Cucumbers are relatively easy to care for in cultivation. Many people know that cucumbers can be grown in the greenhouse or house. But can you also prefer pickled cucumbers?
In a nutshell
- In principle, any type of cucumber is suitable as a pickling cucumber
- It can be grown outdoors about 3 weeks before sowing
- Plant 2 to 3 seeds about 1 to 2 cm deep in a pot with soil
Grow pickles
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are among the most popular crops. Depending on the time of harvest and the intended use, the vegetable is referred to as
- Pickling cucumbers (pickles): early harvest, small cucumber
- Salad cucumbers (snake cucumbers): later harvest, large cucumber
In principle, any type of cucumber is suitable for growing pickled cucumbers. However, the most suitable varieties are those that are specifically labeled as pickles or gherkins.
Special gherkin varieties such as the "Vorgebirgstraube" are particularly suitable for cultivation.
Pickling cucumbers are usually sown directly in the field. However, since cucumbers are sensitive to frost, sowing is only possible at the end of May. In order to be able to harvest earlier and more frequently, it is advisable to bring the pickling cucumbers forward. So you can put small plants in the bed at the end of May. These are not only ready for harvest faster, but also more robust. This makes them less susceptible to snail damage or poor growth.
Procedure: prefer gherkins
You can start planting about three weeks before planting out, i.e. early/mid April. But how do you prefer the plants? It's actually quite simple if you follow these steps:
- Fill the pot or egg carton (at least 8 cm in diameter) at least halfway with soil
- Place 2 to 3 seeds in a hole
- cover with 1 to 2 cm soil
- place on a warm, bright window sill or create a greenhouse with a glass put over it
- Always keep the substrate slightly moist
- Germination at a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius after about a week
- after germination leave only the strongest seedling and keep the plant a little cooler
Put several seeds in a hole and then cover them with soil.
Tip: Place larger seedlings outside for several hours a day. This will harden them up and get them used to their future outdoor environment.
After about three weeks you can then sort out stunted plants and prick out the cucumbers.
plant out
When the ice saints are over and frost is no longer to be expected, the seedlings can be sown. Ideally, the plantlets then have two well-developed leaves. Then you put the young plants about 1 cm deeper in the ground than they were in the pot before. For successful sowing, make sure that the location meets the following criteria:
- sunny, warm and sheltered from the wind
- well-aerated, humus-rich and light soil with a certain amount of sand
- Planting distance as for large cucumbers (about 60 x 150 cm)
- 4 year break in cultivation after cucumbers and other pumpkin plants
After sowing, you should press down the plants well and water them regularly with lukewarm water. The preferred plants are then fully grown around mid-July and should be collected as early as possible. Then they can be inserted.
After a few weeks, the exposed plants bear the first fruits.
Tip: Until you have harvested enough cucumbers for pickling, you can store the pumpkin plants in a cool and dark place.
frequently asked Questions
Can you pick pickled cucumbers before April?Theoretically yes, but it is not effective. If you start too early, you risk the plants getting too big too quickly before they can be sown outdoors.
How do you pickle cucumbers?There are many recipes for pickling cucumbers. They are usually placed in a mason jar or ceramic pot with vinegar, garlic, onions, dill, bay leaves and mustard seeds. Ultimately, the only decisive factor for the shelf life is that the ingredients have not been heated.
How to water pickling cucumbers?Always keep cucumber plants sufficiently moist. However, be sure to avoid waterlogging. A good water supply during growth is the basic requirement for the watery and fresh consistency of the cucumber.