The Kale That Grew from Concrete

Earlier this week I noted how a second generation of gailan has volunteered in one of the boxes. More recently I saw that it has also volunteered in the box wood itself. I find this both inspirational and sad, since the seeds are demonstrating a tenacity to spring to life in an inhospitable place where they will soon die.

Nearby, a couple volunteer kale plants have managed to settle into a more accommodating home in the cracks of the concrete patio. I believe they trace back to stalks of seedpods I snipped off plants I grew more than a decade ago, stored in paper bags hanging in our old shed. I tore that shed down in 2020 and tossed the bags, but some seeds escaped. I think these new plants represent the second (or even third?) generation from those escapees. Pretty remarkable!