Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Fruit Tree on sidewalk – ok for strangers to pick?
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September 15, 2009 at 4:58 pm #592324
wsjbMemberI just have a question for my west seattle neighbors. Between the sidewalk and the street we have 3 plum trees, two apple trees and a pear tree planted. The previous owners of the house planted them and we maintain them (pruning, fertilizing, pest control, picking up dropped fruit). For the past three years I find that strangers come regularly and pick the fruit. Not just one or two pieces, but lots of it. Sunday, I looked out my window and 4 people with 4 big bags took every piece of fruit off of my plum tree. They filled all four bags to the rim. One person actually got up into the tree and broke branches to get the high fruit. They were chatting and laughing and not being secretive about it at all. I was dumbfounded. My husband said I should have said something to them but I figured they needed the food more than I did. I do love those plums! Someone at my work told me that the area between the sidewalk and street is public property although I maintain it. Is that true? Is it okay for people to pick the fruit from these trees? Thanks for your input.
September 15, 2009 at 5:11 pm #677279
JustSarahParticipant(Preface: I am not a lawyer. At all.)
Your coworker is correct that the space is not private property and you have no recourse should someone pick fruit from the trees.
However, I’d say it’s ethically wrong for others to take the fruit, assuming the trees appear well-tended and there is not fruit lying around on the ground (which to me would indicate that the “caretaker” didn’t want the fruit.) I don’t think there’s much you can do, save feeling ethically superior to the people doing this. Or asking people not to do this with a sign or something… of course, as we’ve seen on these forums, some people see such signs and feel the drive to go against them. I’m sorry this is happening to you.
September 15, 2009 at 5:35 pm #677280
MargLMemberWell if you want the fruit and they’re damaging the trees I think you’re well in your right to ask them to stop picking as you’re maintaining them. However – if you complain to the city you might be asked to cut them down. According to this
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/cams/cam2305.pdf the SDOT prohibits fruit trees in the planting strips.
September 15, 2009 at 5:36 pm #677281
bsmommaParticipantI have a few thoughts about this. 1st, what a clever way for the city/government/whoever owns it to get someone else to keep up there property. 2nd, even if it is not private property, that is so rude, disrespectful and tastless for people to come and take ALL the fruit. 3rd, I wonder how much trouble you, the owner of the private property on the other side of the sidewalk, would be in if someone fell out of that tree getting fruit?!
September 15, 2009 at 5:38 pm #677282
GenHillOneParticipantThat’s so incredibly rude. I’m sorry. I’d put a note out “thanking” the harvesters for robbing you of your enjoyment and suggesting that you may have been willing to share anyway had they asked.
September 15, 2009 at 5:49 pm #677283
wsjbMember@MargL thanks for that information. During this time of year, I clear fallen fruit from the sidewalk and grass for that reason. Perhaps I should consider removing all of the trees.
I agree with everyone that it is rude. The damage wasn’t that great – just a few broken branches. I guess I’m just shocked that so many people seem to think there is nothing wrong with it and just wanted to get feedback from others. Thank you!
September 15, 2009 at 6:21 pm #677284
SueParticipantI’m in agreement that it’s rude, and would ask first before I took anything off a tree I didn’t plant.
I’m wondering, however, if the previous owners allowed “everyone” to take the fruit. It’s possible that people knew it was okay, and aren’t even aware that you’re not the same people – they’re just used to being able to go ahead and take it. That still doesn’t make it right, but perhaps that explains why people are doing it.
September 15, 2009 at 6:27 pm #677285
wsjbMemberGood point, Sue. I guess I didn’t think of that.
September 15, 2009 at 11:07 pm #677286
PDieterParticipantWe can no longer even talk to people we don’t know (and sometimes even when we do) unless it’s anonymously from a keyboard? People quit hiding on an internet forum and go talk to people we’re all in this together.
September 16, 2009 at 12:40 am #677287
ellenaterMemberI totally agree with PDieter!!! Please just talk to them next time. It’s passive/agressive to just post on here. Also, why assume the worst. They clearly thought it was OK for some reason. A simple conversation or nice sign would eliminate most of the problem.
September 16, 2009 at 1:30 am #677288
wsjbMemberFair enough. Like I said, I was not sure what to do which is why I wanted opinions. Thanks all!
September 16, 2009 at 2:04 am #677289
GenHillOneParticipantI agree that talking to someone is usually the best course, but I wish we’d cut some of the posters here some slack. We’re pretty quick to point the passive-aggressive finger these days on several topics. Why don’t we give the poster the benefit of the doubt? Sometimes – whether it’s surprise, shyness, fear, not knowing who the person is/how to reach them again, any number of things – there’s a reason why direct communication doesn’t happen. If you want REAL examples, go to passiveaggressivenotes(dot)com. It redefines passive-aggressive, lol.
September 16, 2009 at 3:14 am #677290
KenParticipantWhat part of “city right of way” do many of you find so unusual?
I have lived in cities and rural areas in 7 states and the system is the same everywhere.
In Boston you HAVE to remove snow from the right-of way (sidewalk) in front of your house or a city crew does it and bills you hundreds of dollars. If you don’t move your car to the proper side of the street during regular snow events, it gets towed and impounded. That is after it gets totaled by the plow while buried in the snowbank.
Where do you come from that you have such demented notions about what people can do on public property?
I plan to plant strawberries and raspberries in the right of way this year. I don’t expect to eat very many since it is near the school bus stop, but I am doing it for year round ground cover and so some of my urban neighbors with no yards might enjoy them for a week in May. I grow my eating stuff behind a fence and plant enough for my family and friends. If you want fruit trees for eating, you should plant them behind your fence or at least in your yard.
You should worry if the fruit goes to waste rather than how you can keep people out of what is obviously a public area. Why do you think that you cannot put up a fence in the City right of way?
September 16, 2009 at 3:38 am #677291
Heinz57MomMemberGee wiz! I’m shocked at the audacity. This is the kind of entitlement attitude I expect from folks on the East side. I’m sad to hear it’s made it’s way to the community here.
I for one am glad you asked the question. I just always assumed it was private property and would never allow my children to pick from a tree in a planting strip. They’ve asked when we’ve been on walks in the neighborhood. I understand the temptation seeing such gorgeous fruit ready to pick and enjoy but the rudeness of just wiping out a tree is unconsciounable to me.
September 16, 2009 at 3:48 am #677292
ellenaterMemberHey, for the record, I didn’t mean mine as an attack. :)
September 16, 2009 at 4:31 am #677293
GenHillOneParticipantnah, didn’t think you did, ellenator, I should have made it abundantly clear that I meant it completely in general…it seems to be a crutch we’re leaning on across the forum these days.
and fwiw, there’s “legal” and “right” – personally, I’d feel like a heel taking something that someone else put effort into. it’s nice that you invite your neighbors to partake, Ken, and it sounds like maybe it was the case with these previous owners, but still nice to check.
September 16, 2009 at 4:43 am #677294
HunterGParticipantI would strategically place mousetraps in the tree with notes pinned to them reading: I am willing to share, but please be courteous. Take only what you will eat. And underline you.
People, most of them anyway, are greedy. If they see anything that is “free” they’ll take all they can.
September 16, 2009 at 4:58 am #677295
JoBParticipantwsjb..
i wouldn’t have known what to do either.
there is a large difference between one person picking a little fruit and a crew that shows up to clean off the tree… but without asking, you will never know who they are or why they thought it was ok.
You can count this one as a good deed.. someone didn’t go hungry because you spent the time and money maintaining those trees…
but it looks as though you may need to plant some behind your fence if you want to guarantee fruit for yourself.
September 16, 2009 at 5:03 am #677296
HunterGParticipantSeptember 16, 2009 at 5:33 pm #677297
JoBParticipantHunter G…
what if they are urban gleaners who had the prior owner’s permission to pick and are merely visiting a home on their list?
would you still want to use mousetraps?
September 16, 2009 at 5:42 pm #677298
CMPParticipantThe fruit pickers should check annually with the homeowners to make sure it’s okay to take their fruit. Permission from the prior owner means nothing to the current owner. Given the economy and rate of foreclosures, chances are good they aren’t dealing with the same person/family anyway. Picking the tree clean is just rude and inconsiderate.
September 16, 2009 at 5:42 pm #677299
maplesyrupParticipantI’d have definitely said something. Or maybe turned the hose on them. ;)
Some people around the corner have a bunch of fruit trees in their yard and in the parking strip. From what I can tell they have 2 signs: “Please don’t take the fruit yet but we’ll let you know when it’s ok” and “Help yourself to the fruit.”
They’re hand-painted wooden signs. They look nice and don’t throw off a rude vibe at all.
September 16, 2009 at 8:41 pm #677300
CroweMemberI understnad how you feel wsjb, but yes, the area by the sidewalk is considered public. You could hang or post signs requesting that people please ask before picking, or start a recipe exchnage. You could hang recipes, they could bake it and do an exchange ;O)
We have a P-patch spot and people ALWAYS steal. It is so hard to let it go when you have done all the work, and some one takes the food you grow and tend. And for sure if you see people picking the fruit, just say something. Be nice, kind of what community is all about. And I would never pick fruit from trees even in the little public strip in front of some one’s house. If the fruit was going to waste and uncared for, I’d ask.
Ken, lighten up. geez. That is why wsjb asked the question. Maybe you need to make yourself a fresh friut pie.
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