Climbing Cuke's

Cucumbers are supposedly easy to grow and are recommended for beginner gardeners. I found a starter cucumber plant down the street at Dickinson's Garden Center. Since cucumbers are vining plants, so I started looking around the internet and found a picture of a cucumber plant climbing up an upside down tomato cage so it looked like a tee pee. It should also be a whole lot easier to harvest. Plus if I left it on the ground it would just make a mess of itself mixing with all the dirt and bugs and would take up too much room in my garden. I found out cucumbers are actually in the same family as squash, pumpkins, and gourds--I did not know that... I can't wait to eat cucumbers that I have grown, buffalo mozzarella, cucumber, and tomato salad with basil and balsamic vinegar here I come!
















Cucumber plants as of 4/29/2009



Cucumbers 5/03


My cucumbers as of May 3rd have begun to sprout up these random cumber plants in the middle. Like totally out of nowhere...The other ones are doing pretty well, one of them is about to grab onto the vine I think, I will keep you updated!




SPICY GARLIC PICKLING CUCUMBERS RECIPE

• 12 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
• 2 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups white vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice (go crazy, I use cinamon, ginger, mustard seed, cumin seed, bay leaf, cloves, allspice)
  
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Cut the cucumbers to your liking, if you are canning multiple cans I would recommend a variety of cuts, the long quarter cut, thin slices, thick slices. This is whats great about making your own pickles you get it how you want it.

The pickling spice, sugar salt, vinegar and water is really your base you can add anything from there. Dill is an extremely common addition to pickles, you can add turmeric, celery seed, onions. More sugar, less sugar, go crazy with yo' bad self

Combine everything but the pickles in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. The most important part is that the sugar and the salt completely dissolve. Allow to boil 10 minutes.

Meanwhile place cut pickles in the jar(s) and place a small mesh strainer over the pickle jar. You really don't need all of that other stuff floating about the jar unless you just think it looks really cool and rustic. An easier way might be to place the strainer over a pitcher and strain the vinegar mixture into the pitcher then just pouring into each jar.

Place the tops on the jar as soon as possible and as tight as possible. The heat of the liquid will most likely seal the top for you. Place in the fridge immediatly if the top of the jar doesn't pop. If it does, place it in barely simmering water for about 15 minutes. Be gentle!