[Selkie]

just a little post to say that when we were down on a beach this morning we found tomatoes growing wild up on the high tide line (along with the usual vegetation)

the plants had died back but there were dozens of little cherry tomatoes, in varying stages of ripeness; a very strange sight!

the seeds must have come from the local sewerage outlet (which goes into the sea at that beach) and must have washed back in so needless to say we didn't pick any!

i thought it was pretty unusual anyway!

[GafferGamgee]

My Uncle used to work at the sewage plant in Minworth near Birmingham and was always bringing back tomatoes and strawberries that were growing wild
The seeds must survive the...ahem...process that got them there!

[Novice]

The old boys up the allotment talk fondly about gathering tomatoes at the sewerage outlet when they were kids just post ww2. They reckoned they were the sweetest they ever had - I always take the gentle mick and say it was only cos everything else was rationed and they didn't know what fresh food was supposed to taste like...

[muntjac]

used to climb through the fence and colect em from the sewage and urea plant on the humber ........ sold like hotcakes    

[muntjac]

previos posts on the subject  



http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=1761&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=sewage&start=30

[Trillium]

After the war, my grandfather used to go to the sewage lagoons in the city and pick out the hardiest looking tom plants and take them home for the garden. The key here is that at that time, all tom plants were open pollinated, no hybrids which frequently come from some very tasteless parents. He did it every year until the city switched to a different type of sewage processing.

[sweet nasturtium]

Rosemary I should save some of those seeds - they sound like a really good variety if they can survive those conditions, and probably good because they'll suit your climate etc.

[Selkie]

oh i hadn't thought of that - that's a great idea actually.

i'd never seen tomatoes growing out of the bare sand, but they must be suited to all the salt in the air

hmmm will give it a go

(YAY!! another excuse to go to that beach!!!)

[sweet nasturtium]

You lucky thing living so close to the beach.  I get so jealous when I hear all your beachcombing stories.

[Selkie]

do you? i feel like i waffle on about it TOO much here and that it pee-s people off :oops:

[sweet nasturtium]

Oh no I get a feel of where you are - your landscape.  
Nightnight

[Selkie]

night night xx