Couple's entitled neighbor "claims" their side of the garden after they spent countless hours and hundreds of dollars prepping it for vegetables, she cries to the landlord when they stand their ground: "She decided what side she wanted to begin with"

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Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Mar 18, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

It's such an awful feeling when someone else reaps the fruits of your labor while you get none. Many of us first experience this in grade school. Perhaps you spent all night researching a topic, writing an essay, and putting all sorts of zany animations into an intriguing PowerPoint for what was meant to be a group project only watch a lazy teammember who contributed nothing take all of the credit. That got a little too specific; can you tell I'm still salty about it?

In our story today, a couple invest a ton of effort into a vegetable garden. After all of their soil prepwork is done, their neighbor suddenly wants their side of the garden despite having demanded the opposite when they moved in. Turns out she wanted to make use of their labor and reap the benefits of their fertile soil. When the couple refuses, she goes crying to the landlord who comes up with a preposterous solution. Scroll down to read all about it. 

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  • 01
    "We did a great job. Our neighbor did not do such a great job."
    via Yuliia Chyzhevska
  • 02
    r/AITAH u/Johnny Boz45 • 13h AITAH for telling my neighbor she can't have my side of the garden
    via u/
  • 03
    My partner and I live in a multi-family home with 4 separate units. We have a large backyard with a two-sided garden. Of note, my partner and I are the newest tenants to the house. Last year, my partner wanted to grow vegetables in the garden. He talked with the one other neighbor who uses the garden.
    via u/JohnnyBoz45
  • 04
    The other neighbor told him that she wanted a specific side, so my partner took the other side. We, my partner and I spent a lot of money on new fresh soil, plant food, everything. Spent countless hours tilling and making it great for growing. We did a great job. Our neighbor did not do such a great job.
    via u/JohnnyBoz45
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10481356544
    via Lisa Fotios from Pexels

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 06
    She did not buy fresh soil and nutrients like we did. She was constantly blaming her lack of growth and our success on the amount of sunlight. They are literally a foot apart. There is no difference in the sunlight. Fast forward to this year and we see her setting up on our side of the garden. We
    via u/JohnnyBoz45
  • 07
    approached her and said that we did not agree that she can just claim our side, as we put so much time and money into it already. Not to mention the fact that she was the one who decided what side she wanted to begin with. We got into a big argument. Landlord thinks we should alternate sides every year as a resolution. We disagree. AITAH?
    via u/JohnnyBoz45

  • She just wanted to coast off of their hard work and labor! It's shocking how entitled people can be.

  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10481357056
    via Moncherie

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    Luxodad Landlord thinks we should alternate sides every year as a resolution. Ask the landlord who will pay for the materials and labour you put into your half.
    via u/Luxodad
  • 10
    It seems that if you alternate, you will do all the work and spend all that money to improve both sides, while the neighbour harvests the benefits.
    via u/Luxodad
  • 11
    Frequent Couple5498 Exactly. Show the landlord the amount of money you have already put into that side of the garden so if you are to switch sides the neighbor or the landlord himself will have to reimburse you. If no one wants to pay for what you have already put
    via u/Frequent_Couple5498
  • 12
    money into then you will not be switching. NTA. The entitlement of some people really cracks me up and me off. And if the landlord doesn't think it's fair after you have paid, do as the comment below says. Dig your dirt out of that side of the garden.
    via u/Frequent_Couple5498
  • 13
    biscuitboi967 If you have to alternate, you don't spend any money gardening this year. The landlord and your co-tenant get no benefit from your work. There will be “hers” and empty space.
    via u/biscuitboi967
  • 14
    If you WANT fresh veggies, get some larger buckets and grow a container garden. Which you can move from side to side each year - and take with you when you leave. Maybe put your soil in them RIGHT NOW.
    via u/biscuitboi967
  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10481356800
    via zstockphotos

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 16
    Vegetable-Cod-2340 This... put it on wheels.
    via u/Vegetable-Cod-2340

  • I love when the internet rises up against entitled people. There is no way this lady is getting what she wants!

  • 17
    Vaaliindraa Good idea, dig up all the soil and extras you put in and put into containers, then just move your containers from side to side. NTA
    via u/Vaaliindraa
  • 18
    Jive_Vidz This. Grow bags are cheap. And no not fair. Just keep moving her stuff but it depends on how much you want to deal with it. Gardening is supposed to be enjoyable.
    via u/Jive_Vidz
  • 19
    fairyhalf-breed 80 She wants to switch every year? Okay. Plant grass seed in the plot and use buckets and totes to plant in. That side doesn't get enough sun, right? So you had to put them in raised beds so they'd get light. Stop contributing money to a plot that can be taken
    via u/fairyhalf-breed
  • 20
    away. Keep all your effort in your containers. Maybe when she sees you're not "fixing" her side and still getting a great harvest, that she's the problem. The grass seed and weight from the totes will make that side a pain to get back to plantable when it's hers again.
    via u/fairyhalf-breed
  • 21
    PrairieGrrl5263 Make the switch to container gardening. Fill your containers with the soil you have already purchased and replace with contractor grade dirt if your landlord requires it.
    via u/PrairieGrrl5263
  • 22
    messageinthebox Remove your soil from that half and let her plant her veggies. Then place the soil back when you plant your veggies.
    via u/messageinthebox
  • 23
    Agoraphobe961 NTA. Pull up your dirt and get the moveable planter beds (Wayfair has some galvanized ones for like $50) so the garden stays yours no matter what side of the yard you're on and if you inevitably move out.
    via u/Agoraphobe961
  • 24
    QBee_TNToms_Mom NTA. Landlord suggested alternating so you would work the other side and it would be as good as the other. Stand your ground or tell her she can pay for all the new soil, fertilizer and labor it will take to bring HER side up to par. Cash up front.
    via u/QBee_TNToms_Mom
  • 25
    Ichornet NTA. The woman is being entitled and pushy. No way would I agree to alternate since she chose the side she wanted. Not your fault she didn't put the time and money into her side.
    via u/Ichornet
  • 26
    NTA. MysteryLady221 If the landlord insists on alternating, take the soil, you paid for it. Then start growing in pots or planters that you can easily move around.
    via u/MysteryLady221

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landlord neighbors gardening neighborhood garden Female Empowerment adulting reddit story relationships love adulthood entitled Reddit entitled people apartment
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