Gardener takes over abandoned community garden plot after its owner disappears, until she returns two years later and demands all the produce: 'Diane has some nerve'

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Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jul 27, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

Two gardeners walk into a community garden: one has been there every day, and one hasn't been seen in two years. Which one of them leaves with the produce?

While most of us are loners who take care of ourselves, some people enjoy the idea of living within a community of some sort. Whether it is in a small town where everyone knows everyone, or in a big city where people form a community of their own, there are plenty of ways to find people who seek companionship and want to work together for a common goal.

But the thing about community, which might be why some people avoid it, is that it demands responsibility. If you want to be a part of a group, you accept that you will have commitment to the group and to the reason that brings you together. If you're not committed, well, then you cannot be part of the community. 

If someone is part of a book club, for example, but they fail to read any of the books or attend any of the meetings, then they are not part of the book club. If someone signs up to take care of a community garden plot, but they fail to take care of the garden, they shouldn't be considered part of the community. It all depends on how much work is put into the common goal.

The woman below, named Diane, had an assigned garden plot for years, until one day, she disappeared from the city due to a family emergency and hasn't been seen for two whole years. The gardener who took care of a nearby plot noticed the state of the abandoned garden and offered to take over it in the absence of Diane. When Diane finally returned two years later, she saw that someone else had taken over the garden, and threw a fit in response. According to her, no one had the right to care for her garden, and everything that grew there while she was away technically belongs to her.

Pretty bold move from Diane. Unfortunately, she is not letting her garden go without a fight…

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  • 01
    Senior woman planting vegetables in a greenhouse at a community garden
    via Getty Images

    Senior woman planting vegetables in a greenhouse at a community garden.

    Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for keeping vegetables from a garden plot I took over after the original owner disappeared for two years?

    I've been in our community garden for close to four years now. The plots are allotted by the community garden board, and anyone who does not appear for an entire season and cultivate their plot gets their plot reassigned to one from the waitlist.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 03
    In my case, two years ago, the plot that was right next to me (let's say her name is Diane) became really unkempt.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 04
    Overgrown weeds, no tilling, no water, no planting at all. From what I got to know Diane had left the city due to some family emergency.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 05
    The plot was termed abandoned by the garden coordinator, although she did not officially reassign it since Diane never responded to any emails.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 06
    After a whole year of letting the plot stay in such condition, I requested the coordinator if I could get the plot cleaned up and cultivated since I was already there every day anyway.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 07
    It was verbally approved since Diane was not returning for now. So, I cleaned it up, amended the soil, and planted tomatoes, squash, and herbs in it during the past two growing seasons.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 08
    I did not touch anything belonging to Diane nor planted anything that will be there permanently such as fruit trees, just annual vegetables.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 09
    Vegetable harvest from gardening.
    via Getty Images

    Vegetable harvest from gardening.

    Subject is a model.

  • 10
    This last week, Diane appeared from nowhere. She managed to sort things out with her family and moved back.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 11
    She went straight to her plot and seeing my tomato plants full of tomatoes, had a fit.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 12
    She claims I took her garden and that all the crops growing there are hers because it is still officially her assigned plot.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 13
    She demands I surrender the produce which, by the way, amounts to quite a number of vegetables that I planned on canning and giving to neighbors.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 14
    I have offered to give her back the plot from now on and even help amend the soil, but since the vegetables were planted, watered for several months and tended to by me, they belong to me.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 15
    She is livid and is spreading the rumor around the community that I am a thief that squatted on her land.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 16
    Now the coordinator finds himself caught in the middle, claiming that there was no updating of paperwork.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 17
    Thus, it is a gray area. Diane wants to file an official complaint against me before the board.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 18
    There are some neighbors who believe I should have spoken directly to Diane two years ago rather than having the coordinator's verbal approval.
    via ActuatorAul
  • 19
    AITA for keeping my own vegetables grew or should I have given her everything the second she came back?
    via ActuatorAul
  • 20
    flowerybutterfly96 Diane has some nerve. Even if the paperwork is a mess, what kind of mental gymnastics would lead her to conclude that she is entitled to anything after
    via flowerybutterfly96
  • 21
    being MIA for two years? In the original documents that everyone should sign, is there a mention about forfeiting plots for abandonment? She should be glad you offered to give
    via flowerybutterfly96
  • 22
    her plot back. IMO, the best she could hope for is to go back on the list.
    via flowerybutterfly96
  • 23
    abitofasitdown How could you speak to Diane if she was not answering emails, and was away? NTA.
    via abitofasitdown
  • 24
    Ryuuji-Akiyama NTA. You grew the plants, you get the produce.
    via Ryuuji-Akiyama

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neighbors gardening neighborhood garden community entitled family entitled people
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