Certainly one of the most grown greenhouse vegetables is a cucumber. This is facilitated by the successful work of breeders who create high-yielding, ultra-early and very hardy varieties. Many of the modern cucumber varieties cultivated in greenhouses are suitable for pickling and preservation - their descriptions, photos, reviews of cultivation and use are presented in the article below.

Features of cucumbers and their cultivation in a greenhouse

Cucumbers are divided into 3 groups according to the method of using greens:

• universal;
• salad;
• pickling

Attention! Among the variety of cucumbers, large-tubercular ones are the crispiest; the preservation of this property even after pickling is facilitated by the presence of transverse vascular bundles in the cucumber pulp.

The latter are characterized by compact size, thin tuberous skin with black spines, and elastic, dense flesh. For canning, universal varieties can also be used, the greens of which have reached a size of 6-12 cm. Salad varieties are good for fresh consumption and cooking lightly salted cucumbers, quick consumption.

Regardless of the purpose of greens, cucumbers selected for canning must meet the following parameters:

• caliber – 6-10 cm;
• cylindrical shape;
• thin peel and dense core;
• not bitter.

Mid- and late-ripening cucumbers are best suited for pickling.

The quality of pickled cucumbers is affected by the ripening period of the greens. Early and ultra-early ripening varieties are considered less suitable for preservation than mid- and late-ripening varieties. In addition, experienced housewives have noted that cucumbers collected at the end of summer or autumn when pickled turn out to be more tasty than those collected at the beginning of summer.

IN lately The greenhouse method of growing cucumbers has become particularly widespread. Its main advantages are:

• the possibility of obtaining ultra-early and very late harvests;
• independence from weather and climatic conditions;
• Creation optimal conditions for the development of cucumber vines, and accordingly obtaining higher yields.

The only drawback of greens grown in a greenhouse is the taste of cucumbers grown in open beds always brighter and more saturated.

Attention! Self-pollinating and parthenocarpic varieties and hybrid forms are best suited for cultivation in greenhouses of any type. When selecting varieties to grow pickling cucumbers in a greenhouse, you should pay attention to its size, peel thickness, and pulp density.

Among the parthenocarpic varieties, the best are those that are able to form many ovaries in one bunch. Bunch greens are small-fruited, elastic, and have a good taste.

Cucumbers "Alekseich"

Parthenocarpic varieties for pickling

Developed specifically for cultivation in greenhouses, parthenocarpic hybrid cucumber varieties differ increased productivity, tolerance to most diseases typical of cucumbers, endurance, extended fruiting period, versatility in use. When planning to grow them for preservation, you should pay attention to the following varieties:

Attention! The disadvantage of parthenocarpic varieties is the impossibility of harvesting planting material due to the lack of seeds in them.

Other parthenocarpic hybrids F1, which have proven themselves in pickling and preservation: , “Crispy”, “Mizinchik”, “Spino”, “Masha”, “Buran”, “Tournament”, “Moravian Gherkin”, and others.

Reviews from gardeners

Vegetable growers and housewives with experience know which cucumbers should be chosen for canning. For those who are just planning to grow greens for pickling in their greenhouse, this article and reviews will help you decide on the variety.

The best varieties of cucumbers for pickling - video

Among modern varieties that have recently appeared on the market, the following varieties can be distinguished:

• "Karnak F1";
• "Zakuson F1";
• "Semcross F1";
• "Gypsy F1";
• "Ira F1";
• "Parisian gherkin"
• "Hermann";
• "Mama's Favorite F1";
• "Barrel pickling F1";
• "Courage F1".

The fruits of these varieties are small, elastic, with prickly pimples and soft, juicy pulp.

Among the varieties of Dutch selection, the Octopuss F1, Passalimo F1 and Ecole F1 varieties stand out for their taste. These varieties are preferable for pickling; they are ideal for both pickling in barrels and for glass containers. “Dolomite F1” and “Bettina F1” are also good. These varieties are resistant to diseases and produce excellent harvests.

IN middle lane Among the popular varieties for pickling, the leaders are “old friends”: “Zozulya”, “Altai”, “Magnificent”, “Primadonna”, “Champion”. “Crane”, “Bush” and the bee-pollinated “Crunchy” are also not far behind.

How to choose cucumbers for pickling

Despite such diversity, in order to choose the right cucumbers, you should not only be guided by their names, but also be able to identify the fruits suitable for pickling by eye. To do this, we carefully study:

• Size. Choose cucumbers for pickling average size, while small gherkins are more suitable for pickling with vinegar;
• Color. Of course, we don’t even look at the yellowish fruits. They usually have a rough skin and hard, large seeds. Light green cucumbers are good, especially with a white side (varieties “Zozulya”, “Anulka F1”, etc.);
• Peel. In order for the brine to easily penetrate inside the cucumber, it should not be prevented by too thick peel. When choosing a cucumber, press it down lightly with your fingernail. If the skin gives in easily, then it will be easy for the marinade to evenly saturate the entire fruit;
• Pimples. They are necessarily present on all pickled cucumbers, but they can also decorate fruits for salad. In order not to confuse, you need to look closely directly at the tips of the spikes. If they have black specks, you can safely roll them into jars, but if they are white, it’s better not to risk it.

There's another one interesting way define perfect cucumbers depending on the method of preparation - according to their “shirt”. There are three main ones:

1. “Slavic shirt” - cucumbers for pickling have it. The pimples on them are quite large, but rarely located. This will allow the marinade to slowly penetrate inside, which increases elasticity and provides that crunch in the future.

2. “German shirt” is worn by cucumbers for pickling. Almost the entire surface of the cucumber is dotted with small small pimples. Thanks to this, the brine quickly penetrates inside. This property also allows you to get delicious lightly salted cucumbers in a short time.

3. And finally, the “Asian Shirt” is smooth, without thorns or pimples. We enjoy these cucumbers only as components of summer salads. They are not suitable for blanks.

Naturally, these are not all the best varieties of cucumbers for pickling - every year the selection is replenished with new species that are not inferior, and sometimes even superior to the “old ones” in their taste properties. We will monitor the young shoots and note all the advantages and disadvantages of the new varieties.

Experienced housewives can no longer imagine a winter feast without crispy, aromatic pickles. At the same time, each recipe has its own special and favorite recipe for making pickled or pickled cucumbers, with and without additives, spicy and not very spicy. Before you start pickling vegetables, you should understand which varieties of cucumbers are suitable for canning - this will help to avoid problems with further storage and the taste of the canned product.

Variety of green vegetable varieties

Experienced gardeners know that cucumber is a vegetable with a wide range of species and varieties.

Conventionally, culinary specialists divide existing varieties into three main groups:

1. Pickling cucumbers: they are used for pickling in barrels and jars. This species is particularly resistant to long-term storage and can be successfully stored long winter.
2. Salad vegetable: such cucumbers are eaten in fresh and in salads.
3. Gherkins: they are a universal variety; they are used for winter pickling, preserved with vinegar, made lightly salted, and used for making salads.

At the same time, cucumbers used for pickling, in turn, are also divided into vegetables grown in a greenhouse or ripened in the beds. The former are considered more productive, so during the period of active cucumber harvest there are a lot of them in markets and supermarkets. The latter are more aromatic and tasty, because Many housewives prefer to preserve “ground” cucumbers.

The best varieties for pickling - those that ripen early belong to the category of simple pickling cucumbers and are characterized by the absence of bitterness in the fruit. In addition, such fruits are different from others. high yield.

Signs of a high-quality pickling variety

Experienced housewives have long learned to distinguish cucumbers that are most suitable for preservation by external signs.

Even without knowing the name of the variety, you can determine whether or not the fruit is suitable for harvesting for the winter:

• pimply (lumpy) covering with small black spikes, easily removed when fully ripe;
• a small amount of seeds;
• dense, crispy flesh without empty internal cavities;
• the length of the ripe fruit does not exceed 15 cm;
• the peel of a ripe cucumber is dark green, rich in color;
• When pickled, such cucumbers do not lose their original color.

Universal varieties of cucumbers are also suitable for preservation, but it is recommended to select small-sized fruits for pickling.

Gherkins are considered a delicacy - small cucumbers, no more than 3-4 cm in size, salted with spices and dill in small jars.

Cold pickling recipe

The classic recipe for pickling cucumbers has long been considered cold method in banks. It’s not difficult to choose fruits for this preservation; besides, the most common ones work well: Favorite, Voronezhskie, Nezhinskie, Phoenix. The main thing is to choose the right fruits: they should be ripe and not hollow.

To prepare cold pickles you should prepare:

• 1½ - 2 kilograms of cucumbers;
• clean filtered water – 1½ liters;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 90 g table salt;
• several dill inflorescences;
• a couple of horseradish leaves;
• 7 pieces each of cherry, black currant, oak leaves.

Pickles are being prepared in the following way:

1. Prepared clean fruits are poured cold running water and leave for 5-6 hours.
2. The tails are cut off from both sides of the fruit, the jars are washed cleanly with soda solution, and calcined in the oven or over steam.
3. At the bottom of the prepared containers, place part of a well-washed set of spices, as well as herbs and garlic.
4. The fruits are placed tightly in the jar, interleaved with the remaining leaves.
5. IN clean water add salt, mix thoroughly wooden spoon and leave to settle for a few minutes.
6. The resulting solution is filtered through a double layer of gauze and poured over cucumbers in jars.
7. Close the jars while they are hot nylon covers and take it to a cool place.

Cucumbers prepared correctly in this way can be stored for a very long time, provided that the storage temperature is maintained. Salt has long been known as a natural antibacterial mineral, which is why these fruits are salty and crunchy.

Hot salting

Hot-pickled cucumbers turn out no less tasty and crunchy, and it is not necessary to carefully select the fruits for pickling. The method itself implies heat treatment vegetables, so for hot salting Many varieties are suitable: Nezhinskie, Rodnichok, Phoenix, Voronezhskie, Favorit, Altai.

The main condition for high-quality preservation: you cannot use chlorinated water, and it is advisable to preserve the fruits almost immediately after collecting them from the garden.

To pickle cucumbers using a hot method, prepare:

• 2 kg of fruits;
• 2 pieces each: bay leaf, cherry leaf, black currant leaf, oak leaf, grape leaf, dill umbrella;
• 5-6 cloves of garlic;
• a few black peppercorns;
• 5-6 cm horseradish root.

Step-by-step preparation:

1. Spices are placed at the bottom of prepared, cleanly washed jars, the fruits are compacted tightly, and the empty space is filled with herbs.
2. Pour boiling water over the contents of the jars, cover with metal lids, and wrap for a few minutes.
3. The water is drained from the jars, put back on the fire and brought to a boil.
4. Boiling water is poured over the fruits again and wrapped.
5. After the liquid has cooled slightly, the water is drained for the last time and the fruits are poured with boiling brine, prepared at the rate of 30-35 g of salt per liter of water.
6. The rolled up jars are turned over to cool and taken out for storage.

Spicy pickling

Sometimes housewives want to surprise guests or neighbors with the unusual taste of home-canned food, but at the same time they need the vegetables to remain natural and preserve everything useful substances. Suitable for such cases are cucumbers pickled according to a special recipe, which housewives call a “savory” recipe.

For this preservation you should prepare:

• 2 kg of cucumbers;
• dill umbrellas – 2 pcs.;
• 5 pieces: black currant leaf, cherry leaf;
• clove of garlic;
• 20 g of horseradish leaf or root;
• 8 black peppercorns;
• 75 g salt;
• 50 g vodka;
• 1½ liters of water.

Prepare this snack according to the following scheme:

1. Cucumbers are thoroughly washed, doused with boiling water and immediately placed in cold water.
2. Soak the fruits in water for 3 hours.
3. Mix spices, herbs and cucumbers into clean and sterile jars and fill with prepared cold salt solution (50 g of salt per liter of water).
4. Add 50 g of vodka to the container with the fruits and cover with a hot plastic lid.
5. Place the cucumbers in a cold room where they are left for storage.

The brine from such cucumbers is used for baking, for solyankas and pickles. The brine itself is very useful due to the minerals it contains.

Which cucumbers should not be canned?

Canned cucumbers making everyone happy winter period, serve good addition as a side dish or a great appetizer. But, unfortunately, not all cucumbers are suitable for preservation.

Which cucumbers are not suitable for pickling:

• Smooth;
• yellow;
• without pimples;
• large;
• empty;
• thick-skinned;
• overripe;
• dirty;
• spoiled.

Adviсe:

1. When choosing cucumber fruits, pay attention to the presence of pimples. If there are thorns or pimples, regardless of whether they are white or black, this means that your pickles will not explode, unless, of course, you sealed them according to all the rules. Cucumbers with white pimples will not crunch.
2. Yellow, overripe, large cucumbers are old fruits and are not suitable for preservation. They will be empty inside, filled with air. As a result, this will also lead to the jar swelling and the canning exploding.
3. Spoiled, thick-skinned fruits should not be preserved. In addition to the fact that the jars can explode, the preservation will not be tasty and will not bring any pleasure.
4. Be sure to wash the cucumbers thoroughly before rolling so that there is no trace of dirt, grass or insect eggs on them.
5. Smooth cucumbers are salad fruits and when canned they will soften and also explode.

You need to choose tight fruits with pimples, whole, small size and washed.

Which cucumbers are best for pickling (video)

The process of selecting and preparing cucumbers for the winter is simple; it is only important to know the rules for selecting fruits and follow the pickling preparation plan. It cannot be said that cucumber is a capricious fruit; you just need to take the right approach to preparing it for the winter.

Many varieties of cucumbers were specially bred by breeders as pickling varieties. When purchasing seeds, be sure to pay attention to the marks on the seed bags: for canning and pickling. But even if you are for winter preparations to use such varieties, no one can guarantee you the wonderful taste of a strong, crispy pickled cucumber if you do not follow some rules of agricultural cultivation and pickling technology. So how to grow cucumbers for pickling?

What varieties of cucumbers to pickle

The fruits of pickling varieties and hybrids differ in morphology and cell structure. Puberty of the ovary is one of the most important varietal characteristics of pickling cucumbers. Thorns and spines (they look like hairs on the ovaries) are white, black or brown, simple or complex. Basically, they serve as organs for plants that regulate the release of moisture, performing an evaporative function. At the same time, holes in the epidermis of fruits facilitate faster penetration of brine when pickling or canning them.

The quality of pickling cucumbers is closely related to the spines, their size and color. Fruits with large tubercles and black thorns have high pickling qualities. The blackening of the spines (black spine) occurs due to the fact that moisture evaporates through them, along with which the pigment, flovone, appears on the surface of the tubercle. Its accumulation occurs gradually. The liquid, colored with pigment, dries out, first becomes brown, then black. As a result of this process, we see black spikes on the tops of the tubercles.

In some pickling varieties, such as, for example, Vyaznikovsky 37, the pubescence may consist of densely located simple (sitting directly on the surface) and complex spines, which are smaller in size and more sparsely located.

The crunch of the pulp of pickled cucumbers depends on the special structure of the cells and the space between them. The fact is that cells stop dividing already at the ovary stage. A cucumber grows not by increasing the number of cells, but by stretching them.

So, gherkins and pickles have practically no space between the cells. The cells adhere tightly to each other. This is why gherkins and pickles never have voids when salted. All their varieties are pickling.

I will introduce you to new varieties with pickling qualities that can be grown in open ground or a greenhouse.

A good variety for pickling Mama's favorite F1. Fruits with black thorns. It grows well and bears fruit abundantly, both in a greenhouse and in open ground.

Separately, I would like to say about the new variety Garland F1. This is a unique hybrid on which from 30 to 40 fruits are simultaneously set and ripened. During the period of greatest strength, he is hung with cucumbers like a Christmas tree with toys.

Hybrid Barrel pickling - intended for barrel fermentation without preservatives (vinegar).

Hybrid Liliput F1 has the smallest fruits measuring 6-8 cm. This hybrid is suitable for summer residents who rarely come to their plots. Cucumbers grow slowly; even during a week-long absence from the dacha, their length will not increase. Well, perhaps they will become a little thicker, but even the rate of thickening of the fruits of this hybrid is minimal.

Hybrids Avance F1, Khazbulat F1, Cappuccino F1 were specially created for the canning industry. Grown in a country house or personal plot, great for pickling. Feature - cucumbers do not outgrow and have slow growth.

Currently, hybrid varieties have been created with excellent pickling qualities, which, when grown, tolerate shading well. It's hard to find a better one for these purposes than the F1 Athlete. This is the most shade-tolerant hybrid. It can also be safely recommended to grow it in winter on a windowsill or balcony.

Hybrids have good shade tolerance - Berendey F1, Kurazh F1, Razgulay F1, Valdai F1.

Courage F1 is generally a unique hybrid with high pickling qualities and a classic cucumber strong aroma. It is good for gardeners because it requires minimal attention when growing. I must say, this is a very “tenacious” hybrid. I read that one of the farms mistakenly treated it with a weed killer, Roundup, but it not only survived, but produced an excellent harvest.

Agricultural technology for growing cucumbers for pickling

The quality of cucumbers for pickling depends on the growing technology. With infrequent watering, emptiness often appears inside the fruits, they can become bitter. The quality of the harvest is significantly reduced.

Cucumbers grown with regular, even watering have much higher fruit quality. It is very important to maintain air and soil humidity within 80%. In hot weather, refreshing watering is useful. Try not to pour water under the root. Firstly, with such watering, the roots are exposed, and secondly, the plants can develop root rot.

Cucumbers do not like cold water. Warm water(not lower than 20-22 degrees) from a barrel standing in the sun - what is needed for this heat-loving vegetable.

The cucumber crop has a peculiarity: the more often you pick them, the higher the harvest. When collecting, try not to turn the cucumber vines over - they are very fragile, can easily break, and infection gets into the wounds and cracks.

It's best to pick cucumbers in the morning before they warm up. And with frequent watering and feeding it is necessary more often. Root system cucumbers are characterized by low removal from the soil nutrients, but with a high intensity of their consumption.

Cucumber plants cannot withstand high concentrations of soil solution, and they should be fed in small doses every 10-12 days. Pickling varieties, as well as salad varieties, respond well to organic fertilizers: solution of mullein (1:5), chicken manure (1:10). It would be a good idea to add an ash solution to these solutions - 1 glass of ash (100-150 g) per bucket.

How to prepare cucumbers for pickling

In addition to agricultural technology, the quality of pickled cucumbers depends on the correct preparation for pickling.

Firstly, the day before picking fruits for pickling, it is recommended to water them well. Secondly, it is better to collect them early in the morning, before they get hot in the sun. In this case, the cucumbers can be pickled or salted immediately. If it doesn’t work out right away, then they need to be kept for 2-3 hours. cold water. The fruits will be refreshed, become firm, and will not wrinkle when pickled. Then sort them by size: large, medium, small. It is better to pour each batch separately.

The skin of fruits of pickled varieties contains more fat-like substances, which, when salted, absorb essential oils spices. Spices and seasonings give pickled cucumbers taste, aroma, and crunch. All seasonings (currant leaves, cherries, sprigs of parsley or dill) must be freshly picked. Only in this case will they transfer their strong bactericidal properties to the brine. Garlic, horseradish leaf, and tarragon will protect cucumbers from softening.

When you fill cucumbers in jars, barrels or pans with brine, it must be cold. Warm or hot brine increases the rate of fermentation. This leads to the formation of emptiness in the pickles, in addition, they can shrink. Sometimes there is mucus in the brine due to the development of mucus-forming bacteria. The optimal concentration of table salt is 5-6%.

Water for pickling cucumbers

Of course, water quality is a very important factor. It is better to use hard water, such as spring water. It contains calcium salts. If you use tap water, you need to at least let it sit to reduce the chlorine content. Soft water is also not suitable for salting. Do not use iodized or fluoridated salt for salting.

Soft water can be improved artificially. Experiences from the Ukrainian Research Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing have proven that adding calcium chloride to water (it is sold in ampoules in pharmacies) improves the quality of pickling products. Calcium chloride is added to the brine - 5-7 drops per three-liter jar.