I choose the best of the best and grow them out. As I grow such a varied lot each year I only have a clue as to what they are because of my garden location maps. Just the same, if I save the seeds from volunteers they go into a generic mix--I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing them with a supposed name.

I think you will very much enjoy your generic tomato plants and be quite surprised by their health and the delicious fruits they grow. Sometimes people think that volunteer plants aren't as good as the previous generation they came from, but my experience has been that they are as good if not better.

Next week I have a in-house tomato plant sale with my women's club. Some of the toms I'm bringing will have names but I have many more that are thriving volunteers. Wether I sell them or give them away I do mention that they're volunteers and expect them to be red, but, because I do have a varied crop of toms, they might be yellow or orange too, lol.

T

I collected SIX volunteer determinate Rutgers open-pollinated seedlings from my flowerbox about a week ago. I know that's what they are because I grew two Rugers plants in containers next to it last year.

So now I'm rearranging and crowding my remaining garden layout so I can plant them -- I'd decided not to grow any Rutgers this year because I had others I wanted to try. Mother Nature WILL have her way among us with weak wills about tomato volunteers! This will make 18 tomato plants, WAY WAY too many for us, even with freezing as many as I froze last year.

But I'm sure I'll be able to find some takers somewhere...

I was thrilled to find a volunteer this year; I couldn't find my saved seeds this year, so I thought the genetic link to my past gardens was lost. Not so! :) Perhaps I'll get another couple.

In my experience, volunteer tomatoes produce just fine.

I grew out 2 sungold volunteers last year (since they were hybrids, they must have reverted back to a parent, but to me they were indistinguishable) and they were great! I also let what turned out to be a Black Prince grow out--it was much more vigorous than the puposely planted version the season before. I have some "mystery" tomato plants popping up all over the place due to my chickens. I have NO idea what they might be, but I'm going to give them a try--what the heck? Should be fun!

I'm glad to hear that so many of you have had good luck with volunteer tomatoes. Today I found some more growing nearer to where the grape tomatoes were growing last year, so my desire for small tomatoes (cherry or grape of some sort) might be realized, after all.

This year has been all about spending as little money as possible, while seeing what I can reap from it. I've spent most of my adult life spending more money for garden stuff than my available space really called for, so this year (when I actually do have space!) I've challenged myself to coast along and see how much I can get out of what I already have.

Since my seedling-starting got somewhat thwarted this year, I'm excited by the idea that I might be able to fill out my desired number of tomato plants by using the volunteers. Of course, I'll still need to get some cages or stakes of some sort, but it's a start.

As an extra bonus, I found some dill plants in the vegetable garden, too. They must have migrated by way of the compost pile, since my herbs are in a different bed.

My mother is now enjoying some volunteers. No work at all. They often turn out fine. If you used hybrids the year before it may be a bit of a lower standard but most of the OP ones will be good for something given the space.

Squash on the other hand may not. I have no idea how it happened because it was my first year at a new location using a raised bed and I think I got a zuchinni and butternut cross. Doesn't that just sound delicious? As goofy a fruit as it sounds.

My cilantro did me a favor this year, no need to plant. I guess that is plus side letting some grow for coriander. I have the dill too. Dill is a fine weed.