About cucumbers

[PunkinPeep]

Two days ago, we picked 4 or 5 cucumbers (picking and burpless) from our garden. They were the first of our cucumber harvest.

We left them on the counter, and this morning, they felt spongy. Ew.

I peeled and sliced them, and they were ok, but how do you keep cucumbers from getting weird while you're collecting to be able to pickle them, etc.?

Keep in mind that this is hot and humid Texas, please. We don't have root cellars, and there's no such thing as an area with low humidity.

We keep our houses fairy cool with air conditioners, and we have a fridge.

Any ideas are helpful though.

Thanks!

 

[Wifezilla]

I fridge mine.

 

[PunkinPeep]

O.k., well, i feel stupid.

How long can you keep them in the fridge though?

 

[journey11]

I put mine in the veggie drawer in the fridge. They keep fresh oh, maybe 5 days or so like that. The bumps on them turn black and sink in if they're "past their prime". It helps too if you get them from the garden early in the morning before the sun has had time to work on them. They'll not be as dehydrated. End of season cukes tend to get pithy anyways time August heat rolls in, so you want to get them while they're in full production for the best quality pickling cukes. Pithy cukes will not be as crisp and will tend to float in the jar.

Have fun making pickles! It's addictive! I always make too many and all kinds...

 

[@thefunnyfarm]

I keep them in ice water in the frige. I also cut them up and stick them in ice water in frige overnight brfore canning them, helps keep them crisp but could just leave them for a few hours if you are in a hurry.