tomatoes growing out of my sidewalks

[jennifer28]

In addition to working on the school and community gardens, and urban farm, I keep a nice little garden at my home. We have just about an acre of property which is a good amount for our close proximity to New York City and the seashore. Most people here have a quarter acre or less. Anyway our setup at our home is interesting because we have a large concrete wall around our property and then within the wall there are brick paths, some more lower cement walls, and cement stairs. The formal garden areas are set up like old English gardens. Then we have some little walking trails that go to a chicken coop and a playhouse. Anyway this is the first year that I have volunteer tomato plants coming up through our sidewalks. I'm hoping they get big enough to set fruit before frost.

[KarenO]

I always say folks baby their tomatoes too much. They are tough plants and there's your proof, growing in a crack in cement. start spraying it and pruning it and fussing over it and it will probably die. leave it alone and I bet you'll get your tomatoes before frost
Nature is grand isn't it?
KarenO

[jennifer28]

I don't know what happened this year, I have several tomato and ground cherry plants coming out of the concrete. I'm actually happy about the ground cherries because it makes it easier to harvest them.

[riceke]

It does fly in the face of all the articles one reads about how you must have a certain soil to germinate, fertilizer, pruning etc....when you see something like tomatoes growing through cracks in the concrete. I agree with KARENO is all that stuff we do really necessary? Please let us know if and when it bears fruit.

[ginger2778]

It's the little plant that could.
Jennifer, I like the new avatar a lot.

Marsha

[jennifer28]

I'll let you know. Our average first frost date is the end of oct-beginning of November so I think there is a good chance I'll get some fruit off it.

[jennifer28]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

It's the little plant that could.
Jennifer, I like the new avatar a lot.

Marsha

Thank you, this is Willow. She is a great dog. This photo is from when we were hippies for halloween. I have to find the photos of her dressed up for St Patrick's Day. She makes a great leprechaun.

[carolyn137]

Jennifer, I hope you mean that the plants are coming up in the cracks between pavers or cracks in the concrete b'c as strong as we like to think tomato plants are, no plant is going to come up directly through unbroken concrete.

There's even a tomato variety, I can't remember the name right now, that was named for coming up in cracks in concrete.

Carolyn

[riceke]

My wife who isn't a gardener, every year when we get a watermellon she spits the seed outside in an area off our deck that is pine strawed. The first time she did it I told her you can't get a watermellon from just spitting out a seed. Lo and behold we had a big ol' watermellon much to my dismay. Every year after I ask her if she planted her watermellons yet. We've had watermellons for the past 4 years. I still don't believe it. She probably is transplanting one from the nursery when I'm not home.

[Doug9345]

I have chives growing in a place that the only reason they are there is that the wind blew the seed packet there.

[Alfredo]

It's amazing when the garden gives back a surprise gift to the gardener.

~Alfredo

[macbettz]

its kinda small and since August is here you might get some small green ones being in CT.

[bower]

Jen, considering the difficult times you've had this year, I'd say it's a wonderful sign, the tomatoes are telling you they are gonna bring you fruit whether you can plant em or not, and even if they have to burst through a crack in the concrete.

Your garden sounds like the old fashioned kind they uncovered in excavation of the "Community of Avalon" in Ferryland Newfoundland (1621) and restored, which we visited this summer. The paths were cobbled with beachstones instead of bricks, but what a great garden. The (restored) wall around the garden is wood instead of concrete, with a little gazebo built in for sitting above. Very sweet. I would like to build something like this.

[dpurdy]

jennifer28,
I've seen a few volunteers pop up in the strangest places. This one is like yours which is growing in a space between a sidewalk and patio out back.
dpurdy

[jennifer28]

Originally Posted by bower

Jen, considering the difficult times you've had this year, I'd say it's a wonderful sign, the tomatoes are telling you they are gonna bring you fruit whether you can plant em or not, and even if they have to burst through a crack in the concrete.

Your garden sounds like the old fashioned kind they uncovered in excavation of the "Community of Avalon" in Ferryland Newfoundland (1621) and restored, which we visited this summer. The paths were cobbled with beachstones instead of bricks, but what a great garden. The (restored) wall around the garden is wood instead of concrete, with a little gazebo built in for sitting above. Very sweet. I would like to build something like this.

Bower,

I love that link to Avalon. The previous owner of my home was a mechanical engineer, a mason, and he owned the local hardware shop. He was an amazing person, we were lucky to get this property. The gardens and home were going to be razed and three homes were going to be put in here.

Anyway maybe it is a sign

Thank you for your nice comments.