How do YOU do cucumbers?

I've never grown cucumbers before, but my nine year old is a pickle fanatic, and we had a lot of fun making homemade pickles last year from some cucumbers a friend gave us.

Do you plant them in little hills, and let them sprawl? Start them inside, or directly in the garden? (We bought seeds.) Provide some sort of trellis for them to climb? I seem to remember our elderly neighbor had them growing up some of that plastic cross-hatch trellis you can get at Home Depot or Lowes, but may be wrong, as it was several years ago.

We've already munched our way through all 15 jars of pickles from last year, so am hoping we'll have a decent harvest!

Thanks for any input!
Booker

You can plant them in hills and let them sprawl if you have the area for it. If not, you can have them growing on a trellis like your neighbor did. I would start them outside. Not necessary to start inside as they sprout very fast. I think for pickles you want to pick them while still small.

Karen

I've tried starting them inside, but the sown-outside plants always catch up and surpass them.

I learned early to grow mine up some type of fence or trellis. This keeps them up off the ground where they are more readily attacked by insects and exposed to bacteria in the soil that can cause them to get nasty on the bottom side. I've used Burpee's Burpless cukes for years because they are a slender cuke and make wonderful pickles either sliced or in chunks. I have a lime cure pickle that my whole family would almost die for that I've been making for 30+ years now. My grandson will sit and eat an entire jar by himself.

I grow mine on trellis as well. Just a lot easier to pick and a lot less damage from insects etc. I've grown the Burpee and had good results. Trying a couple of heirloom varieties this year as well as some burpless.

Great--thanks! I think I will try to make some kind of trellis, and do some "vertical gardening." We are kind of limited on space, so sounds like this will work well for us.
I'll let you know how it works out!

Booker

Hey Naturelover--would you care to share your "to die for" pickle recipe with us? I'd love to try it, if it's not a family secret! My kids are huge pickle fans!

Thanks!

I second the recipe request. My son had a ball with our first efforts last year, but I honestly thought the pickles were kind of mediocre. I'd love a tried and true recipe!

I grow mine on a trellis as well. I actually plant them close to the garden fence and train them to cling to that. I also start the seeds outside, but this year, I'm trying to start them in peet pots that will transplant in a couple weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Oh gosh tracy, I had a dmail from Booker asking for the recipe and didn't realize someone else wanted it too. I'll reprint it here for anyone who would like it. As I told Booker, I think they are an easy recipe and nearly fool-proof. I always make an extra half recipe of the syrup to ensure I have plenty to cover all the pickle slices once they are in the jars. If anyone has any problems making these, feel free to dmail me. BTW, for anyone who's never used pickling lime before, I've never had any trouble finding it in the canning section at Wal Mart.


Crispy Sweet Pickles

25 to 30 small cucumbers (I use 12 to 14 long Burpee's Burpless)
2 cups lime (calcium hydroxide)
2 gallons water

2 quarts vinegar
8 cups sugar
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 teaspoon salt

Slice cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick. Dissolve lime in water and cover cucumber slices. Let stand 24 hours. Rinse well. Let stand 3 hours in clear water. Drain. Mix well the vinegar, sugar, cloves and salt and pour over the cucumbers. Let stand overnight. In the morning bring to a boil and boil 35 to 40 minutes. Fill sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top with cucumbers and syrup. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes. Makes 10 pints.

Are the jars also to be found at W-Mart? Thanks.

Yes but if you have a Big Lots, they are usually cheaper there.

Thanks, as a matter of fact, there's a Big Lots nearby, about three miles from us.



This message was edited Apr 14, 2008 7:59 PM

My uncle grew his on a type of wire (bigger than chain link) that was tilted and supported by 3 posts. He could manage the vines on the front to keep them climbing, then they would hang thru the wire. That way they were easy to pick from the back. I'm trying it this year myself.

Anyone got a good dill pickle recipe? My 9 year old can eat a whole jar in 5 minutes flat. Last year was my first pickle attempt, and I thought they were kinda mediocre. I really like them zesty and crisp, and mine were just vinegar-y. I thought I put in lots of dill and garlic and peppercorns. . .

Bookerc1,
You might get some real good recipes over on the canning forum. They swap lots of good recipes.

Oooh, haven't found that forum yet! I'll go hunting.

Bookerc1, I make Kosher dill pickles from the recipe in the Ball Canning Book. It calls for garlic and hot peppers to taste. If that sounds like something you'd like, let me know and I'll send in the next day or so.

this is making me hungry for cucumbers!

Hi Misty Petals. Here ya go... From the "Blue Book, Guide to home canning and freezing", published by the Ball Corporation. (in 1977, this book was $2.50)

Dill Pickles
Short Method

30-40 medium cucumbers cut in half length-wise ( or quarter them, if needed)
¾ cup sugar
½ cup salt
3 tablespoons mixed pickling spices
Green or dry dill (1 head per jar)
1 qt. vinegar
1 qt. water

Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and water. Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag; add to vinegar mixture; simmer 15 minutes. Pack cucumbers into hot jars, leaving ¼” head space; add a head of dill in each jar. Heat brine to boiling. Pour boiling hot vinegar mixture over cucumbers, leaving ¼” head space. Wipe the top and threads of cars with a clean, damp cloth. Attach closures. Process pints or (quarts) 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Yield: about 7 pints


Dill Pickles
Kosher

Follow recipe for Dill Pickles – Short Method. When packing cucumbers, add to each jar:
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
1 piece of hot red pepper
½ teaspoon mustard seed

Process as recommended.


* Hints from the book regarding canning for pickles, start counting the processing time as soon as the jar is placed in boiling water, so you want to work fast.

When processing time has been completed, remove the jars from canner. Stand jars on cloths, (or something heat resistent) out of drafts and with space between the jars. When cool, store in dark, dry, cool place.


** I think the secret to 'crisp' is in the pickles. The smaller ones work best, but now we only plant (or buy) the pickling kinds. My uncle and I would have a contest to see who could grow the hotest pickles each year. Those were the good ol' days.

Good Luck. My aunt and I are trying the recipe posted earlier in this thread.

Thank you for the recipe, the spices in the combination sound wonderful. Come on cukes already, I've got to make pickles. Let's see, copy/paste. (there that ought'll do it)

Mmmm, sounds good! I sure hope my cucumbers do well this year! The dill is already thriving.

Booker

Booker I don't know if you have started your cukes outside yet but one thing to be aware of in our colder zones is that cucumbers (like melons and other vining plants) are very sensitive to frost. Even a light one can kill them. So wait to plant seeds in the ground until the danger of frost is past!

I learned this the hard way after losing several years crops in a row due to my own impatience!

Otherwise I think it doesn't matter if you grow them in hills or up a trellis. Just give them water and sun and you should do great! Good luck!

I haven't started mine yet, which is good, because we just got a freeze and sleet last night! I think I used every sheet in the closet. . .just wasn't ready to let my daffodils and tulips go, and didn't know if it would kill them. So far, so good.

Misty, you asked about jars...I save a lot of jars from groceries that we buy. The jars you want to save depends on what you plan to do with the jar; whether you "pressure can" them, (like green beans, soup, tomatoes, etc., ) or give them a hot water bath, ( like pickles, relishes, etc., ) or simply seal and store in a dark place, like jelly. Almost all the mayo jars work well.

Plus you can re-use them over and over as long as the glass isn't nicked or chipped.
Canning your own stuff ain't cheap, but the flavor's worth it, I think.

I've had a little trouble with "saved jars" cracking or even exploding when I used them in the pressure cooker. Maybe wouldn't be a problem with water baths, or the jellies where you just turn them upside down to seal, but I no longer risk it when using the pressure canner. I stick with my tried and true Ball or Mason or Kerr jars designed for canning!

I do, however, like to save the screw-on lids from things like peanut butter and mayo, to use on the canning jars once they have been opened. Much more convenient than continuing to use the dome and ring, for things like pickles and jelly, where you keep an open jar in the fridge. I had to write "Save Lid" on all of them, though,or DH will pitch them. Funny how packrats only recognize the value in the thing THEY are hoarding. . .LOL

Angie

Yes, or they save the lid but throw the jar away.

I agree, you have to be careful and know what to watch for. I've never exploded anything, but I did drop a jar as I was about to place it in the canner! Glass and beans went everywhere. It's hard to explain " how to can " in this little thread/window. I'd like to think it's something to pass down to our young'uns before it becomes extinct. I know I cherish the times I spent with my Mom, and now my Aunt, peeling and snapping and washing cars and heating up lids.

Those were the good old days. How proud we are to send a jar of something homemade with someone too. =)

Phyllis

I have a question about growing cucumbers up a trellis. Can I use a tomato cage, or do I need something more substantial for the cucumbers? And, how high should I expect the plant to grow if I'm managing "vertical cucumbers"?

Thanks!

Stacie

Last year I grew mine on a fence around my garden spot , only 4 ft high. This year I made a trellis for them, added a pipe to water with this one is about 7 ft tall and 5 ft across.