Free Plants No Takers

[Nyboy]

Yesterday afternoon I passed a house that had large tomato plants in coffee cups with a sign free. Someone in the house must of started more seeds then they could be used. The plants looked healthy and where about foot tall. I had already planted some tomato plants so let them for someone else. Today at noon I passed the house again, it looked like only half the plants where taken. That really surprised me !! How long would free plants last on your street?

 

[digitS']

I'm afraid a lot of neighbors wouldn't take care of them.

I gave plants, including a tomato, to a neighbor, once. She put them - almost in our yard. That was okay but I wondered at it. Give her veggies all the time but held off on the plants. Never in the 15 years she has been there, has she bought another annual ..! Two evergreen shrubs of same species and Kentucky Bluegrass ... that's it. Ya know, it looks just fine over there . Makes me wonder about my own proclivities.

Steve

 

[journey11]

Free trash doesn't last long on our street... I put things out for the garbage man and someone has taken them before he comes the next day. Old hot water tank, old stove, broken trampoline, you-name-it!

I would be hard-pressed to pass up a free tomato plant.

 

[thistlebloom]

It would depend on what it was I guess. Seems weird that people didn't take tomatoes. I thought that people who never grew anything else in a garden always grew a tomato or two.
I just got 4 free tomato plants from the little annual nursery I shop at for pot stuffers. They are pretty overgrown for their 4" pots, but look very healthy otherwise. Two are cherries, and two are heirloom Golden Jubilee.

 

[Nyboy]

Thistle your right don't vegetable garden but I alway plant a few cell packs of tomatoes

 

[Nyboy]

In the past couple of years I have noticed furniture thrown out is not taken. It can sit for several days before garbage men pick it up. I think people are scared to bring bed bugs home.

 

[Carol Dee]

Here, until someone runs them over. Not a lot of gardens in town. And tavern patrons have a habit of wrecking anything nice.

 

[thistlebloom]

There is a house a country road or two away that is on sort of a main through-way.
I marveled at it the first spring we lived here (we moved in during winter and snow covers a multitude of junk).
We call it the meth house, though I don't know if that's what's really going on there. But the place is a huge eyesore and you have to wonder how people can live in their own filth that way. Fourteen years later it seems to have the same residents and the same, plus more, trash laying around. What I marvel at is that the trash hasn't just spontaneously combusted... anyway, they actually hauled some broken crap out to the road and put a free sign on it.

It was so ludicrous that I laughed for half a mile after passing it. What's even more hilarious to me is that on the way home there was a car stopped by the pile and a couple of women were taking a look.
Free trash service I guess if you can get someone to haul away your bald tires and busted fiber board cabinets.

 

[Nyboy]

Rather then throw things away I first put out by street with free sign. Anything metal is taken right away for scrap money. Last thing I put out was front door, nothing wrong with it I just didn't like the style. Week later a note was left in my mailbox couple down the road took door and was hoping I still had keys to locks. I called them and met a very nice young couple working on their 1st house.

 

[journey11]

Yeah, @thistlebloom , some of these places those people must just take my trash and stack it up in their own yard. When women hoard, it goes inside the house. When men hoard, it ends up in the yard. It is a legitimate mental disorder though, a form of OCD. Can't throw anything out for fear it might be useful someday.

The city has their spring and fall clean-up trash days and people will scout for useful stuff in the trash pile. (You can put larger items to the curb in town only on those days, though out here where I live they will take it if you just call ahead of time and let them know.) People do throw out a lot of stuff that could be repurposed, like lumber or furniture that could be "flipped", etc. I scan as I drive by, but rarely find anything. I think I am not quick enough, don't get out there first thing in the AM.

After all the love and care I've put into my seedlings, I scout for good homes for any I give away as if it were a kitten. Not just anybody gets them. Or else I plant them myself and just deal with having too many, lol.