The BEST cucumber for making pickles! What makes the National so great?
For starters, they are easy to germinate and grow directly from seed. With a fast seed to harvest time frame of 55 days, there is little need to start transplants indoors. Second, the plant produces a heavy load of cucumbers from start to finish. As productive as the National Pickling cucumber is, it really shines when making pickles. The plant produces perfect cylinder-style cukes with very little taper on the ends. It’s thin skin also allows the pickle to easily absorb flavor and brine. And then there is the crispy, crunchy flesh that is nothing less than ideal for pickle making.
This incredible open-pollinated variety was actually developed by the University of Michigan, dating back to 1929. In the late 1920’s that the National Pickle Packers Association began looking for the perfect pickling cucumber. As the popularity of pickles soared, it was becoming harder and harder to find enough cucumbers to fill the packing plants. Especially a variety that would be the perfect size for jarring up. To help in the search, the association reached out to the University of Michigan. And the University responded by developing the National Pickling cucumber plant. And was it ever the pickling cucumber plant of all cucumber plants!
National Pickling cucumber seed works well for pickling because the thin, tender skin allows it to be easily flavored with spices. The fruits are short, thick, and blunt-ended when small, becoming smooth and cylindrical when larger. The medium-large vines produce heavy yields of 6" cucumbers in 50-58 days. Good resistance to the cucumber mosaic virus, and doesn’t struggle with many of the common health issues other open-pollinated cucumber varieties can have.
~ sowing ~
National Pickling cucumber seeds do not take well to transplanting, so either start them early in peat pots or plant them directly.
Start them indoors about 2 weeks before frost, placing 3-4 seeds 1/2" deep in the pot. Keep the air temperature at least 80 degrees F. When two or three leaves appear on each plant, cut off all but the strongest plant with a scissors. Before planting them, "harden" the seedlings by setting them outside during the day. They should be planted no sooner than a week after the last spring frost, when the air temperatures consistently average 65-75 degrees F.
For planting them in a hill, place three seedlings or 7-8 seeds in each hill; space hills 4-5' apart. If rows are preferable, plant seedlings 1' apart or place 5 seeds within 1' and later thin them. Cucumbers love heat and cannot endure even a light frost; if cold temperatures threaten, cover the seedlings.
Since cucumbers love to climb, providing a trellis will save space in your garden and produce straighter cucumbers that are easier to pick; however, the vines will simply spread out over the ground if no trellis is provided.
Some gardeners plant their cucumbers with corn, since the two plants benefit each other and the cucumbers will climb the corn. Planting several radishes with cucumbers seems to repel damaging cucumber beetles; however, cucumbers do not like being planted near potatoes or aromatic herbs.
~ growing ~
Moisture is the key to growing excellent cucumbers; keep the soil consistently moist. When the vines have developed, apply mulch or straw to conserve moisture and control weeds. Watch out for cucumber beetles, and remove them immediately to prevent damage.
~ harvesting ~
This slightly tapered, black spined variety of cucumber works very well for pickling, though excellent as well for fresh eating at a bigger size. If picked consistently all season, the yield will be very high. When the blossom end of the cucumber begins to turn yellow, this indicates that the cucumber has passed its prime. Cucumbers store very well in the refrigerator.
