the tomatoes in the hedge

[edenfalling]

tomato plant in hedge, Thursday, 22 September 2016



baby tomato plant under hedge



green tomatoes



tomato flowers


[Context: I live in a house that is subdivided into four apartments: two on the ground floor and two on the second floor. The upstairs apartments share a balcony over the front porch.]

One of the many oddities this year has given me is the sight of a freaking tomato plant growing in the hedge that separates my house from the sidewalk. Or actually, two tomato plants. One is just a lot younger than the other, and probably won't bloom or fruit before the first frost hits.

Downstairs Neighbor S and Upstairs Neighbor E think that Diagonal Neighbor P (who has since moved out, and we're all kind of relieved about that) must have chucked a half-eaten tomato off her balcony at some point this spring, after which at least one of the seeds sprouted despite the drought and used the hedge as its climbing frame. Exuberantly.

Landlord Dude seems to be harvesting the tomatoes as they ripen, and found a stake from somewhere to prop up the younger tomato plant.

I am mostly bemused by the whole business... though I admit, I wouldn't be sorry if at least one of the tomatoes fell to the ground and started the cycle over again next year.

(Diagonal Neighbor P's other accidental planting -- a spiderwort that has taken over the entire north half of the front yard and is now encroaching upon the south half as well -- can go die in a fire, though. We all devoutly hope it won't survive the winter.)

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