Boston Pickling is an heirloom variety that was introduced in the late 1800’s. They will produces 3 to 7 inch long cucumbers all through the summer months. Aptly named, this variety is perfect for pickling and can also be enjoyed raw.
Can you eat heirloom pickling cucumbers?
Kirby (or Pickling) Cucumbers: Short, oftentimes bumpy, these vary in color from yellow to dark green. They are good to eat raw, but they’re especially ideal for pickling. Persian Cucumbers: Similar to English Cucumbers, these are mild in taste.
Are Boston Pickling cucumbers good to eat raw?
You don’t have to pickle picklers. Harvested young, when the seed cavities are small, any variety of pickler is fine for fresh eating—in a salad or out of hand. Pickler varieties aren’t uniformly dark green like the slicing-type cucumbers sold in the supermarket.
When should you pick heirloom Boston Pickling cucumbers?
It is best to harvest boston pickling cucumbers for pickles when they are 2″ to 6″ long. That way they fit in your jars!! Boston pickling cucumbers are an heirloom variety known for their heavy yields and resistance to cucumber scale and the mosaic virus.
Is Boston Pickling cucumber heirloom?
Boston Pickling is an heirloom variety known as a heavy-producer of 3-6″ long pickling-type cucumbers. While it is perfect for pickles, it can be used fresh in salads if allowed to reach a larger size (8″-10″).
Can you eat heirloom cucumbers?
Heirloom cucumbers
Cucumbers are one of the great summer fruits that we think of exclusively as a vegetable. We enjoy cucumbers in summertime salads, and as an accompaniment in the form of pickles and relish for hamburgers and hot dogs.
Can pickling cucumbers be used in salads?
All varieties of cucumbers can theoretically be used as salad cucumbers, also known as slicing cucumbers, or as pickling cucumbers.
How big do heirloom Boston Pickling cucumbers get?
3 to 7 inches
May be harvested at sizes from 3 to 7 inches, depending on your pickling needs.
Why are my Boston Pickling cucumbers yellow?
If you encounter a yellow cucumber, it’s usually over ripe. When cucumbers become over ripe, their green coloring produced from chlorophyll begins to fade, resulting in a yellowing pigment. Cucumbers become bitter with size and yellow cucumbers are generally not fit for consumption.
Why are my pickling cucumbers bitter?
The actual cause of bitterness in cucumbers and other gourds, like zucchini, is due to a compound known as cucurbitacin. This compound is always present in cucumbers, but the levels change based on the growing process of the vegetables. The higher the level of cucurbitacin, the more bitter the cucumber.
Can pickling cucumbers get too big?
Often these “pickling cucumbers” are extra crispy and dense when small so they make excellent specimens for fermenting/pickling, however, if left to grow bigger they become increasingly bitter until practically inedible!
Can you pick a cucumber too early?
Can you pick a cucumber too early? Cucumbers can’t really be picked too early, though allowing them to ripen to their ideal size will give you the best texture and flavor. Young cucumbers will be sweet, but very crunchy.
Do Boston Pickling cucumbers need to be pollinated?
Cucumbers can cross pollinate, so if you are growing more than one variety you will need to hand pollinate to assure purity. Blossoms should be taped shut the evening before bloom to prevent insect pollination then the blossom opens the next morning.
Are Boston Pickling cucumbers indeterminate?
The Boston Pickling cucumber is another early producer, with fruit setting in as early as 55 days. This indeterminate variety will produce a heavy load of cucumbers right up until the first frost.
What is the best pickling cucumber?
“I like to use medium-to-small-sized Kirby cukes,” says Brad. The Kirby variety has a thicker skin that can stand up to the pickling liquid, and remains crunchy, with a good snap, long after it’s been preserved. “You wanna find cucumbers that aren’t too big or too small,” says Brad.
How long do Boston Pickling cucumber vines grow?
The vining plants grow to a mature height of roughly 1 to 2 feet tall, if grown without supports and will produce oblong fruits on the ground. Boston Pickling is ready for harvesting in about 55 days.
What does heirloom mean for cucumbers?
In short, heirloom is seed saving.
What is the best tasting cucumber?
The best-tasting cucumbers are those that are slicing cucumbers. English cucumbers don’t have the bitter chemical cucurbitacin that some cucumbers have. They also have higher natural sugar content, making them sweeter. The lack of seeds and thinner skin also English cucumbers more enjoyable to eat.
Why are my pickling cucumbers round?
The major cause of the cucumber’s undeveloped or round shape is pollination. The cucumber will only be slightly developed if it is not thoroughly pollinated. Cucumbers are plants that require a lot of nourishment as they grow. The cucumber will get round due to a lack of nutrition.
Is there a difference between pickling cucumbers and regular cucumbers?
Pickling cucumbers are shorter and bigger around than slicing cucumbers. They are bred to have thinner skins and black spines so the pickled product will look better. Pickling varieties can be eaten fresh and slicing varieties can be pickled, but the differences can be discerned by the average consumer.
What else can I use pickling cucumbers for?
Canning, Freezing, Dehydrating and Fermenting Cucumbers
- Cucumber Salsa. Not a summer goes by that we don’t can salsa, usually of the green or red tomato kind.
- Cucumber Relish.
- Cucumber Mint Jam.
- Cucumber Infused Vinegar.
- Cucumber Infused Vodka, Brandy or Gin.
- Cucumber Kombucha.
- Freezing Cucumbers.
- Cucumber Sorbet.