We have two different varieties of cucumbers planted and they are blooming like crazy. It looks like barring disaster, we're going to have a bumper crop. Each bloom is a future cucumber. Look at the photo below and you can see the baby cucumbers behind the flowers.
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| Baby cukes |
As long as they get plenty of water, it doesn't take long until those baby cucumbers turn into nice ones that are ready for picking.
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| Cucumber perfection |
To me this is a nice size for a cucumber. This is a variety called Organic Pickling Cucumber. If you pick them when they are "dill pickle" size, they're never bitter.
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| Organic Pickling Cucumber |
Would you look at all the blooms! We'll have many jars of pickles put up if these all come to fruition. I guess I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch, though.
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| Blooming Cucumbers climbing on a livestock panel |
You gotta keep your eyes on cucumber plants. They grow very quickly. If you let them get too big, they tend to be bitter. Also, the vines grow quickly and the tendrils reach out and grasp anything to give the growing plant support. If you're not careful, they'll vine out and grab tomato plants or anything else you have nearby.
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| A ripe one! |
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| Another ripe one amongst the garlic chives |
And here is another variety we grow called Japanese Long Cucumbers. These are really good. When you chill them, they are nice and crisp.
They are easily a foot long or longer.
Now, we will pickle a bunch of them and put them up in the pantry for enjoying throughout the year, but many of them, we'll just eat like I've shown below. The recipe is very simple: Pick them, Chill them, Slice them, Add a dash or two of salt, drizzle some olive oil on top with a splash of balsamic vinegar and lots of cracked black pepper.
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| Refreshing appetizer before supper |
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