Mystery seeds from china

VLG22 · 02/08/2020 11:46

We are looking to relocate to falmouth from Tamworth and have 3 children aged 6,9 and 12. I really need people's opinions of the schools and which would be best to send my children to. I am particularly concerned about the high school as falmouth schools Ofsted report was very poor. What other options are available for my daughter?

NotaVicar1 · 02/08/2020 11:48

Hang on, I've got Triffids on the sweepstake for October!

I have no idea about Falmouth.

Etinox · 02/08/2020 11:49

@VLG22

We are looking to relocate to falmouth from Tamworth and have 3 children aged 6,9 and 12. I really need people's opinions of the schools and which would be best to send my children to. I am particularly concerned about the high school as falmouth schools Ofsted report was very poor. What other options are available for my daughter?

Start a new thread my love, this won't be seen.

BooseysMom · 02/08/2020 11:51

Omg that's bizarre..Be very careful. They may be infected with covid! I don't order anything from there now although it seems impossible to prevent altogether as so much is made there.

Moonfacebiggins · 02/08/2020 11:52

@BarkingHat

Anyone else gets these? Mystery packets from China saying jewellery but open them and they are seeds. Been arriving all over the world.

If you get r have had them don’t sow them but send email to [email protected]

Triffids.

Yep I've had these. I've just left in my cupboard

Nightmanagerfan · 02/08/2020 11:54

Radio 4 did a piece on the seeds yesterday

iklboo · 02/08/2020 11:56

Don't plant them!!

Timestoodstilll · 02/08/2020 11:56

They're likely part of a brushing scam: eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/27/unsolicited-packets-seeds-may-mailed-china-states-warn/5516852002/

GoshHashana · 02/08/2020 11:57

I really hope I get some of these. You can bet I will be planting the fuckers and standing by with a flame thrower when they germinate.

Iwalkinmyclothing · 02/08/2020 11:57

Lots of chat on reddit about this op. Opinion seems divided into:
-bioterrorist attack/ practising for -bioterrorist attack
-large scale trolling to sit back and enjoy panic/confusion/concern
-attempt to show how vulnerable we would be to a bioterrorist attack undertaken this way
-Chinese sellers wishing to raise profile of their companies and have lots of people online discussing the seeds
-you all forgot that you ordered seeds

SquishySquirmy · 02/08/2020 12:00

I got a mystery seed package from China back in April labelled as stud earrings.

I assumed at the time that I had ordered something off Amazon and forgot: Remember how at the beginning of lockdown there was a shortage of vegetable seeds due to increased demand? Easy to add several packets to an Amazon basket and not realise that while most are reputable uk companies one is from a random distributor based overseas. The reputable ones arrive as expected, then the random one arrives ages later by which point I've forgotten ordering it in the first place. At the time that's what I assumed had happened.

Anyway saw the story in the news the other day and the packet I received is really similar!
Still think it could be the first explanation though rather than something sinister (I cant be the only disorganised gardener in the world can I ...?) Or a brushing scam.

Creepy thing is the packet had my correct name and phone number on it.

SerenityNowwwww · 02/08/2020 12:00

@Nightmanagerfan

Radio 4 did a piece on the seeds yesterday

Annnnnnnnd??

SquishySquirmy · 02/08/2020 12:02

I put mine away in my seed tin and forgot.
Recently found them and planted (indoors in a small pot so as not to contaminate environment).
They haven't done anything yet.

I KNOW I shouldn't have, but its like a wet paint sign!

lifesalongsong · 02/08/2020 12:03

Steven Nolan did this last night on Radio 5, it'll be on BBC Sounds, I think it was around 11.30pn ish.

He had a woman explaining what it's about but tbh I didnt really understand it but it's something to do with fake online reviews.

MoreSchnitzelPlease · 02/08/2020 12:03

@BooseysMom

Omg that's bizarre..Be very careful. They may be infected with covid! I don't order anything from there now although it seems impossible to prevent altogether as so much is made there.

You seriously think that the seeds are infected with covid 19? Absolute madness. Why would any country need to deliberately infect other countries with the virus? It's all over the world, we did that ourselves without having to plant the bloody virus. Conspiracy theories are not helpful. There is no evidence to support the theory that the seeds carry the virus. You are scaremongering.

Aethelthryth · 02/08/2020 12:04

I got two mystery packages from China which were cheap earrings

SquishySquirmy · 02/08/2020 12:04

I am glad dh talked me out of tasting one back in April though.

ImFree2doasiwant · 02/08/2020 12:07

@SquishySquirmy I also got some seeds from China, but had indeed ordered lots, which all arrived at different times. There was no proper packaging, just a clear bag of seeds with no label or instructions.

lljkk · 02/08/2020 12:12

There was a good discussion on Radio 5 last night about this, Steve Nolan show, around 11pm. It's a gimmick to boost sales for specific companies by allowing extra customer ratings.

Does anyone know what kind of seeds have been sent? I haven't heard that detail. Are they courgette or somesuch?

itsgettingweird · 02/08/2020 12:16

@iklboo

Don't plant them!!

I did little shop at college. Brilliant musical

EBearhug · 02/08/2020 12:20

The R4 article said they mostly appeared to be like courgette or cucumber. They said if you receive one, you shouldn't plant them, and should report them to the link mentioned in the OP.

I didn't really understand any of the possible reasons they suggested behind doing it.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 02/08/2020 12:29

I received a card from Royal Mail yesterday saying I have a package but they haven't paid the correct postage. I've not ordered anything.

I paid the £2 and it's being delivered Monday. I wonder if it's seeds 😊

SquishySquirmy · 02/08/2020 12:43

I feel like if I wanted to infect another country with some dodgy plant virus or triffid, there are far better (easier, more reliable, less traceable) ways of doing it then sending seeds to random people in the hope that they plant them in the right place outside and that the seeds mature enough to infect other plants.

I still think that planting them outside is a bad idea and that care should be taken when disposing of the seeds as restrictions on seed imports are there for a reason. But I think it highly unlikely that they have been deliberately infected with anything or that it they are part of some nefarious conspiracy.
Far more likely to be a slightly dodgy small business trying to get round import restrictions and obtain fake reviews.

Ginkypig · 02/08/2020 12:44

I never get anything randomly sent to me

I want a triffid too!

orangenasturtium · 02/08/2020 12:46

You seriously think that the seeds are infected with covid 19? Absolute madness. Why would any country need to deliberately infect other countries with the virus? It's all over the world, we did that ourselves without having to plant the bloody virus. Conspiracy theories are not helpful. There is no evidence to support the theory that the seeds carry the virus. You are scaremongering.

They won't be infected with SARS-CoV-19 @MoreSchnitzelPlease but they could be infected with plant viruses.

There are laws about importing seeds, plants, flowers, fruit and vegetables for good reason. Invasive species can wipe out native species and damage the ecosystem as it's not just the plants that are effected, it's everything in that food chain. They can also bring imported diseases and pests.

Please don't plant any mystery seeds. All those dodgy seeds from China on Amazon are a disaster waiting to happen too...