What a weird week with a holiday in the middle of it! The squash is pouring in, and even with the heat we haven’t lost too many plants yet. Ironically, we have lost more cucumber plants than squash plants, even though cucumbers don’t generally have a problem with vine borer. We didn’t actually see any borer in the cucumber stems when we pulled the plants, so it might have been something else going on. This year has been a year of strange problems, that’s for sure!

The Litchi Tomatoes are starting to set fruit. Aren’t those spiky caps going to be fun? The fruit look like tomatillos right now, but by the time they are full grown and ripe, they will look more like bright red eggplant.

In addition to the gorgeous leaves, the Fairy squash also has these huge flowers in the mornings.

We are getting a decent yield from the hanging basket cherry tomatoes. We are at the point in the summer where it is really hard to keep them watered appropriately, and with as much as we are watering, they are getting a little yellow from nitrogen deficiency and disease. I don’t know if the low yields are the fault of the plants or our growing system. I suspect that in a larger pot on the ground (not swinging in the breeze), they might be doing better.

The black sesame is blooming, and I have to say that the flowers really are attractive. Unfortunately, they are rather hidden by the huge leaves on the plants!

I found this cucumber in the Family of 4 Garden this morning. The variety is called ‘Homemade Pickles,’ and as you might guess, it is a pickling type cucumber. We are growing them on big tomato cages, so it is a bit of a challenge to find cucumbers. With all the squash, cucumbers, and melons in the Demo Garden (plus more cukes in my community garden plot), I think I’m going to have a perpetual “cucumber rash” on my hands this summer. (Yes, I know I could wear gloves, but I really hate gloves for gardening, especially when it is hot!)

Our Prairie Star Annuals are starting to look really good. In this bed we have the purple angelonia, a nice gaillardia, and the bright pink vinca.

Have a great weekend!