I'm looking for advice from community gardeners who may have, most unfortunately, experienced damage to the gardens by marauding children.
OK, I'm a little upset; I live in a apartment and "my garden" is tucked into the side of our driveway. I had started some tomato plants from seed planted in containers, I have nursed them along, made a special effort to be organic...there were 4-5 lovely tomatoes on each plant.
They were so green and perfect...well today I came home to discover that my neighbours kids had torn each and every tomato from the plants and tossed them into the yard next door. The mother of the kids did not really say much to us when we told her--she said she didn't notice her kids doing the damage.
I've put the green tomatoes in a brown bag hoping to salvage them, but I am frustrated by my feelings; I am torn by realizing that neighbourhood kids may cause some damage, after all, the only place I have to do any outside gardening is the public driveway, and the feeling that "HANDS OFF MY PROPERTY"!!!
How do you as community gardeners deal with damage caused by others? I guess I just need some TLC now - thankfully, they did not touch my Hostas!!!
I don't really have advice for you; just sympathy. A few weeks ago, I had a corn plant knocked down (by a dog, not a kid), but the feeling of loss is the same. This is the first time I've grown corn, and I've really tended those plants! Are the kids friendly at all? Maybe getting them involved in gardening would be the best way to prevent future mishaps?
