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Cucumbers and Gherkins Species: Cucumis sativus Family: Cucurbitaceae Common name: cucumber and gherkin Height: vine Grow as: annual Harvest period: summer Use packetseeds.com outdoor ridge cucumber Tessa F1, or choose from a range of gherkins and cornichons: Anulka F1, Dar, Odys F1 and Polan F1. All at 95 pence per packet. There are three classifications of cucumber: greenhouse or indoor, outdoor or ridge, and gherkins or pickling. Ridge cucumbers give similar results to greenhouse cucumbers and are more easy to cultivate. We offer our speciality Tessa F1 which we think is much better for an allotment or garden. Gherkins are typically used for pickling and preserves. We offer several varieties for you to try, and some suggestions how to use them. Ridge cucumber Tessa F1: use as any greenhouse cucumber: eaten raw for salads, sandwiches etc. Slightly smaller than supermarket cucumbers, about 20cm long and 3cm diameter. This variety is highly recommended. Growing: Sowing: sow from March until early May under protection. Prick out into 9cm (3.5 inch) pots or similar until ready to plant out. Germination temperature 25°C (75°F) Gherkins: are cultivated almost exclusively outdoors and harvested when they are two to eight inches long. Generally pickled rather than eaten raw. A distinction is drawn between types with nearly smooth skins and those with warty or prickly ones. Cornichons are gherkins less than two inches in length. They are generally pickled in vinegar. The characteristic taste of the larger pickled fruits comes mainly from lactic fermentation. Dill is often used in pickling cucumbers; hence the use of the term ‘dill pickles’ (see packetseeds.com herb section). Anulka F1:
Dar:
Odys F1:
Polan F1:
Growing: grow on the ground Plant out in a sheltered, sunny position once all risk of frost has ended. Fruits can be harvested from July until September. Plants are hungry feeders so give plenty of nutrition throughout the growing season and ideally a base dressing prior to planting out. Sowing: sow April—May under protection, prick out into 9cm (3.5 inch) pots, and plant out when risk of frost has passed. Germination temperature 25°C (75°F). Pickling and souring: the processes use the preservative qualities of salt combined with those of acid, such as acetic acid (vinegar). Acid environments inhibit bacteria. To make pickles, cucumbers are soaked in brine for several days, then rinsed and stored in vinegar to preserve them for years. Recipes and further details can be found on the Penn State University website—follow the link <http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uk123.pdf> or http://www.mccormick.com/recipedetail.cfm?id=913 which gives a Dill Pickle Spears recipe. General: The cucumber is a vegetable that comes in many different shapes and sizes. Fruits start out green but change colour as they ripen to shades of white, yellowish, orange-yellow, or brownish yellow. They may reach weights of more than 1.5kg (3 lb) and grow to lengths of 35cm (14 inches), with a diameter of up to 10cm (4 inches). The skin of the young fruit can be covered with prickly warts, which disappear with ripening. When green varieties turn yellow, they are overripe and can have a bitter taste. The cucumber is a recovering species: when the fruit are picked new, young fruits grow in their place; if they are not picked, then no new fruits develop. The origin of the cucumber is northern India, where it has been grown for over 3,000 years. It was first recorded in Mesopotamia around 2,000 BC. The cucumber did not reach Europe until the Middle Ages, and was first cultivated in greenhouses in 19th century England. All types are high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, iron, and potassium. They have diuretic properties. Juice is beneficial for internal inflammations, including a sore throat or kidney flare-ups. Most beneficial nutrients are contained in the skin and are lost when the fruit is peeled. All fruits should be harvested before they mature. Ethylene gas given off by tomatoes and other fruit also turns the fruit yellow, so they should be stored separately. |
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