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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: pg on May 13, 2012, 18:08:36

Title: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: pg on May 13, 2012, 18:08:36: Got some tomato seedling coming up in my home compost (guess the temp didn't get up high enough to kill them in the heap) and they are looking far healthier than my deliberately sown tomatoes.

Anyone got any suggestions about why this might be?
Title: Re: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: chriscross1966 on May 13, 2012, 18:55:55: Because the handful that will have made it are super tough....
Title: Re: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: pigeonseed on May 13, 2012, 19:20:05: And had a very early start, in a warm damp place?
Title: Re: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: goodlife on May 13, 2012, 19:59:24: Perharps their roots have had 'free run' and grown bigger to start with..and they've not been checked by pricking out etc.
Title: Re: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: pg on May 14, 2012, 08:58:41: Great theories.

Has anyone had successful tomatoes (plants &/or crop) from these 'volunteers'?
Title: Re: Why are 'volunteer' tomato seedlings better than deliberately sown?
Post by: antipodes on May 14, 2012, 09:52:50: Quote from: pg on May 14, 2012, 08:58:41
Has anyone had successful tomatoes (plants &/or crop) from these 'volunteers'?

Yes they usually grow fine: however in the end, they usually give no more (but no less) than your mollycoddled ones! As often they finish earlier in the season... However I have often had one or two "wild" ones come up, I plant them in a suitable place if necessary and I find them to be very tough and just as productive as others. Tigerella are very prone to this, I have found. Their seeds must be tough!