The strong will survive!
“The strong will survive,” is certainly an expression we have a tendency to feel good about: an accomplishment, inner strength, survival of the fittest.
In this case, however, there is a twist to the story! Gardeners and farmers alike will be able to relate to a strength like no other -- the dreaded weed.
Commonly known as nightshade, the Solanaceae family is so broad it includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, paprika, and more. Although some of the many plants from the nightshade family have berries that can safely be consumed in limited quantities, many fruits are quite toxic depending on maturity and the quantity consumed. That’s not a chance I want to take with my pets and family around the garden.
Back to the subject at hand. When I say the strong will survive….
One lone seed found its way into a crevice in the concrete of our beloved greenhouse right here at Carrington REC. Once discovered, the plant was quickly plucked and discarded. But now here we are, at least a year later, with the greenhouse going through a well-deserved dormant period while outside temperatures allow for outdoor planting. Lo and behold, that one “plucked out” plant found its strength and grew again, only this time it grew unnoticed for a while, enjoying the bright daylight and comfortable temperatures of a tropical haven.
Here she is in all her glory, large, healthy and bearing fruit. The opportunity to make jam? I think not!
Melissa Hafner
Melissa.Hafner@ndsu.edu
Greenhouse/Laboratory Manager
