Lots of fun -- Where have you "obtained" seeds from?

You guys! Good thing no Government Inforcer types are hanging out here! Ya'll just spilled your guts here!

The worst thing I find, after I have forced DH to pull over and watch me scamper through stick tights, and snakegrass (complete with snakes) is that unlabled envelope in the glove box, yep, their seeds, what and where?

If you have the moxy to acquire these things through nefarious means, what would the harm be in owning up, asking the owner/renter? If, as in an above case, they say "No!" then resort to the unorthedox.

In my town there is this most awesome stand of trichinocereus, as tall as a chain link fence and nearly as long as the yard, and they BLOOM every year in huge profusion. I would drool, and whine everytime I drove by. As luck had it one day I saw a young man in the yard, whipped that car over so quick, DS was still trying to burrow under the seat (he's not as resigned as DH and still gets embarrassed). I asked the young man if I could take a start, he came over "no problem, no he didn't know the name, were just renters". When it was apparent that I was to be foiled in my enterprise he went into the garage and got a hacksaw, and walaa, I had a brand new cactus!

I can not understand a persons objection to a few seeds. If they were going to use them they would be out there with THEIR envelopes. Self sowing, okay, I'm just gonna selfsow down the block aways, OKAY?

It's always best to ask, but if you KNOW that something will be destroyed...

In the instances of countries and fines, these are pretty notorious by now. I think that everyone knows removing anything from a US National Park will earn you a nice conversation with a Ranger, and a return trip to the interior. And their point is WELL MADE. Yes, it's a teeny, tiny rock for a keepsake. But if the 300,000 that visit every year took a teeny, tiny whatever home, WHAT would be left to enjoy?

I have enjoyed everyone's stories of heroism and bravery, even the Large Cajones Stories. Keep up the good work wherever and whenever you find it!

Cena

There is and old house not to far from here that had been put up for commercial sale..you got it, adding to the new concrete jungle. anyway for years i noticed these pure white crinums blooming and i kept telling myself (for years) that i needed to rescue them (they were calling me every time i drove by.)
One saturday i nabbed my son and we went plant stealing, i have never felt so bad in my life. got the crinums and a few more daffs, etc. on the way home i looked in my review mirror YIKES, a county sherrif. He followed me for a long time, not hard to do since i live on the way to the county jail (lol, fitting, right???) andyway i drove in to my drive-way and he drove past.whew.
about a week later they finally put the for sale sign up and i called the lady to see if i could save the plants...she gave me permission and said take anything you want (i really felt bad).
i cound 2 old clematies, havent bloomed yet, more daffs, amarylis (sp) 2 more unknown bulbs, 4 rooted azalea bushes and a few more things.
i think i learned that from now on im gonna ask..this thief by day stuff is not for me....well that is until, rofl

I have to honestly admit that I hardly ever leave home without returning with seeds, a pinched cutting or someting to root..My Mama and sister have always told me that when I get locked up for taking pieces of plants, that I claim just happen to be broken off or laying on the floor..That they will not visit me in jail..I know better! LOL..I think..I got this habit from my grandmother, she gardened for 80+ years and we have collected plants from roadsides, yards, restaraunts, nursuries, river banks while fishing and country roads galore..She's gone now, but I have hundreds of great plants that remind me of her daily, and I am doing a great job upholding her tradition. Family now just roll their eyes..
Larkie

I agree Larkie. Most flowers in pots at the nursery go to seed if you make sure you're there at the right time. This isn't really stealing as you are not taking the plant and they would end up on the floor and being swept up if you didn't rescue them.
I "found" some Columbine seeds just yesterday at my local nursery :)


This message was edited Monday, Jul 9th 2:28 PM

Just wanted to remark on the posting by kiddiwinkles regarding the saving of plants from demolition work. My husband has been a sitework contractor for over 20 years. Much of his work has been demolition to make way for new buildings, parking lots, etc. (Yeah, I know - crummy way to make a living!) Anyway, the industry standard in demo work states that demolition debris belongs to the CONTRACTOR, not the owner of the property. Since we have 5 acres, and we both love plants, over the years DH has brought home more stuff than you could possibly imagine. Over 100 azaleas, dozens of camellias, daylilies, various shrubs, trees, cannas, crinums, bamboo - just to name a few. Also there are the large paving stones, the dumptruck-full of bricks from an old cobblestone street, two concrete garden benchs, and loads of rich topsoil to amend our sand.

And there was the time he had to clear an area that used to be a plant nursery over 30 years ago (where the camellias came from). He was giving away plants left and right, but a lot of it still had to go to the landfill.

Anyway, it might be a good idea to get to know the sitework companies in your area and find out what their policies are regarding disposal of clearing/demo debris. You may be surprised at what you can come up with, especially since most contractors are happy to give stuff away; that much less they have to haul off!

Once upon a time I spotted some blue vervain growing in a drainage ditch in the industrial park where my husband works. Now one side of ditch is a beer distributor, the other is parking lot, the vervain was right in the middle. I didn't want to trespass at the beer place and I couldn't reach the seed head from the parking lot, so luckily I had Grandpa's old fire boots in the trunk!!! The boots went up to my waist so I figured the ditch isn't that deep so I could just walk in and cut the seed head off no problem right??? Well the first couple steps went fine, then I realized all the beer truck drivers were outside watching me, so I better get in and get out quick, the next couple steps were almost the death of me as the bottom of the ditch became so kind of nasty sucking quicksand mud!!!! I grabbed for the seeds and got them, just as I was upto my armpits in the ditch, thank god my friends were with me they had to lay on their stomachs and pull me out by my arms it actually took about ten minutes and I lost one of the boots, but saved the seeds. The whole time the beer trucks were just laughing histerically, I guess they knew about the ditch!!! That's the first and last time I went to such extremes to collect seed, I try to stick to the catalogs now, but sometimes when passing a ditch or field I do get excited and feel the need for adventure. By the way the vervain need made it.
Becky

BJT72....OMG!!! I am FOMCROTFLOL!!!!! That is too funny!

Yikes! heard a little re the Texas Law and Bluebonnets.Didn't know if it held true.Sent dear friend Molly some come early spring.Bluebonnets in GA?! Story goes ..this lady owns a field close to our house and she'd hire someone to mow it down .But she let it go this year ,hence came the beautiful showcase of wildflowers.And bluebonnets almost right behind my fence.So went and plucked some to scatter in my future wildflower garden!And I just had to share them!
And not too long ago,went to kmart to check out their plants .Well ,they had a pushcart full of semi-wilted flowers.So I ask the guy if they were going on clearance.Says ,"nope ,we are dumping them.And if you come back after we close tonight,you can find them in the dumpster"!ME>>dumpster diving>>I don't think so! But it was so tempting!So maybe I should D/Dive behind local garden stores for discarded plants you could bring back to life! Maybe ,I'll find me a treasure!
And on this empty lot, where a house once was[nearby town] that a tornado blew away,there are some beauties! Red climbing roses that NO ONE tends to.The concrete slab is still there and the roses bloom year after year right next to it. Many a time ,I've wanted to dig one out.Guess ,I'll try at least a cutting! After all your stories,I won't feel so guilty checking out empty lots for seeds!.....Jane