The Joy of Volunteer Plants: Embracing Garden Surprises from Buried Compost
Who doesn't like a good volunteer plant! BUT you do not have to commit to ALL of them.
Gardening is as much about working with nature as it is about controlling it. One of the delightful surprises you might encounter in your garden is the appearance of volunteer plants—those unexpected bursts of green that arise after you’ve buried compost. While these spontaneous sprouts might seem like a wild card, they’re generally easy to manage and can even add unexpected benefits to your garden.
I like to let them grow if they look healthy and aren’t crowding out anything I’ve intentionally planted. Sometimes they turn into bonus tomato, squash, or even herb plants. Other times, I transplant them to a better spot or simply let them do their thing to see what they become—turning a little surprise into a small act of collaboration with nature.
What Are Volunteer Plants?
Volunteer plants are those delightful little surprises that pop up on their own, without any planning on your part. They usually grow from seeds already in the soil or ones that sneak in through compost. When I bury kitchen scraps and compost in my garden, I’m not just feeding the soil—I’m unknowingly planting a secret garden of possibilities. Some of these sprouts are total mysteries until they grow a little. Others I recognize right away—tomatoes, pumpkins, basil… even the occasional surprise sunflower.
How Does Burying Compost Lead to Volunteer Plants?
It’s kind of magical, honestly. Here’s how it happens:
Nutrient Boost: Compost is rich, crumbly, and full of life. Seeds that find themselves in that nutrient-rich soil get the perfect wake-up call. If your compost had tomato seeds from dinner scraps or some rogue melon seeds from last summer’s snack, don’t be surprised when they show up uninvited—but not unwelcome.
Better Soil Conditions: Compost improves drainage, holds moisture, and brings in beneficial microbes. It’s like a five-star resort for seeds. Even the tiniest one can take a chance and grow.
Built-In Variety: Because compost can come from so many different organic sources, it often carries a wild mix of seeds. That’s how I ended up with a rogue zucchini growing through my bee balm last year. Didn’t plan it, but it made me laugh—and it tasted great.
The Perks of Volunteer Plants (and Why I Don’t Mind Them)
I used to think volunteer plants were just messy. Now? I welcome them. They offer all kinds of unexpected benefits:
Biodiversity: These surprise guests bring in bees, butterflies, and all kinds of beneficial bugs. More flowers, more foliage, more buzz—it makes my garden feel alive.
Free Cover Crops: Some volunteers act like living mulch. They shade the soil, suppress weeds, and even improve soil structure. I’ve let some go wild just because they were doing a great job covering bare ground.
Surprise Harvests: I’ve had full-grown cherry tomato plants grow from last year’s compost scraps. I didn’t have to start seeds, transplant, or plan a thing. Free food? Yes, please.
Garden Personality: There’s something charming about a garden that doesn’t follow all the rules. Volunteer plants soften those lines and add a sense of spontaneity. It’s like nature’s little wink.
Here’s what I usually do:
If a volunteer plant shows up in a spot where it’s not bothering anyone, I let it grow. If it looks strong and healthy, I’ll give it some space and see what it becomes. I’ve had surprise cucumbers grow right out of the compost heap and volunteer sunflowers that turned into the stars of the summer.
If they’re crowding out my intentional plantings, I’ll either move them (gently!) to a less busy area, or compost them again. No guilt. It’s all part of the cycle. I even have a “wild corner” in my garden where volunteers get to grow freely—no plan, no pruning, just pure curiosity. Sometimes it’s beautiful chaos, and sometimes it’s a jungle, but either way, it’s fun.
Managing Volunteer Plants (Without Losing Control)
Yes, they’re lovely, but you don’t have to let them take over. Here’s how I keep things balanced:
Stay Watchful: After burying compost, I keep an eye out. You’d be surprised how quickly those sprouts appear.
Pick and Choose: I don’t let everything grow. If I don’t recognize it or if it’s clearly going to take over, I pull it early.
Transplant the Keepers: If I want to keep a volunteer but it’s in the wrong spot, I move it to my wild zone or tuck it into a container.
Let Some Do Their Thing: Honestly, part of the fun is not knowing what you’ll get. If I’ve got the space, I just let them go and enjoy the ride.
Burying compost isn’t just about soil—it’s about inviting nature to surprise you. Volunteer plants are a reminder that gardening isn’t always about control. Sometimes it’s about collaboration. So next time you see a mystery sprout coming up from your compost pile, don’t rush to pull it.
Give it a chance. It might just be your favourite thing you didn’t plan.
Happy gardening—and here’s to the joy of surprises!
It's always a nice suprise! Last year I had a tomato jungle with 3 different types of tomatoes growing in an area. At the moment I have sunflowers popping everywhere because of the blackbirds steeling seeds and flying off with them 😂
Love this take on volunteer plants! Gardening feels like a dance with nature, and those surprise sprouts from compost are the best partners. Letting them grow if they’re not in the way, it’s cool to see bonus tomatoes or sunflowers pop up. Your wild corner idea is genius, I might steal that for my own plot. Thanks for the tip on keeping watch after burying compost, I’ll be ready for the next mystery guest. Fun read, totally agree it’s about collaborating, not just controlling!