called trombetta. In Italy, the trombetta, also known as trombocino, is planted to grow on a trellis or arbor. The dark green leaves are huge with silver veins. It is a beautiful plant but it has already choked some flowers that were in its path. Pulling tentacles from ornamentals has become a daily chore. The plant has reached over 20 feet in length along the wire fence.
As the squash grows large, it looses its pale green color and becomes tan. The skin becomes tough with well developed seeds inside surrounded by orange flesh. The Italians use the mildly sweet orange flesh to stuff ravioli. At maturity it resembles a butternut squash. I may have been purchased it thinking it was a butternut. Or, maybe a bird planted a seed. Oh, the perplexing mysteries of life!
Volunteers of the human genre are mostly good and cause no harm. Not all volunteers of plant species are welcome. The trombetta squash and the tomato plants are blessings. But, the poison ivy that has found its way into my yard was not composted and definitely not invited! Judith Handelsman in her book, Growing Myself, says “Gardening can provide an opportunity to slow down, be still, breathe and connect with another form of life.” And I might add, become blessed with volunteer surprises! [email protected] ©Ann Rains August 1, 2019
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