Summer Lovin' Part 2

There are so many garden updates this week that I could not fit them all into one post, but I hope two will suffice.

As mentioned previously, our cucumber plants are thriving. They are doing so well, in fact, that today I am making our first batch of dill pickles from cucumbers harvested today and yesterday. Even the scrawny cucumber seedlings neglected in pots (instead of transplanted into the beds) are thriving - so much so that I transplanted them back into the beds!

There's actually a bit of a showdown going on between the squash and cucumbers. The acorn squash has exploded out of its bed in the far back left of the garden and is swiftly growing both up and along the garden fence, but it's about to start intruding into cucumber territory. Said acorn squash is also trying to move into zucchini squash territory. It's nuts out there! I have spotted somewhere between six and nine baby acorn squashlets, though. Ought to be delicious later this year.

This is mostly cucumber plant, but alongside the garden fence the squash encroaches...

We also have very happy basil, shaded from the hear by the tomatoes and much more productive than last year. Even the Thai basil is doing reasonably well. Our next-door neighbor was delighted with the basil I brought over yesterday.

Not everything has done as well. My beloved lacinato kale has given up the ghost, mauled senseless by hordes of hungry, hungry green caterpillars. I don't remember these little guys last year but they are out in force this season. We did get to eat some delicious greens before the buggers descended, though. I pulled the last of it up and we'll try again in the fall.  The dwarf Siberian kale is nearly done too. The broccoli never stood a chance at all. Stupid caterpillars. Interestingly, these caterpillars do not like Swiss Chard, so that's still going strong. Oh well.

In cheerier news, here's this weekend's zucchini and cucumber harvest. In addition to dill pickles, we'll be making Nick's grandmother's beloved zucchini soup tonight.

Oh, and the most exciting surprise of all?  BLUEBERRIES!  Gorgeous, delicious blueberries! Of course, it was not a surprise that they were growing, as we have three bushes. However, last year the squirrels ate every last one before we could harvest them, despite our plastic netting. 

This year, our dog has made his presence known (he's a champion at marking his territory in the yard) and we haven't seen as many squirrels. Nick was actually able to harvest some ripe berries yesterday. They're all gone now because I have no self-control when it comes to berries and cherries. So good, and there should be more to come.