Collecting etiquette

Webos · Post by **Webos** » December 22nd, 2012, 11:58 am

Been digging a garden full of old gnarly junipers for the past few weeks. Taking my time to do it right. A couple of days ago, the owner offered the trees I wasn't going to dig, to someone else.

This other person came in like a bat outta hell, ripped out 10 trees in the space of an hr or two.. He was wielding chainsaws and all sorts of tools. Anyway, he starts getting sparks off of his reticulating saw which he was using to cut through roots. Rather than stop... He keeps going. Apparently, he finished digging, then just left without saying a word.

yesterday I get a phone call from the owner telling me that her Telstra line had been cut and that she was putting a stop to the digging.

So unfortunately, one cowboy has ruined it for the rest.

So if you get the chance to dig on private property. Be respectful, be careful, and clean up after yourself. If you run into trouble, let the owner know.

Jasonb · Post by **Jasonb** » December 22nd, 2012, 1:23 pm

Webos,
That is terrible to hear. Even at the best of times you should take time and care. Neglected trees on someone's property are still on someone's property. You should treat it with the same respect you would treat your own.

As the saying goes though, the minority ruin it for the rest of us.

paddles · Post by **paddles** » December 22nd, 2012, 1:25 pm

and remember if you do damage, as the cowboy did... you are responsible to either repair, or pay for repairs...

do you know the name of the cowboy? name and shame.

Andrew F · Post by **Andrew F** » December 22nd, 2012, 2:26 pm

He seems like the sorta person thats not gonna provide good after care, not if he is that impatient.. . . . . damn shame.

Webos · Post by **Webos** » December 22nd, 2012, 3:45 pm

He was not a bonsai man... He was just a guy digging trees for his own garden. Unfortunately the trees he took had no roots left and no soil... Being conifers, almost certain death.

Isitangus · Post by **Isitangus** » December 22nd, 2012, 3:48 pm

Here's hoping he paid for the plants then, hopefully the lady has his details and forwards the Telstra bill to him. I've taken/dug a few plants from gardens and I'm more careful than if it were my own!!!

alpineart · Post by **alpineart** » December 22nd, 2012, 4:05 pm

Hi Webos , mate when i organize a dig i get an exclusive until i have finished , most owners are more than happy unless they are under the pump . If i organise a dig for others i attend and meet and greet the owner and introduce the collectors then state the terms and conditions i work under and have the mutual agreement with the landowner . Happy campers all round in all cases . And yes its usually left in better condition when i leave , hence i always get an invite to the next person who here's about my methods of salvaging plants . As with visitors or other collectors i get the rego numbers for my own benifit in case of things going pear shaped as in this case .

Cheers Alpineart

Brian · Post by **Brian** » December 22nd, 2012, 7:12 pm

Alpine,

you are a man of your word. When you invited me and the hacker up to your country town for an olive dig, you had met with the property owner and got permission to dig trees. You even cleaned up the off-cut branches laying around from our dig and left the area tidy. thank you.

Webos · Post by **Webos** » December 22nd, 2012, 7:52 pm

A good way to go about it alpine. I had marked all of the trees I planned on digging and the owner then put it out to other people. Leaving the site clean is a given. Just a crappy situation for all. worst of all... I miss out on 6 gnarly and fat junipers.. Same as the ones I dug a few years ago. can't believe it. They will have to come out at some stage because the lady is having an extension done on her house. I won't give up and hopefully they will let me take them out when the time comes.

MattA · Post by **MattA** » December 22nd, 2012, 9:46 pm

Webos, sorry to hear a cowboy has ruined it for you

the owner realises you shouldn't be punished because of the other guy and you get those trees

anttal63 · Post by **anttal63** » December 24th, 2012, 10:31 am

Webos wrote:Been digging a garden full of old gnarly junipers for the past few weeks. Taking my time to do it right. A couple of days ago, the owner offered the trees I wasn't going to dig, to someone else.

This other person came in like a bat outta hell, ripped out 10 trees in the space of an hr or two.. He was wielding chainsaws and all sorts of tools. Anyway, he starts getting sparks off of his reticulating saw which he was using to cut through roots. Rather than stop... He keeps going. Apparently, he finished digging, then just left without saying a word.

yesterday I get a phone call from the owner telling me that her Telstra line had been cut and that she was putting a stop to the digging.

So unfortunately, one cowboy has ruined it for the rest.

So if you get the chance to dig on private property. Be respectful, be careful, and clean up after yourself. If you run into trouble, let the owner know.

Thats why you call your responsible mates to come along and do the job together and all prosper from it !!!

AusBonsai