I've got two container-grown vines that I finally had to "give up" and move into the north shade of the house.  I was sure it wouldn't work, but they're on their way back...

Wrong! You apply two alien illegal immigrants, preferable Mexican. You bring them in twice a week and tell them exactly what they should do in English of course than you tell everyone how good they are but how much you hate these aliens from planet x.

Once they have met all your expectations you call Lou Dobbs and the MinuteMice to throw them over the Gringo/Greaser Wall and you get two more.

Oppressive summers, not for these dollar and a half aliens, they will water and fertilize (with the fertilizer of your choice) and for an extra Corona, they will keep your treasures weed free.

Winter, summer, these aliens are at your disposal and I do mean disposal, unlike your garden they are low maintenance and disposable with one wink at an INS agent or a Californian blogger.

I have a garden of broken dreams, grown in darkness and rooted in despair, which resides in the fiery pits of my blackened soul.

I keep it dazzling by watering liberally with high quality alcohol and fertilizing with the lies told to innocent children.

Oh, and you should remove dandelions by hand before they become a problem.

I plant onions and garlic between rows and around perimeter. Pests generally hate them, and I have no pest problems. My zucchini, yellow squash, peas, tomatoes, peppers and corn are all organically grown, and I have the added benefit of having wonderful onions and fresh garlic all season long. Also, a large rosemary plant near the zucchini seems to repel pests as well, and keeps the neighborhood cats away; they hate the smell.

Basil also repels flies. Organic is the way to go. I see wasps searching my tomato plants looking for those disgusting horn worms. My cat also took care of my previous gopher problem. Mulch often and don't over water.

When I had the garden,raised beds,mixed plantings of vegetables ,herbs,flowers, and a top layer of mulch.,some more mulch. and an extra dab of mulch,did I mention mulch? Those dandelions make a great tea for your kidneys so you can keep drinking and water your dreams with natural urea..it's amazing how things in nature all have their purpose.Now my garden is as broken as my dreams,but it is just one spring ,a rototiller, a burst of good health and some seeds away.That's the cool thing about regeneration.

I found out the hard way about overwatering tomatoes, when most of mine split last year. In my zeal to prevent my plants from drying out, I drowned them last year. Not to make the same mistake this year.

While the neighborhood kittycats have exterminated the gophers, they do enjoy using my wonderfully fertile soil as a litter box. However, I have a barrel full of catnip on my patio, and they love laying in it.

I have had the best crop of tomatos this year than any year for over a decade.  Haven't had any pest problems to speak of.  The Celebrity and Roma have produced on the order of 30 lbs per plant.  I think maybe the cold weather this winter may be a part of the success.  Eggplant and Okra have been ok, not near as much production as last year, but had to continually spray the bugs off last year.  Not a problem this year. (looks like all that DDT I have been using is finally paying off.  LOL)  Peppers are average to very good, yet still have problems with sunburn.  Onions and garlic were well above average.  Zuchinni has been ok, but is starting to fade. I hate zuchinni anyway, don't know why I grow it.  Rhubarb has been doing very well. Thought it would be burnt to a crisp by now.  Armenian cucumbers only produced 2 fruit, and it seems to have stopped. Got a lot of production last year out of this variety.  I planted it in the same spot as last year. Maybe that is the problem.

I am a first time gardner in Rosedale area. Having a heck of a time with my squash and cucumbers with these black little aphid things.  I think I need to pull them :(  My roma tomatoes seem to be doing well but the hot house (? i think they are) have only gotten three tomatoes. SHould I water every other day?  basil and rosemary are awesome.  Peppers okay. I planted pumpkins and they seem to be doing well so far.  Can we plant anything here for winter?