Found Tomato Plants in Public Spaces

[Solanum315]

Anyone else find tomatoes growing “wild” when out and about? Some notable ones I’ve found were volunteers growing on my base in Iraq, in my parking lot at work, through a crack in the sidewalk near a Mexican restaurant and most recently in my grocery store parking lot. It was already way too hot for the Iraq plant to set fruit. I took a big beefsteak off of the plant in my work parking lot and have grown it out and saved seeds although they are unremarkable; typical commercial variety. I pulled up and transplanted the sidewalk plant and have seeds from that as well. Again, unremarkable commercial Roma type. The latest one at the grocery store is a very large and productive cherry type growing out from a patch of gravel. I’ll grab a few fruits and save seeds when they mature. If nothing else, it is impressive that it’s as large and productive as most cared for plants and as far as I can tell, no one has ever done anything for it.

[PaulF]

This year we planted tomatoes and peppers along with herbs and flowers in the big flower pots we take care of in our little village. The purpose was for folks to harvest whatever they wanted...and save seeds for themselves if they desired.

We see a few people partaking but not many. Next year maybe it will catch on better.

[Tormato]

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=16104


http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=29528

[ScottinAtlanta]

Interesting about Iraq. I grew some Cherokee Purple in Baghdad in 2015-2016, but had to use a fabric cover to protect them from the heat. The Iraqiis loved them, and perhaps still grow them.

[Solanum315]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Interesting about Iraq. I grew some Cherokee Purple in Baghdad in 2015-2016, but had to use a fabric cover to protect them from the heat. The Iraqiis loved them, and perhaps still grow them.

Tomatoes in Iraq are tough. Surprisingly cold winters with very little transition to blazing heat. I believe the local farmers grew tomatoes in greenhouses mostly during the winter.

[Solanum315]

Originally Posted by PaulF

This year we planted tomatoes and peppers along with herbs and flowers in the big flower pots we take care of in our little village. The purpose was for folks to harvest whatever they wanted...and save seeds for themselves if they desired.

We see a few people partaking but not many. Next year maybe it will catch on better.

I had the same idea. I wanted to start a local public produce project. The local community center had a few big empty planters so I asked if I could put a cherry tomato plant in it. The representative there said that they would have to bring the issue to the council. I walked out and just stuck a small plant in one of the planters. The next day it was pulled out and the container remained empty from that point on. It’s funny how people are so sensitive about their authority being questioned.

That said, I am skeptical if public produce would ever catch on in modern American society. In general, my observation is that the biggest consumers of produce are usually economically stable enough to not need/feel awkward taking food that seems to be for the poor...on the other hand, when I was in Rwanda for a month, I noticed that nearly every square foot of arable land had corn, beans, bananas and tomatoes planted. Probably not intended as a free for all but nevertheless a society that was more wedded to their agriculture.

[Solanum315]

The Iraqi volunteer...that is growth in some serious adversity...

[slugworth]

I was talking to a landscaper for burger king years ago and he said people
fling the tomatoes off the burgers into the grass and the plants pop up.

[Solanum315]

Just came across an old photo of the parking lot volunteer. It was a fairly generic beefsteak but I saved seeds.

[Shrinkrap]

Resilience!

[JosephineRose]

Disneyland had some outside of Tomorrowland back in June. In fact, most of the landscaping in Tomorrowland is edible.

[sdambr]

Went to a football game a Princeton U there was a tomato plant growing in a crack on the bleachers, it was healthier than anything I had in my yard.