Good one, GGG! So sorry about your neighborhood situation.

Makes you want to plant some poison ivy or something in with the plants, doesn't it? I've never had plants stolen, thank goodness. I hope it all works out.

I worked in hotel gardens last summer while i was on hiatus from the nursary. it has 14 acres of incredible gardens right of the I5 freeway here in Oregon. people would stop on the freeway and climb down the hill and steal the plants and garden art right out of the garden. they had to start chaining all the art down. even benches were missing. my friend had her patio furniture stolen right off her front porch. blows me away what people will take and from where.
Tanya

Well I'll tell you about vandalism.

While I was still a greenhouse student...spring 2006 in fact, we ordered in a bunch of bareroot shrubs and trees. We spent many hours getting them potted up in 2, 3 and 5 gallon containers. We were smack in the middle of getting our own student grown spring crops and these shrubs/trees ready for our Garden Expo event Mother's Day Weekend. When we all came back on Monday we found that someone cut through the fence around the enclosed area we called the "Woodery", dumped out all the shrubs and trees and took just the pots!!! Can you believe that? Straight up....all they wanted was the stupid pots!!

Vera

Hi Ron,
I haven't been on the forum for awhile so got a real shock today when I read about your "plant hustlers". Idea #1: Do you have any liquid "sticky trap"? If so why not paint the stems of the plants closest to the street, just at the bottoms where they would grab them to yank them up. That stuff is so awful when you get it on you that I think that would be a big deterrant, no? Idea #2: Cut some dry rose canes and push them in the ground so they are right with the stems. The thief would get a handful of thorns for their efforts. Idea #3: Take fishing line, it is invisible at night, and attach it to low stakes in a criss cross fashion so it would tangle anyone getting into the beds, maybe even causing them to fall. I also like the idea of alerting the neighbors, perhaps even working up a flier to pass out. Then posting a sign saying "the whole neighborhood is watching you. Beware, I will have you arrested!
Good luck. Let us know when it ends.
Tina

I tend to lean toward nonviolent ways. But I can't get this thread out of my mind. I am TICKED. I'm having visions of the type of justice measures that give Texas and Oklahoma their vigilante stereotypes. Please make the visions stop.

My condolences to Ronald, and appreciation to those who are keeping their heads, and providing effective, workable suggestions.

Ron, is that planting area a distance from your house? I mean, they are not going into your backyard, right?

Carrie

I'm sorry Ron. I really think I would borrow a noisy dog if you don't have one. One good chase by a barking dog might do wonders.

Karen

This is disheartening. I am so sorry, you got some very cheap neighbors.

Ron,
I googled "Garden Theft" to see what would come up. It looks like it is a punishable (and pretty common) crime in the UK.
Here's an article that talks about the various types of @$$#%#%%#% that do such a thing:

http://www.blueworldgardener.co.uk/articles/plant_theft.html

I also found an article on GW under the Professional Gardener Forum. Someone was writing an article about plant theft. No real useful advice, but it would be interested to see the completed article he was working on. Maybe you can email him:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/prof/msg0511375424132.html

But truly, I wish a sudden storm would come up, just as they are digging, and lightning strike them right where they are as they perform the dirty deed.

Linda

Ron wish you could stay up all night and catch them. Usually a shotgun fired up in the air is enough to keep someone from coming back.

Do you have any bushes near by this sidewalk you could camp behind and hide out...ya know in a sleeping bag? That's what I'm thinking I would do.

Vera

This is awful! Plant theives and motorcycles through the hostas. (thank goodness that was taken care of) Over thirty years ago I had plants stolen and I still know how I felt from back then.

I can't figure out what kind of a person steals plants. Put up a security camera, perhaps.

I am sorry to hear this!

Beverly, storygardener

I remember many years ago me and my brother played a Halloween prank on some friends. Knowing they were going to return the favor, I set a trap for them. I took some fishing line and ran it around the perimeter of the front yard and had a connecting peice running into the house and connected it to several soda cans so when they came into our yard the line tightened and knocked the cans over alerting us. It worked very well.
This might work if you really want to confront the person face to face.... or face to shovel. I prefer the later.
If you want to get really nasty go buy a nice blooming plant, something they coludn't resist, and set it out where they would be sure and see it. Then if you have access to some, after putting on some long sleeves and a good pair of gloves, grab you a big handfull of poison ivy and rub it all over the plant. Be sure and get the pot and any blooms that they might smell.

It is very difficult to figure out which plants are which during the night unless one uses flushlight or area is well lit. So those people who do it must have observe your garden closely during the day and figure out ways and spots what they want to take and how.
How about putting several layers of newspapers on the ground and loading it up with very fresh manure around your flowers?

I like the fishing line idea.

My mom had snowmobilers that drove through her gardens a few years back. She got mad because of course it ruined everything, and so on top of her gardens, she laid down some of that white nylon woven rope. The rope was tethered to milk jugs filled with ice, and she disguised the jugs in the snowbanks. Of course, they tried it again, and immediately stalled on her property because the rope disintegrated in the treads of the machine and screwed up the drive mechanism. They haven't been back.

So sorry this is happening to you.

OK, this is probably too mean but here I go. How about a board with nails driven thru it and turned with the nails pointed up disguised in some mulch. I foot full of nails would serve them right. I hate a thief.

Ok I know that is mean. I would just find a hidden spot to place a lawn chair where I could see the bed and wait for them with a spot light and a cell phone to call the police with.

Update, Ron?? I guess you are ok...and didn't have a "run-in" with the mean ol' thugs.

That is just enough to make you sick...can't believe someone would stoop that low, especially at this time of year when you can get plants for 25¢ just about anywhere.

OK Update
The good new is I planted out 10 plants that had no flowers Fri and Sat and none of them were taken.
The bad news is 2 hanging baskets were taken Friday night.
Its been raining for the last 24 hours so I doubt anything was taken last night.
More later
Ron

hmmm...spartangardener is onto something...

I'm picturing the scene in Pirates II where Will Turner is caught in the snare trap by the Cannibals...

yup yup...it could work.

Goodness, Ron, I haven't been on the WS forum for a while. I had no idea you've been targeted by someone taking your plants. I can't imagine dealing with something so infuriating, and so invasively personal (since our gardens are ourselves, in a way). I hope the police can help you, but some of the ideas here (of the "trip them and make it not worth their while" variety) have merit too. I'd be outside with a camera, waiting one night, with a friend for safety. Please keep us updated.

Rotten, lousy thieves.

Laurel

Rain wont help the flour on the gound but, seems like a idea it will wash, or lime? I dont think rain will deter the person. But if they live near by and think they do they got to be putting these up around their place. Maybe a time to take a walk and see where they are going. I cant belive they keep hitting you up. Shaking head that is going away to bit far.

ML

what would a P.I. charge for one overnight shift?
Or...
Got any friends in the security business? Have them over for dinner...tell them to park their van in your yard...you're obviously being watched...then have them mount some fake security cameras around your property, and have them put up those lawn markers & house stickers that advertise that your house is secured by that company.

Or another idea: Get some motion-sensor lights mounted on the corners of your house.

They are still at it. This morning I found 4 plants pulled up but not taken.
I bought and installed a wireless sensor with an alarm that will go off in my bedroom.
I will sleep tonight fully dressed if /when they show up I can be out the door in 5-10 seconds.
Will update later.
Ron

"I will sleep tonight fully dressed if /when they show up I can be out the door in 5-10 seconds. "

It just might be more effective if you went out in your skivvies, with an aluminum baseball bat in your hand. ;>)

You would think by now that whoever is doing this would guess that you could be rigging something up to catch them. They must really be stupid - count on that and i wish you good luck!! (Be careful)

Carrie

Please be careful Ron - and keep your cell phone handy w/911 on speed dial.

Good luck Ron. Call the cops immediately when the alarm goes off.

Karen

Fingers crossed!

i agree, they must be idiots to keep coming back. hope you get them tonight. maybe you will get all of your stolen plants back from them. good luck tonight

Good luck tonight Ron. Who would have thought they would keep coming back like this. It seems so strange. I hope you are careful tonight and your efforts are rewarded. I ran across another thread of someone having similar problems last year and thought you all might find it interesting.

I will keep my fingers crossed too and hope you find out 'something' about what is happening to your plants!

pm2

Here is a link that might be useful: I'm so depressed

Ron,

I've been following this thread avidly. I haven't posted because I have been so angry on your behalf, I was afraid I would use some really bad language and get banned.....But now I'm dying to know if your plan to catch these rock-shucking thieves worked.

Keep us posted.

Alison

Yes, Ron, we're all on pins & needles wondering what happened last night.

Poking in to find out what happened!

Update
No plants taken last night.
My alarm system is to sensitive. It picked cars driving down the street. Need to move it back another 10 feet
I was up about 10 times last night armed with a flashlight and baseball bat.
Today I wired up a bright light to my garage and put a switch in the bedroom so when the alarm goes off I can light up the area.
I think the final solution is a wireless camera connected to a VCR. A wireless B&W camera is about $100 and should be able to get 6 hours off the VCR.
Once installed I will "BAIT" the area with flowering plants.
Update later.
Ron

Pictures, I need pictures of this!
Cherry

You know, sad to say, the thieves are probably right there in your neighborhood. They are watching you as you wire stuff up to protect your property and yourself. Chances are they won't be back - either they have enough of your plants or they don't want to risk getting caught.

It's a crying shame. There should be a painful punishment for them.

PV

Oh, PV, good point. But I guess the upside is, if they see Ron setting this up, hopefully they will leave his plants alone now.

Good luck Ron. Be careful.
Dee

Ok, I strongly admit drooling over plants I have seen in other peoples yards to the point of driving by several times really slowly. I even dream about how nice it would be in my yard. That is as far as it goes!
Without the gardener who so carefully chose, planted and cared for the plant I see, they would not have the beauty they so wonderfully extend.
I find this to be very hurtful and I am so very sorry to see that you and so many others have had to deal with these kinds of acts.

You keep working at it and I can't wait to read when you finally get to say "I caught them".

Ronald, you don't have an "ex" do you?

This just seems incredible. I just cannot square someone being that crazy about plants...and also being willing to steal them from another gardener. That is a new low. I hope you can find a way to put a stop to this (hopefully by actually CATCHING the creep) so that you can garden in peace. I can't even imagine how awful it would be to dread finding plants missing every day!

You know I would hook up one of those motion sprinklers. And some how rig it up to dye. But I can be mean. Not hard to figure out who the perpetrators are when they are blue.

I'm glad to hear it's working, Ron.
But I would be tempted to also put up a sign that says something to the effect that it is sad that we live in a world where people would actually steal plants from someone's garden, and that "He who makes things grow is always watching..."
(I would like to think that the plants they've taken, once in their yard, become infested with something awful).

Linda

Wow Ron. I hope you catch your thief or the set up stops the thieving. It's bad enough when the wildlife gets your stuff but your fellow humans shouldn't do this!!!
Joann

So mad! I wished you had this system set up BEFORE the first plants were taken. Well, hopefully this will work for the future. Those lousy thieves got away with it - but somebody "up there" knows who it is, so they will eventually be punished.

Carrie

So far the news is good.
Nothing taken since the last update.
Have not purchased a camera as the light appears to be effective.
Tomorrow I will plant some that are flowering so we will see if the problem is over or not.
More later
Ron

Hey, take a look at these! Cameras that work with a motion detector, so if you want to turn the light off and see WHO is doing it, looks like they take a series of three pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trail cameras

I have been watching this post and am just disgusted! Ron, I hope you not only frighten them, but find out who they are so they don't go down to your neighbor and steel from them. This person-or people are taking far to much from your yard to be just one 'gardener' it has to be someone who needs many plants, and they can not be just doing it to you. In otherwords, someone is selling your plants and whoever it is needs to be outed to your area. This is wrong and they need to be punished, not just frightened off.
I feel so bad for you-I had this happen to me twice-but I caught them and it was teenagers getting the 'newbie' in the neighborhood. The police were called and took care of it after that :o) They don't do it to anyone anymore I am guessing. LOL
~Robbi

Ron, I am sickened to hear about this happening to you. I have experienced similar situations, one year I had a rose bush completely stripped.. I have had several hosta disappear and several daylilies as well.. they wait till they are in bloom to be able to id the plants..
I have narrowed down my thief to the neice of my next door neighbor.. she is either their neice or grand-daughter..,
I like the idea of putting strands of barbed wire near the plants so they cut themselves in the dark..
I had to move alot of my rosebushes to keep them alive as well as my remaining hosta and dl's
I hope you catch them red-handed!!
Good Luck!!
Katbird
Kathy