Gherkins or cucumbers?

[veggiechicken]

I have 5 different types of gherkins in my seed collection - and I've never grown any of them
Truth is, I don't like pickled gherkins! Tell me, kind Grapes, can you eat gherkins raw or should I stick to growing cucumbers?

For the curious, I have
National Pickling
Hokus
Piccolo di Parigi
Vert Petit de Paris
Cornichon de Paris

Next daft question - why do so many Gherkins come from Paris?

[Tripmeup]

Now, I know you are really mad...

Pickled gherkins are to die for...

But yes you can eat them raw...

As for your Paris question, qui sait?

And why am I skipping a line between each sentence

[veggiechicken]

Murky bucket. Trip
However, for the space, should I grow a cuke or a gherk?

[Tripmeup]

Murky bucket. Trip
However, for the space, should I grow a cuke or a gherk?

Space in the jar or greenhouse
I would grow some of each.. you will ( should) get gherkins earlier than cucumbers... Well I do every year..Plus less waste as a chopped gherkin is perfect for a salad

[noviceveggrower]

I must be a bit of a nutter but if you don't pick the gerkins when they are diddy wont you end up with cucumbers?

[Snadger]

I'm trying Cukemelons (NOT elocutions as my spell checker tries to change it!)

Tried gherkins without success last year and I don't particularily like cucumbers so time for a change. I only hope you can pickle elocutions!

[Lisasbolt]

Last year my gherkins did better than my cucumbers, lovely raw, i have never pickled, although i do like gherkins pickled. they do stop growing when the get to about 5 inches and go yellow and bitter. Downside is that you need to keep on top of they as the grow quickly

[Small pumpkin]

I've only tried growing gherkins once. It was like growing a triffid! A very productive triffid tho. I didn't realise you could eat them raw. So I gave them all away to someone who liked pickled gherkins ( & knew how to pickle them). Then never grew them again. I may give them another try one day ( how about next years challenge VC ).I've grown the cucamelons and pickled them. Also very triffid like in its growing, production habits. Not growing them again couldn't get anyone to eat them raw or pickled but fun to grow

[Lisasbolt]

They are very sweet and just like a cucumber, lovely if you only need one tiny one to slice into a sandwich etc

[Neilbaldwyn]

I grew two plants of cornichon de paris last year and they took over the back end of the polytunnel! I've got jars of them pickled still and I gave loads away, certainly more prolific than a cucumber. Didn't try them raw though, feel like I missed a trick with that!

[veggiechicken]

I'm trying Cukemelons (NOT elocutions as my spell checker tries to change it!)

Tried gherkins without success last year and I don't particularily like cucumbers so time for a change. I only hope you can pickle elocutions!

I've tried elocutions - they're tiddly - like big grapes. On the plus side, they're supposed to be perennial so I'm hoping that the pot thats left in the GH will regrow this year

[Tripmeup]

Tried cucamelons last couple of years..but meh for me...So probably skip them this year...

[Penellype]

I'm sticking to cucumbers on the grounds that if I am going to grow a triffid I'd better like the result! I've grown Vega for the last couple of years, which is a small one, but it was very late last year so I thought I'd try Cucino this time - similarly small but possibly faster growing.

[Jjherts]

Gherkins Rule

I prefer growing gherkins to cucumbers.... Smaller less waste...
They can be used raw just like cucumbers... Taste same...
Excess can be made into my delicious BURGER RELISH...

1kg Gherkins or Cucumbers (washed skin on and grated)
500g Onions (peeled and grated)
500ml White Vinegar
2 Cups Caster Sugar
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
1/2tbls English Mustard
1tbls Mustard Seeds
1/2tbls Curry Powder

Place grated gherkins/cucumbers and onions into a bowl, sprinkle with a 1tbls of salt and leave overnight to extract some of the water.
Drain cucumber/onion mix and place in a pan with all other ingredients and mix well.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes before bottling into sterilised jars.

You can add a tbls of green food colouring to make it look exactly like shop bought variety!

Http://www.smallspaceveggies.blogspot.co.uk

[Shaydee]

I prefer growing gherkins to cucumbers.... Smaller less waste...
They can be used raw just like cucumbers... Taste same...
Excess can be made into my delicious BURGER RELISH...

1kg Gherkins or Cucumbers (washed skin on and grated)
500g Onions (peeled and grated)
500ml White Vinegar
2 Cups Caster Sugar
1/2 Cup Corn Flour
1/2tbls English Mustard
1tbls Mustard Seeds
1/2tbls Curry Powder

Place grated gherkins/cucumbers and onions into a bowl, sprinkle with a 1tbls of salt and leave overnight to extract some of the water.
Drain cucumber/onion mix and place in a pan with all other ingredients and mix well.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-10 minutes before bottling into sterilised jars.

You can add a tbls of green food colouring to make it look exactly like shop bought variety!

Http://www.smallspaceveggies.blogspot.co.uk

That sounds absolutely delicious :0 thank you for that recipe