This summer, I’ve been surprised that things have gone well with my garden. I don’t have a green thumb; I’m not well educated in horticulture; and the garden has never been a big priority. So this year, when the plants grew at a record pace, I was shocked.

I suppose it was a combination of perfect weather, including regular rain showers, along with more work on my part at just the right times.

As I gloated over the tall and fruitful plants, trouble came to my garden. The straw I used in the garden was not seedless as it usually is, so my efforts at weed prevention actually created more weeds. Japanese beetles, which have never appeared in my garden, suddenly noticed my little patch on planet Earth. And leaf blight, which has seldom been a problem, began afflicting some of my biggest plants. Little birds and animals noticed the bumper crop of blueberries, and for every measure I’ve taken to keep them out, they have crafted countermeasures.

It’s not ...