Page 1 of 1

Gherkins again

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:59 am
by penny
Hi, I have read the 2008 posts about pickling gherkins but my problem is with only one plant I only get a few the right size at any one time. I would really like to have a way of pickling a decent jar. I wondered about freezing until I had enough but all that water doesn't feel as though that would freeze well.
Any ideas?
Regards
Penny

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:38 pm
by Westi
Certainly they do not freeze but do keep a fair while in
the fridge so you could pop some aside but with only
one plant could still have a shortage - or very small
jars of pickles.
The other thing is to really nuture and feed the plant
even self polliating the flowers to ensure a bigger harvest.

Sorry not much help really.

Westi

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 5:58 pm
by oldherbaceous
Pickling isn't really something i know anything about, but i was wondering if, you could just keep adding them to the jar of vinegar as they are ready.

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 6:57 pm
by Primrose
It's a bit of a conundrum, isn't it? Perhaps the best way of coping with this is to prepare your pickling liquid.keep it separately and just add it a little at a time to the jar as you top it up with gerkins, so that they're only just covered. It does mean that if you can only top the jar up slowly, all those at the bottom of the jar may be more ready to eat than the ones at the top. So when you finally reach the top of the jar, empty it into another one of the same size, putting the latecomers at the bottom of the fresh jar.

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:55 am
by penny
Many thanks for your suggestion. First one just appearing so will give it a go.
Regards
Penny

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:54 pm
by alan refail
penny wrote:Many thanks for your suggestion. First one just appearing so will give it a go.
Regards
Penny



Hi Penny

If you don't mind my asking, where is your one plant?

We are having frosts every night in this fairly mild area of Wales, and I am not even thinking of sowing cucumbers and squashes before this coming weekend.

Re: Gherkins again

Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:36 am
by penny
Hi
I grew it at home with basal heat and a light. Now it is in an unheated greenhouse with fleece at night.
It's about 2 ft tall.
Regards
Penny