When a plant dies before we think it should, our first instinct is often to search for the mistake. Did I water it enough? Did I water it too much? Did I miss a pest? Should I have fertilized it?

Sometimes there is something we could have done differently. But more often than not, a plant’s decline is the result of weather, disease, or insect pressure that no gardener can completely prevent. Learning to separate what is within our control from what isn’t can make us better gardeners—and keep us from taking every dead cucumber personally.

Here’s how to tell the difference.

Tired of BLTs, pickles, zucchini bread, and fried okra? These late-summer recipes take the vegetables filling your garden and turn them into something new, unexpected, and worth cooking again.