During the summer vacation, Alex and his friends decided to create a mini-garden in their backyard. They spent days planting various vegetables and flowers, researching the best ways to care for them. When fall arrived, they noticed that the plants were not as thriving as they had hoped. Some vegetables were stunted in growth, while others had a few wilted leaves. After discussing with their parents, they realized that they might have planted too late in the season. This made Alex consider whether they would have better luck if they started again next spring.