Scrap plants

[Peter]

Deformed, disease ridden, various bugs in various nooks and crannies and half forgotten in the spare greenhouse that serves as the place where such plants go before they get chucked out. Death row!

But - what's this?......

[Paul in Essex]

Ideal candidates for a trial outside border, I reckon. You have absolutely nothing to lose except the effort of making the bed.

[Peter]

Good idea Paul, and certainly worth a try. Shropshire's a cold county (albeit lovely) but I should be able to find a suitable sheltered spot.

[davidfair]

I have a 'scrap' huge epiphyllum which I left outside completely unprotected since last Summer hoping it would die over winter. To be honest I couldn't face carrying it back under cover. The damn thing is still alive and is now covered with flowers. I'll have to hope next winter is a lot colder!

[el48tel]

Philosophical question ... the plants are living organisms, do we have any right to decide that they are "scrap". If the object was a human, then the decision would be considered as genocide (at best); if this was an animal, we'd have animal rights and RSPCA at our heels.

On a lighter but practical thought .... is there no home to take them ... an eager youngster etc?

[Aiko]

On a lighter but practical thought .... is there no home to take them ... an eager youngster etc?

I always wonder about how easily some people get rid of plants and chuck them away. If you don't want them, just give them away. An easy way to get rid of plants is to just put them in front of your house on the sidewalk, add a note saying it is a free plant for anyone that want to give it a good home and it will be gone in hours if not minutes.

[Echinocactus123]

I find things very hard to let things go and the thought of throwing away plants just makes me feel sad. I'm not saying it's bad but I'm just saying that I get very attached to my plants.

It is important to also try not to humanize plants, they do not have the capacity to think and feel pain. No brain, just reflexes and DNA instructions to grow and reproduce.

But yes, I think the best option is trying to give away or sell your 'scrap' plants to another person who has the passion to take up the responsibility of the plant you can't or dont want to care for. You can always request a swap or ask if anybody wants it here, on the forum. There are many, many people I'm sure would love some plants, but that's just my opinion.

[Chris L]

On a lighter but practical thought .... is there no home to take them ... an eager youngster etc?

I always wonder about how easily some people get rid of plants and chuck them away. If you don't want them, just give them away. An easy way to get rid of plants is to just put them in front of your house on the sidewalk, add a note saying it is a free plant for anyone that want to give it a good home and it will be gone in hours if not minutes.

I heard a story once - can't remember where - someone was trying to give a child's bike away and had left it outside on the street for days with a "free" notice attached to it. No one seeming to want it for free they put a "For Sale £10" notice on it and it was gone by the following morning.......

[Aiko]

Did they leave the money behind?

[Flayzerflay]

How bad would we all feel if science proved plants can feel rejected? thinking about this lately and perhaps rather than "scrap" or "hope it would die" how about " i failed to grow you properly and will release you to the ground in a suitable place"

Like when i hear someone say " thin out seedlings and compost them" how about thin out seedlings and put them in a bucket or large scrap container so they can live, they may even surprise you as they have.