How long will seed last in ground before germination..mystery plant..

gssgarden · June 28, 2009

Here's what I got.

A 'stray' plant appeared in my garden this year amongst the peas. When I was pulling my pea fence down, I noticed that this plant had set fruit. Now I COULDN'T pull it now, right? I ended up staking it and to be honest, it has had minimal care.

Here's the strange part. I have three raised beds. This raised bed didn't have tomatoes in it last year. Seed had to have jumped from the others next to it. Fine.

It appears to be a Black Cherry. BUT, Black Cherry wasn't in my garden last year. It was there TWO years ago though. The only cherry I grew was Purple Haze. I know they are very similar in looks and taste so I can't really tell.

Take a look at the pics below and see what you think.

Could a Black Cherry seed sit in the soil from two years ago and sprout now?

What are the odds a Purple Haze seed got there and sprouted true to the parent? I don't bag blossoms.

BTW, I didn't get a weight but it tasted pretty darn good.

Thanks,

Greg

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BigdaddyJ · June 28, 2009

I think you may have worked the soil in that middle bed and placed the seed in a new position from where germination became more probable. I have had many different flower seeds last years in the ground and finally decide to sprout 5 to 10 years later!

I never grew Purple Haze. It looks like BC to me based on third pic from top.

dice · June 28, 2009

I had a cherry tomato plant sprout in a bed out in a parking
strip one year, right in front of a power pole. I had not grown
any tomatoes at all for several years (but of course some of
the neighbors probably had them, including cherry tomatoes).

I assume that a bird left the seed there. I completely ignored
it, and it produced one tomato on a foot high plant (in fill
dirt left behind by the crew that put up the power pole).

gssgarden · June 28, 2009

BigDaddy, You're probably right. I may have moved it when turning them over. BUT do you think it would sit there for two years before sprouting?

Greg

I'll take better pics of the next ripe ones and see if it looks more like Purple Haze.

Barbee · June 28, 2009

When we tore down the old house here to build, we dug up the old concrete porch areas, basement, etc. Out of nowhere, petunias started sprouting and blooming their fool heads off. My husband's parents had been deceased for 10 years and no annuals had been planted in that time.
So yes, I think it's very possible you had a stray seed germinate. Heaving and thawing this past winter could have worked it up to just the right depth to germinate

BigdaddyJ · June 28, 2009

Greg, yeah. I believe it could have waited two years. I once grew a celosia 'Flamingo Feather' and let it go to seed. The next year i covered that whole area with three layers of rocks making a little wall. Years later I still get celosia volunteers through the rocks! I never let them go to seed either there because there they are a weed! They are sprouting from seeds spit out by it's mother about 8 years ago!

June 28, 2009	#1
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,820	How long will seed last in ground before germination..mystery plant.. Here's what I got. A 'stray' plant appeared in my garden this year amongst the peas. When I was pulling my pea fence down, I noticed that this plant had set fruit. Now I COULDN'T pull it now, right? I ended up staking it and to be honest, it has had minimal care. Here's the strange part. I have three raised beds. This raised bed didn't have tomatoes in it last year. Seed had to have jumped from the others next to it. Fine. It appears to be a Black Cherry. BUT, Black Cherry wasn't in my garden last year. It was there TWO years ago though. The only cherry I grew was Purple Haze. I know they are very similar in looks and taste so I can't really tell. Take a look at the pics below and see what you think. Could a Black Cherry seed sit in the soil from two years ago and sprout now? What are the odds a Purple Haze seed got there and sprouted true to the parent? I don't bag blossoms. BTW, I didn't get a weight but it tasted pretty darn good. Thanks, Greg 004.jpg 005[1].jpg 006 (2).jpg 007[1].jpg 009.jpg

June 28, 2009	#2
BigdaddyJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zone7 Delaware Posts: 399	I think you may have worked the soil in that middle bed and placed the seed in a new position from where germination became more probable. I have had many different flower seeds last years in the ground and finally decide to sprout 5 to 10 years later! I never grew Purple Haze. It looks like BC to me based on third pic from top. __________________ Farmer at Heart

June 28, 2009	#3
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I had a cherry tomato plant sprout in a bed out in a parking strip one year, right in front of a power pole. I had not grown any tomatoes at all for several years (but of course some of the neighbors probably had them, including cherry tomatoes). I assume that a bird left the seed there. I completely ignored it, and it produced one tomato on a foot high plant (in fill dirt left behind by the crew that put up the power pole). __________________ -- alias

June 28, 2009	#5
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	When we tore down the old house here to build, we dug up the old concrete porch areas, basement, etc. Out of nowhere, petunias started sprouting and blooming their fool heads off. My husband's parents had been deceased for 10 years and no annuals had been planted in that time. So yes, I think it's very possible you had a stray seed germinate. Heaving and thawing this past winter could have worked it up to just the right depth to germinate __________________ *Barbee*

June 28, 2009	#6
BigdaddyJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zone7 Delaware Posts: 399	Greg, yeah. I believe it could have waited two years. I once grew a celosia 'Flamingo Feather' and let it go to seed. The next year i covered that whole area with three layers of rocks making a little wall. Years later I still get celosia volunteers through the rocks! I never let them go to seed either there because there they are a weed! They are sprouting from seeds spit out by it's mother about 8 years ago! __________________ Farmer at Heart