For many years I have grown a variety of plants, mostly heirloom varieties of tomatoes (40-50 varieties each year), and also various peppers, herbs and other vegetables.
After giving some to friends, I have put them under a canopy in my yard with a sign that the “there is no charge for the plants.” I print labels on plastic pot sticks with a description of each (all small tomatoes look pretty much alike).
There has never been a problem in the many years I have done this.
People welcomed the heirloom plants, and came back year after year to see if they could get more of what they liked, and the small donations they offered helped offset the cost.
Recently, I again put out about 150 plants of about 40 varieties. Last night [June 3] vandals pulled most of the pot labels out and just threw them in the driveway a few feet away, so it was difficult or impossible to distinguish between many of the varieties. I tried again this afternoon (June 4) with more plants, and they did it again while I was in the back yard.
Unfortunately, I can no longer offer these unique varieties of plants to my neighbors. I think it’s a sad state of affairs when you can’t even give things to people who really want and would use them.
This was probably done by one or a few individuals, but it is now affecting dozens in my neighborhood and beyond.
Robert Means
Schenectady
Categories: Letters to the Editor, Opinion
