Wild Irony

The universe likes laughing at me. In so many creative ways. (See earlier.) Here’s another. Of all the tomato plants I’ve ever grown, the ones that have done best -spectacularly well, in fact- have not been the ones I intentionally planted and nurtured but the ones that have grown up in random places. I then take care of them and they end up bursting with fruit. Meanwhile the others produce some fruit, but nothing to write home about, after a great amount of care and worry about how suited the ground is to their needs. You will recall another example: the cherry tomato plant that appeared in a crack in the steps that I was sure could not make it (but lasted for two years, almost constantly producing fruit) – see posts here and here about it.

Well, at some point during the Winter (yeah, yeah, I know) I noticed a new tomato plant growing in a place where I’d not planted one. It was about a metre from where I did plant some in the previous years, but I’m not sure I ever planted that variety nearby before. Well, remembering the red cherry on the steps, I did the sensible thing and just let it do its thing, providing it with a support on which to grow, and the occasional gift of water. For over two months now it has been rewarding me with tomatoes. Again, lovely red cherry ones (see above left in my hand, and the whole plant to the left – click on either to enlarge), and as tasty and sweet as I’ve ever had them. Meanwhile, I’ve several carefully planted plants on the way in carefully prepared beds (definitely not over-nurturing them this year – I think that’s part of the problem – they kind of like it rough…), and I’ll be lucky to get half the yield of this plant, from all of them combined!

It’s almost like I’m being taunted, but it’s a taunting I’ll take, ‘cos it’s a tasty taunting.

Future taunting prospects: Two seedlings from last year’s yellow pear tomato plant (which produced oodles of delicious yellow pearlets, and is well known for its self-seeding abilities), have magically appeared unlooked for. Yum!

-cvj