Reporting for Duty!

The first time I heard the word "volunteer" in terms of gardening was from Ian's granny describing cosmos that were growing in a place she had not specifically planted them. They had "volunteered" themselves to grow! I thought it was a really cool word and started using it myself. Not everyone uses this word, so I'm passing it on to you (if you weren't already familiar).

Each year I get hundreds of volunteer tomatoes that grow from the seeds of the previous year's fallen tomatoes. I usually just hoe them out of the soil, but this year I'm going to let one grow.

This costuloto volunteered himself to grow in the mulch at the bottom right of the garden bed! He already has a cute little fruit forming, and is stronger than the plants I set out in late May. How could I possibly hoe him out when he has such a strong will to serve me some tomatoes!