Garden Thieves?
I am having an issue with people stealing veggies and seedlings out of my garden. I know that its ridiculous and uncalled for. Its happened twice now. A couple of teenagers picked almost ALL of my strawberries and today all of my okra is missing by a mysterious bike rider.
Long story short, I was leaving in a hurry to get my son from school and as I was pulling out I noticed a woman on a bike riding very slowly by my yard gawking at my raised beds. I watched her in my mirror and she was watching ME drive away. When I got to the stop sign at the end of our street I saw her turn around and cycle into a yard. I couldn't tell which yard, but it was ours or someone close on the same side of the road. I tried to phone my husband to step outside 'just in case' and because this had happened before (see strawberry detail above) so I was suspicious. I couldn't get him to pick up and I had to carry on or I would be late. I had watered right before I left and looked all my plants over. Everything is blooming like crazy right now!! :D I was gone maybe 30 mins, come home and ALL of my okras are gone. I don't think an animal would come, in broad daylight and steal all those veggies.
SO. What should I do? I am fine with sharing once everything is ready to harvest and if I have extra. No problem. But I'd really like if people would ask before taking. I could never imagine just walking into someones yard and stealing something.
Thoughts/suggestions? Is this going to be a sad state of life I have to live with? Maybe I need garden gnomes to protect my goodies. haha
Long story short, I was leaving in a hurry to get my son from school and as I was pulling out I noticed a woman on a bike riding very slowly by my yard gawking at my raised beds. I watched her in my mirror and she was watching ME drive away. When I got to the stop sign at the end of our street I saw her turn around and cycle into a yard. I couldn't tell which yard, but it was ours or someone close on the same side of the road. I tried to phone my husband to step outside 'just in case' and because this had happened before (see strawberry detail above) so I was suspicious. I couldn't get him to pick up and I had to carry on or I would be late. I had watered right before I left and looked all my plants over. Everything is blooming like crazy right now!! :D I was gone maybe 30 mins, come home and ALL of my okras are gone. I don't think an animal would come, in broad daylight and steal all those veggies.
SO. What should I do? I am fine with sharing once everything is ready to harvest and if I have extra. No problem. But I'd really like if people would ask before taking. I could never imagine just walking into someones yard and stealing something.
Thoughts/suggestions? Is this going to be a sad state of life I have to live with? Maybe I need garden gnomes to protect my goodies. haha