when summer tomatoes take over your backyard

Every summer, I’m reminded of my grandmother’s garden—rows of plump, sun-warmed tomatoes that seemed endless. Back then, nothing beat the taste of a tomato sandwich on a hot afternoon. Now, as I look at my own backyard, I’m overwhelmed by the sheer number of tomatoes ripening faster than I can pick them. But here’s the twist: while I cherish these homegrown flavors, my kids roll their eyes at the idea of canning or making sauce from scratch. They’d rather grab a store-bought jar, missing out on the simple joys we once took for granted. Is this just nostalgia, or are we losing something precious between generations? And then there’s the neighborhood. Some folks complain about the "messy" look of overflowing vines, pushing for stricter HOA rules. Others, like me, see these wild, tangled plants as a badge of pride—a living memory of family and resilience, especially as droughts and heatwaves make gardening tougher every year. Do we tame our gardens for the sake of curb appeal, or let them grow wild as a tribute to tradition and nature’s abundance? I’d love to hear how you handle the summer tomato flood—and whether you’re team tradition or team tidy. #gardeningdebate #tomatoseason #familytraditions #Gardening