How can my neighbor stop people from stealing her flowers?
Question:We live in a condominium complex, and in years past my downstairs neighbor (who lives on the ground floor) has planted some really nice flowering annuals next to her patio. But they keep getting stolen at night--dug up right out of the ground! What's your solution? Plant some ugly stuff instead, or something thorny? Put up a little electric fence? Set some booby traps?
Answers:
Well theres not much she can do, short of putting up a motion detector light, so when someone comes the light goes on, may scare them. I would plant thorny rose bushes within those flowers, that should be a deterent!
all of the above, or some surveillance device like a heat or proximity sensor that will sound an alarm if anyone gets within arms reach.
plant some poison ivy. that might teach them a lesson!
put some mouse traps by it and tie a string attatched to a bucket of water and lots of bells and pots and pans so
a they get hurt by mouse traps
b water falls on their heads
c loud noise wakes you neigbor up.
or just get a dog so it barks when a person comes near
i also like the person's poison ivy idea...
stay up all night with her trusty shot gun in her lap!!
If she can she should get a spy camera, or at least put up a sign that says " You are being watched by camera surveillance" and "You will be prosecuted for trespass and damages"
So stop stealing my flowers!!!
I hope that works, Tell her to tell all her neighbors that she bought a camera and is going to catch the thief. Good Luck
If you have the cash, try a night vision camera. It's good to know who you're dealing with. Anyway, their annuals so they're not a big loss.
A camera set to record is one way to "catch" the thief in the act. Staying up all night might not work b/c when are they stolen? First night they are there or after they are well established?
I've had friends w/ similiar problems...it just made them not put plants outside.
Get some doggy poo and spread it around the plants, maybe after they get their hands in it they will stop.
I agree with Carol S
What Carol said + some nasty/ thorny stuff . Varieties of Rosa rugosa ('Hansa', Snow Owl' , 'Roselina' etc) Solanum atropurpureum (love that one!) Used that for someone , putting it in front , nothing behind it was touched again. Datura ferox . Pretty flowers, nasty seed pods . In another situation , my customer , kept all the flowers plucked, before blooming , until the were rooted in . The %**#@#&^#!!s that do this usually aren't he brightest of bulbs, or very hard-working, so won't likely go for plain green, or bother to dig up something that is rooted-in.
How about chicken wire buried 1-2" under the dirt with foliage sticking up through and the root ball underneath? I would be a pain in the neck to get the foliage through but it might deter lazy thieves. Be sure to stake the edges down well so they can't just rip the whole thing up.
a friend had a problem similar to that she put set mouse traps under the mulch. Good hunting lol
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