Northern Pickling was a verity that I decided to try out mainly to see what it tasted like, more than anything else. Although I really love growing Arkansas Little Leaf as a pickling cucumber, it is a little hard as a slicing cucumber. I happened to have seed of this variety and wanted to find out how well it did as a dual-purpose slicing and pickling cucumber.
This variety grew out very well in the season. There was nothing especially significant about this cucumber’s growth. It did seem to do pretty well in the heavy clay soil that I grew them in. Like many other cucumber varieties – the richer the soil, the more intense the sunlight and the longer the day – the faster the cucumbers grow. The real limiting factors for this variety were the poor soil and the partial afternoon shade each day.
Considering everything, the Northern Pickling cucumbers did quite well. Of all of my regular cucumber varieties that I trialed in 2018, they were the most productive.
As it goes with flavor, they tasted very similar to grocery store cucumbers, but a little harder in the skins. This would definitely make them better for pickling than many other varieties. However, I did really enjoy growing this variety and would definitely grow it again for its productivity, color and versatility. As it goes with being a dual-purpose cucumber, Northern Pickling passed with flying colors.
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The Northern Pickling Cucumber |
June 26th, 2018. |
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July 2nd |
July 23rd |
July 28th |
August 4th |
August 8th |
This variety grew out very well in the season. There was nothing especially significant about this cucumber’s growth. It did seem to do pretty well in the heavy clay soil that I grew them in. Like many other cucumber varieties – the richer the soil, the more intense the sunlight and the longer the day – the faster the cucumbers grow. The real limiting factors for this variety were the poor soil and the partial afternoon shade each day.
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August 8th |
Considering everything, the Northern Pickling cucumbers did quite well. Of all of my regular cucumber varieties that I trialed in 2018, they were the most productive.
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August 11th |
As it goes with flavor, they tasted very similar to grocery store cucumbers, but a little harder in the skins. This would definitely make them better for pickling than many other varieties. However, I did really enjoy growing this variety and would definitely grow it again for its productivity, color and versatility. As it goes with being a dual-purpose cucumber, Northern Pickling passed with flying colors.