Gherkins...!!!

[SusieG]

I have 5 beautiful gherkin plants growing with great gusto in my GH.
I've given them a couple of smallish bamboo canes/string to grow up, and they seem to be growing up and around them well.

They've grown, so far, a lot quicker than my cucumber plants.

How big/tall do they grow?

picked 4 gherkins yesterday .... will they store until more are ready for picking, as I want to pickle them...?

And any more tips would be welcome, not grown these before!

Thanks

[vixylix]

Well done Susie - sadly I cannot help as my gherkins last year disappeared under the full cukes never to be seen again!

Home grown cukes should last at least a couple of weeks in the fridge - I imagine gherkins would be no different?

[burnie]

Me and my Dad used to grow ridge cukes and eat them through the season, then at the end of the season pickle the small ones left over, never actually grew them for pickling, they were just a happy left over.

[Vince G]

Gherkins will keep in the fridge for a few days, but I find the best way is to do a few at a time when they're ready.

Prepare your vinegar recipe: I heat equal parts of white wine vinegar and water. I add the water so that when the solution reduces it goes back down to the original strength of the vinegar, rather than reducing vinegar to super-sharp!! Into this dissolve sugar to taste, with fresh dill plants and french tarragon.

Cool and refrigerate in your jar.

Each time you have gherkins ready, go through your salting procedure, rinse, dry and just pop in the vinegar. I picked another 3 off my plant today, and they're currently salting, and will be going in the vinegar in the morning.

Once I've packed as many as I can in my jar I bin the plant. My last jar lasted 2 years so I probably won't need to grow them again next year.