What Are Volunteer Tomatoes, Will They Produce Fruit, and Should You Keep Them?

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As a gardener, you may have noticed unexpected tomato plants sprouting in your garden, even though you never planted them. These are known as volunteer tomatoes. If you’re wondering what these mysterious plants are, whether they will produce fruit, and if you should keep them, you’ve come to the right place.

I know a lot of people pull them out and discard them, but I’m always kinda thrilled when I spot a volunteer tomato plant growing at just the right time of year. Who doesn’t want a free tomato plant or four? If it’s growing in a bad place, which is likely, I lift it carefully and replant it somewhere more sensible.

What are Volunteer Tomatoes?

Volunteer tomatoes are unplanned tomato plants that sprout from seeds left in the soil from previous seasons. These seeds can originate from various sources, such as dropped or overripe tomatoes that have decomposed and released their seeds into the soil. Compost piles containing tomato scraps can also be a source of volunteer tomatoes if the seeds were not fully broken down during the composting process. And, animals like birds or small mammals can inadvertently disperse tomato seeds as they eat fruits and travel around your garden.

I think volunteer tomatoes should be a welcome surprise for gardeners, as they appear spontaneously without any direct planting or effort. There’s always that little thrill of excitement whenever you spot that unexpected distinctive tomato plant seedling pushing its way upward where it shouldn’t be, such as in a flower bed I’ve prepped for some of my flower companion plants, like nasturtiums to lure aphids. As these plants emerge from seeds that have successfully overwintered, they may also display increased hardiness and resilience, making them a valuable addition to your garden.

Do Volunteer Tomato Plants Produce Fruit?

Yes, volunteer tomato plants have the potential to produce delicious fruit if you let them grow to maturity and give them proper care. Just remember that not every volunteer tomato plant will produce the same type of tomato as the parent plant. This variation in fruit can occur due to cross-pollination between different tomato varieties growing nearby.

Cross-pollination is a natural process where pollen from one plant fertilizes the flowers of another plant, producing hybrid offspring. So a volunteer tomato plant can bear fruit with a mix of characteristics from both parent varieties. These characteristics may include differences in size, shape, color, taste, and disease resistance.

While some volunteer tomato plants produce fruit similar to the parent plant, especially if they come from self-pollinating heirloom varieties, others may produce entirely new and unique tomatoes. Seeing what your plants produce can be a fun and interesting experience. But these volunteers may not produce fruit at all. Or it may be tasteless, deformed, or be otherwise unusable. You’ll have few problems with heirloom tomatoes, but hybrid tomato volunteers are more temperamental.

Are Volunteer Tomatoes Safe to Eat?

Volunteer tomatoes are generally safe to eat as long as they have not been exposed to harmful chemicals, pesticides, or other environmental contaminants. While tomato volunteers can produce the most delicious tomatoes around, you need to be aware of where the tomato seedlings pop up. If they suddenly grow among construction waste or in soil you know has been exposed to something bad, like heavy metals or pesticides, please just pull them up and dispose of them. It’s just not worth the risk for a few free tomatoes. It is crucial to keep in mind that these plants have grown without direct human intervention, so it is essential to take some precautions before consuming their fruits.

1. Inspect the area: Before eating volunteer tomatoes, inspect the area where they have grown to ensure there are no nearby sources of contamination, such as chemical spills, polluted water, or heavy vehicle exhaust. If you’re unsure about the cleanliness of the growing environment, it’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid consuming the fruits.
2. Wash your produce: Always wash your volunteer tomatoes thoroughly before eating them. Use clean, running water to remove any dirt, debris, or potential residues from the fruit’s surface. You can also use a soft brush or cloth to gently scrub the surface, especially if the tomatoes have visible dirt or debris.
3. Look for signs of pests or diseases: Inspect the volunteer tomato plants and fruits for any signs of pests or diseases. If you notice significant damage, discoloration, or unusual growths, it might be best to avoid consuming the fruits, as they could be affected by pathogens or pest infestations that could potentially be harmful to humans.

Do Tomato Plants Come Back?

Tomato plants are generally classified as annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle in one growing season, produce fruit, and then die off. After the plant’s life cycle is complete, it will not come back the following year. Although the wild type is perennial in its native areas, the cultivated varieties have been bred for increased yield to the detriment of the plants’ health, robustness, and sensitivity. So cultivated types are extremely heat-dependent, really sensitive to cold or temperature fluctuations, and need special care.

However, under specific conditions, such as mild winters or protected growing environments, some tomato plants may exhibit perennial-like behavior and survive to produce fruit for multiple seasons. Where I live, tomatoes only grow for a single season, and I have to plant fresh seeds every year.

In regions with milder winters and warmer temperatures, tomato plants may survive through the winter months and continue to grow the following season. While this is not a common occurrence, it can happen if the plants are shielded from frost and extreme temperature fluctuations. In such cases, tomato plants can continue to produce fruit beyond their typical one-year life cycle.

If tomato plants are grown in a greenhouse, cold frame, or another sheltered environment that protects them from harsh weather conditions, they may be able to survive longer than a typical annual plant. These protected environments maintain consistent temperatures and humidity levels, allowing the plants to continue growing and producing fruit for multiple seasons.

While most tomato plants are annuals, some varieties can survive for multiple seasons. The best options for taking cuttings and overwintering are indeterminate varieties of smaller cherry and slicing tomatoes. If you want to overwinter the whole plant, you’re better off with heirloom tomatoes or a wild tomato plant.

Can Tomato Plants Reseed Themselves?

Yes, tomato plants have the ability to reseed themselves if the conditions are right. When fruits are allowed to fall to the ground and decompose naturally, the seeds inside can be released into the soil. These seeds, if they remain viable, have the potential to germinate and grow into new tomato plants the following season. The process of self-seeding can occur under various circumstances:

1. Overripe or fallen fruits: If tomatoes are left unharvested and become overripe, they may fall to the ground and decompose. As the fruit breaks down, the seeds are released into the soil, where they can germinate and grow into new plants.
2. Composting: Sometimes, tomato seeds can survive the composting process and end up in your garden when you apply compost as a soil amendment. If the compost pile does not reach high enough temperatures to kill the seeds, they may germinate and grow into volunteer tomato plants.
3. Seed dispersal by animals: Animals such as birds, rodents, or even insects can inadvertently disperse tomato seeds throughout your garden. As these creatures consume tomatoes, they can spread the seeds in their droppings or by dropping partially eaten fruits.
4. Unintentional seed dispersal: Gardeners may unknowingly contribute to the spread of tomato seeds while working in their gardens. For instance, if you accidentally drop a ripe tomato while harvesting or if seeds stick to your gloves, tools, or shoes, they can be dispersed throughout your garden.

It’s important to note that self-seeding is more common with heirloom or open-pollinated tomato varieties, as these plants tend to produce seeds that are true to type. Hybrid varieties, on the other hand, may produce seeds that result in plants with mixed characteristics due to their genetic makeup.

Will Hybrid Tomato Seeds Produce Fruit?

Yes, hybrid tomato seeds can produce fruit, but the characteristics of the fruit may be different from those of the parent plants. Hybrid tomatoes are created by intentionally crossing two different tomato varieties, resulting in offspring that exhibit a combination of traits from both parents. This process is used to produce plants with specific desirable characteristics, such as disease resistance, increased yield, or improved flavor.

When hybrid tomato seeds are planted, the resulting plants will typically produce fruit with the intended characteristics. However, if you save seeds from a hybrid tomato plant and sow them the following season, the plants that emerge may not necessarily display the same traits as the original hybrid plant, as they’re not considered a “stable” hybrid. This is because the genetic makeup of hybrid plants is not as stable as that of heirloom or open-pollinated varieties.

When hybrid tomato seeds are planted, they can produce fruit with a range of characteristics due to their diverse genetic makeup. The resulting plants may display traits from either parent or even a mix of both, which can lead to fruit that varies in size, shape, color, taste, and other attributes. In some cases, the fruit from these second-generation hybrid plants may be of lesser quality or less desirable than the fruit from the original hybrid plant.

Despite these potential variations, hybrid tomato seeds will still produce fruit, and gardeners may find it interesting to observe the diverse characteristics of young tomato plants that emerge. However, if you are looking to maintain consistent fruit quality and characteristics, it’s better to purchase new hybrid seeds each season or to grow heirloom or open-pollinated varieties, which produce seeds that are more genetically stable and true to type. I prefer to grow heirloom varieties of pretty much everything, but I get that’s not possible for everyone. If you live in an area with challenging conditions or where a particular disease is rampant, you’ll need hybrids to get a good harvest.

Should You Keep Volunteer Tomato Plants?

Deciding whether to keep volunteer tomato plants in your garden ultimately depends on your personal preferences and gardening goals. If I know they’re most likely heirloom types, as most of my tomato and pepper varieties are, and they’ve been growing in a spot I know is safe, then yes, I keep them. I mean, why not? They’re free food producers! If they pop up at the wrong time of year, you can even think about growing them indoors to get a winter harvest. Who wouldn’t want garden-fresh tomatoes in the middle of winter?!?

But, if you’re undecided, here are a few things to consider:

1. Space: If you have ample space in your garden, allowing volunteer tomato plants to grow can add diversity and excitement. However, if space is limited, you may want to prioritize the plants you’ve intentionally planted and remove volunteer tomatoes to prevent overcrowding.
2. Variety: Some gardeners enjoy the surprise of discovering what kind of tomatoes will grow from volunteer plants, while others prefer to stick with known varieties for consistency and reliability. If you’re open to experimenting with new tomato types, volunteer plants can be a fun addition to your garden.
3. Disease resistance: Volunteer tomato plants may not have the same disease resistance as intentionally planted varieties, especially if they are hybrids. Keeping volunteer plants may introduce diseases or pests into your garden. However, some volunteer plants may prove to be hardier than expected and could contribute valuable genetics to your garden’s overall health.
4. Time and effort: Growing volunteer tomato plants requires the same care and attention as other tomato plants. If you’re willing to invest the time and effort in tending to these unexpected guests, they can be a rewarding addition to your garden.

How to Care for Volunteer Tomatoes

Caring for volunteer tomato seedlings is quite similar to caring for intentionally planted tomatoes. If you regularly plant tomatoes, you can grow on volunteer tomato seedlings. By providing volunteer tomato plant proper care and maintenance, you can help these unexpected garden guests thrive and produce a bountiful harvest. Here are some essential tips for taking care of volunteer tomatoes:

1. Water regularly: Consistent moisture is crucial for healthy tomato growth. Water your volunteer tomato plants deeply and consistently throughout the growing season, aiming for about 1-2 inches of water per week, depending on your local weather conditions. Be sure to water the plants at the base and avoid getting the leaves wet, as this can lead to the spread of diseases.

1. Fertilize: Use a balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 blend, every few weeks during the growing season to provide the necessary nutrients for optimal growth and fruit production. Be cautious not to over-fertilize, as excessive nitrogen can lead to lush foliage growth at the expense of fruit production.
2. Prune: Regular pruning can help improve air circulation, reduce disease risk, and redirect the plant’s energy into fruit production. Remove suckers (small shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) and prune back overgrown branches. Additionally, remove any diseased or damaged foliage to maintain the overall health of the plant.
3. Support: As volunteer tomato plants grow, they may require support to keep tall or heavy branches from sprawling on the ground. Use stakes, cages, or trellises to provide adequate support and help reduce the risk of diseases caused by contact with damp soil or poor air circulation.
4. Harvest: Pick ripe tomatoes regularly to encourage continued production and prevent overripe fruits from falling to the ground and contributing to pest or disease issues. Regular harvesting also helps reduce the weight on the branches, minimizing the risk of breakage.
5. Monitor for pests and diseases: Keep an eye on your volunteer tomato plants for any signs of pests or diseases. Address issues promptly by using appropriate organic control methods. Grasshoppers are a common tomato pest, for example, and early intervention will give your tomato plants the best chance of survival.