Is this stealing?

[Drive43]

AIBU to take spent seed heads from flowers from people's gardens as I walk past?

I don't think it's very fair. They might be self seeding, or the owner might be planning to go and collect them themselves. My mum has a beautiful garden, and she often offers seed heads and cuttings to friends and family. I'm not sure she'd be best pleased by someone just helping themselves. Knock and ask.

Yes. They send you to North Korea to do hard Labour for 25 years for that!!

I have brought various self seeding plants because I have an informal cottage garden and I want plants to pop up anywhere. So I would not be happy if someone just took the seeds. My mil also collects seeds and sends them away to seed companies for credit. She's been doing this for years. Shes used to have a garden nursery and many of her plants are rarer varieties. We would both happily give you seeds if you ask.

It's always best to ask. If I caught you pinching mine I would suggest you bugger off but if you asked me you'd get the seed heads and probably some actual plants as well.

I really wouldn't be impressed if someone came in my garden and started taking the bits they fancied.

Definitely ask first. I'd be furious if someone just took without asking me.

Would you mind someone helping themselves to stuff out of your garden once they have decided it's of no real value?

Judging you rn

Well in that case you can pinch their telly as well. 🤫

If someone knocked on my door asking if they could take seed heads from my garden I'd say yes, but also think

It all depends on the plants, I some times spend 50-80 on an individual specialist plant that I would like for my garden. Some flower only occasionally so if some entitled shit decided to start pulling seeds off it I would be pissed off.

Often owners will allow the seeds to fully ripen before removing them you don't know until you ask.

Yes it is, see section 4 (2) (b) of the Theft Act 1968.

Of course it is stealing! You should knock and ask. If they aren't in, then go back later.
How bloody entitled

It's entitled and rather rude to just take things that don't belong to you.

I agree with others, that its hardly a big deal but it would be polite to ask first.

For me, the test of stealing is "did your actions deprive someone else?".

So, for example:

If you took £10 out of someones pocket, that is stealing because the person is now £10 down.

But if you watched a subscription program or football match online, instead of paying for a subscription, that is not stealing because the TV company has not lost anything (rather, that have simply not gained anything from your viewing - and that's not the same thing).

Taking the seeds does technically deprive someone else, but it is a really frivolous example, not least given seeds are usually plentiful.

Just ask, I am sure it will be fine.

Mine cultivated a lot of his garden with cuttings from the local park! Not from Yorkshire but notoriously frugal.
Beautiful garden though!

Some people are really tight on here. One marigold head can yield over 100 seeds so I'd only be taking one!

Why would they take things of no value?!

Marigold seeds are 50p at wilko`s, so who is the tight one here. Some one has to buy these plants in the first place so buy your own thief!

Also all the plant nursery's suffered massively during covid, so bloody support your local businesses and buy your own.

I'd be happy for OP to take the occasional seeds, I would not like OP to knock on my door. That's a much bigger crime in my books.

Clearly you are a troll. Most people on here said they just want you to use basic manners and ask.

Doesn't matter how you try to justify it @Drive43 taking them without permission makes you a thief.

Marigold seeds are a valuable food for birds like sparrows. Just buy your own.

I never cease to be amazed by the people who think it is okay to take (or allow their children to take) plants, flowers, seeds from other people's gardens or public parks etc

Not sure what their internal justification is for this. Do they think these things are free because they grow?

A packet of seeds may be not much money (though many seeds are expensive) but there is also the work, compost etc which has gone into sowing and growing on.

Ask properly or buy your own.

Too many people seem incapable of seeing the difference between thine and mine.

That’s interesting, I attended a gardening course at a local community garden centre held by the council. We were advised to carry a small pair of secateurs and a small plastic bag with a wad of wet cotton wool inside in our pockets to take any cuttings when out and about and couple of brown envelopes for seeds.
I it did a couple of times but it felt like was I ‘tooled up’ going out on the rob. The cuttings always died anyway so I stopped. I’m a Yorkshire lass btw.